Let’s do a little research that might help you lose weight. Don’t worry, this is fairly easy. Get a notebook and pen. Keep these within easy access for the next several days. OK, here’s the research part:

For the next 3 days keep a journal of everything you eat – everything, even little bites. Write down what the food or drink was, the amount, the time, and even if you felt hungry or not. Don't worry about measuring out everything; that simply isn't feasible for most of us. Just make an educated guess. Did the food fill the plate or bowl? Was it the size of a baseball? Did you take 4 large handfuls? Etc...

And why just 3 days? Because it's very doable, especially if keeping a journal is hard for you to master. The purpose is to make it easier for you.

Be as objective as possible when journaling. Pretend you are observing a participant in a research study and not yourself. That might help keep you honest as well as not feeling guilty!

At the end of the 3 days review what you wrote. What do you see?

How much refined food did you eat?
How much protein did you eat?
How about complex carbs?
Fats?
Did you eat at the same time every day, or did you tend to graze constantly?
What did you drink? How much of that was water?
How often did you eat when you weren’t hungry?
Did you snack a lot?
Did you eat most of your food in the morning or late at night?
Did you go without food for 6 hours or more (sleep is the exception)?

The answers to these questions will help give you some insight into your eating habits. They may open your eyes to something you had not realized. Maybe you’ll have an “ah-ha” moment.

How can your answers help you improve your eating?
Maybe you can cut out a snack, reduce the amount of refined foods and/or fats, add more protein, drink more water, eat more vegetables, or eat at specific times of the day instead of constantly snacking or skipping meals.

Now make only one change to improve your eating habits. It’s easier to adjust to a small change rather than altering your entire diet at one time. Live with this change until it feels like a habit.

Then make another improvement, and keep doing it until that one feels like a habit. Make another improvement, and so on and so forth…you get the picture. The key is to make healthier changes one step at a time so you will adjust to them more smoothly.

After a while, you will have made incredible, healthier changes in the way you eat, that and that can increase your health and give you the upper hand in the battle against body fat!

One study doesn't necessarily mean that's it. As with all research studies, it's important to do more than one in order to come to most accurate and reliable conclusions. Go back to journaling every once in awhile, and if you can journal everyday, even better! You may find it rather interesting because, after all, you're writing about an interesting subject: you!

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Food Journal, Weight Loss