“How about a food journal help post?” – Alycia @ Fit n Fresh You got it! According to a study done by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, keeping a food diary during a managed program (i.e. a diet or weight loss plan) can actually double your weight loss! The study showed that the more records the participants kept, the more weight they lost.
I personally find that writing it down really keeps you accountable for what you eat. I would much rather write down that I ate an apple, than a bag of chips. The same goes for fitness; I find that if I write down and track my workouts, I am more apt to push myself in the morning to get to the gym because I don’t want a blank page in my journal.
You can just use a blank notebook for logging, or buy a journal specifically for fitness & nutrition at any bookstore. As recommended by Joanna and Rachel, I ordered the Get Fit Book to track my nutrition and exercise, and I LOVE IT! You can track everything in this one little compact (and super cute) book!
Don’t want to get a journal? Here are a few other ideas:
- Take pictures of everything you eat and keep them on your phone or in a folder (but be sure to look at them every night before bed).
- Add everything you eat into your Google calendar or phone calendar and review daily.
- Blog about it! How often do you see pictures of junk food on healthy blogs? If you know you have an audience you may be more likely to reach for a healthy snack!
Do you log your food? What are your thoughts?
Now I have some site updates for you all! Check out the bloggies tab, as I created a blog roll that you can add your site too! What are you waiting for? Get adding! 
I also noticed on my work computer the header looks funny (it is a little cut off) whereas on my home computer it looks perfect. Are any of you seeing a cut off header? Or anything funky looking? Please let me know!
Jennifer is a 27 year old personal trainer living in Connecticut. She is "Coach Jen" at 
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Hello love!!!!
The header on your blog looks good on my computer!!!! Not sure why it loks diff on yours?!
I never write down what I eat, I just keep track in my mind pretty much!!
Have a great day love!!!! xoxo
I am excited to see my friends when Im home, I miss them!!!
Twitter: FitChickNYC
June 23, 2010 at 8:22 am
I don’t track my food, but agree that it’s a great way to lose weight.
Blog looks good to me! =)
Twitter: pennylaaaane
June 23, 2010 at 8:44 am
Great post. I’ve been hearing a lot about this fitbook. I’m a little intrigued, but at the same time I can get a notebook for like a dollar. Hahaha
Lexie´s last [type] ..We eat too much
I don’t usually track, but I’ve tried. I have no problems keeping track of my eats during the day. It’s once I get home from work and things get crazy that I lose track.
Lindsay´s last [type] ..Buffalo Chicken Dip
I basically talk about everything I eat on my blog, but I think a journal would help in tracking my emotions and their relation to my eating habits! Great post!
Ashley@thehungryscholar´s last [type] ..The Rhetoric of Binge Eating
Twitter: JoannaSutter
June 23, 2010 at 9:59 am
I’m so glad you got your fitbook and that you love it! It’s not just a notebook it’s a goal setting, tracking, and achievement system.
I record all of my workouts and meals, goals, victories and challenges. One of my favorite tools in my ever!
Twitter: jessicabalances
June 23, 2010 at 10:11 am
Your header looks perfect-o on my computer – so good in fact that I want a new header now, too! haha
Totally just added myself on your bloggies page. You’re already on my blogroll, otherwise I’d say I’d add you…
I go through periods where I track everything I eat and then there are times when I track almost nothing. Sometimes tracking it helps but I find that a lot of the time I just won’t write down the things I don’t want to see. Out of sight, out of mind? Haha.
Your header looks fine on my computer too.
Twitter: AMYSRANDOMNESS
June 23, 2010 at 11:45 am
That’s why I like blogging- I feel much more accountable about running the whole amount I said that I would… I really have no desire to be like, “hey guys, guess what… slacked off… for no good reason…”
I’ve heard good things about the fit book- might have to look into it!
Amy B @ Second City Randomness´s last [type] ..Inquisitive Minds Want to Know
I always log my food! I actually use SparkPeople because then I can easily see if I have had enough fiber, fat, and protein. That fit book looks appealing, though!
The only time I ever kept a food diary was for a nutrition class. We had to measure everything exactly to do nutrient evalutions. It seems like a good way to make yourself accountable, but there has to be a certain level of balance. I wouldn’t want to live my life not eating a piece of cake just because I don’t want to have to write it down.
Alex @ IEatAsphalt´s last [type] ..No Big Deal
I never logged my food…until I started I food blog!
It was actually kind of difficult to get used to. I never had to put so much thought into what I was eating, you know? But it has definitely ended up being a benefit because it kind of “forces” me to eat healthier…especially in the vegetable department 
Gracie´s last [type] ..mexican eats + NuNaturals giveaway!
I don’t track what I eat, it drives me crazy. I just go with the flow and try to honor my hunger and cravings
Twitter: lauryannraik
June 23, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Excellent Post!! Keeping a food diary is GREAT for people trying to become more conscious about their diets. I used to log my food all the time, for years…it always helped whenever I was trying to lose weight. Now, I have pretty much mastered my eating habits
Laury @ thefitnessriot´s last [type] ..No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies
lol god I love you! Awesome post – I’m gonna order me a fit book STAT. Thanks babe! (:
Twitter: MeWaistingTime
June 23, 2010 at 6:38 pm
I have been tracking on fitday for a while now and hoped it would keep me accountable but so far – not so much. I am honest though – if I eat it I track it.
Twitter: theskinnyfight,,
June 23, 2010 at 6:46 pm
The header’s fine. The computer at my job does the same thing to my blog. I think it’s because they’re still using Explorer 5 or 6.
Anyway, sometimes I write it down but I cook for one so when I do cook it’s for 3 or 4 days so I eat the same thing.
Adrienne´s last [type] ..I Helped Set a National Average!
i don’t have to keep a journal, i pretty much eat the same foods every day! yes i know, sounds boring, but i swear, didn’t dr oz or bob green say this was a good thing? something about you eat more if you have a variety of food….
anyway, i’m glad the study proved that food journals work. that means people actually held themselves accountable. it would be all too easy to “forget” that snickers you had on the drive to work, i know i would:)
I do the photos journaling with my food blog. It helps to track then process the why and what I ate each night.
Mary (A Merry Life)´s last [type] ..Things Are Going Super Duper Fantastically Well
I don’t journal now but I have done it so much in the past that I can usually name everything I have eaten during the day. I think when people journal for the first time and look at macros, they realize how much they have been underestimating tremendously.
Whole Body Love´s last [type] ..According to Albert Einstein…
When I was on Weight Watchers I had to write in a food journal to track my points. Now I just write in a
Kailey´s last [type] ..Muffin Wednesday
Ah it cut me off!
I was saying… (ha) now I just write in a regular journal and it really helps. When you write things down you’re more conscious of what you put in your body. I just recently started taking pictures of my food too! It makes it fun and I WANT to eat healthy so I can post cute pictures on my blog. Dorky? yup! haha
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