If there’s an old saying that “You are what you eat”, we should definitely add there “Record what you eat”. Why? Because experts found that keeping a daily food journal helps people lose twice as much weight as those who do not record what they eat on a daily basis.

According to ParentDish.com:

Food journaling is definitely a commitment. But not only does it help keep track of the number of Hershey’s Kisses calories you’ve eaten in a day, it’s also a valuable learning tool when it comes to portion sizes. I can convince myself that that second scoop of ice cream only adds a few extra calories to the bowl, but once I write it down, it’s all there in black-and-white.

Want to try food journaling? You can make your own journal, use an online calorie tracking site like FitDay, or buy a preprinted journal — whatever suits your needs.

In addition to what the author has to say, here’s some more benefits of food journals which will help keep your diet on the right track:

• If you are trying to get rid of the weight that you gained after giving birth, a food journal allows you to monitor your caloric intake.
• A food journal ‘encourages’ you to improve your food choices.
• It leads to a healthier lifestyle.
• It’s a great visual representation to illustrate whether you are having a representative of all the food groups, and allows you to develop a healthy eating habit.
• It controls the urge to have unnecessary cravings.

Lastly, a food journal is the best way to track your weight loss progress and meet your weight loss goals.