Creating a daily food journal is one of the most important tasks for weight loss. We all are guilty of making foolish claims, but honesty is the best policy. You aren't overweight in spite of the fact you only eat healthy foods. Your bloating doesn't come from drinking water. And chances are you aren't as skilled at visually measuring portion sizes as you may think.
Keeping a food journal is important because it holds the author accountable, removes the "guess-work," and creates an honest environment that opens the door for change. I know it's difficult to face the cold-hard facts because I have been there.
The basic mathematical equation for weight loss is calories in minus calories out. Therefore, a proper food journal should track the calories you are consuming as well as those you are expending through exercise or an active lifestyle.
Now for the tough part... every morsel counts and should be counted. You may eat just one itty bitty Hershey's Kiss after lunch and dinner to mark the end of your meal. However, two Hershey's Kisses per day equals 52 calories; times 7 days a week equals 364 calories... the equivalent of an extra lunch in your week. Maybe you can afford this, but you don't know until you track it.
A food journal requires research. You will be reading labels, performing internet searches for calorie counts, and measuring your portions (which is a MUST).
Thanks to technology, this process is easier than ever! And maybe even... fun?!?! There are websites and "apps" for your devices like Lose It ( www.loseit.com ) and My Fitness Pal ( www.myfitnesspal.com ) that make tracking a breeze. These user-friendly tools put calorie counting and searches at your fingertips and help you create a healthy goal and track your progress.
can even connect with friends and other users for support. Once you search for a food or exercise, it stays handy for later use so you don't have to look up the same information repeatedly. The apps for devices allow you to scan barcodes and simply enter the number of servings... how's that for convenience?
One of the best features is goal setting. I don't know about you, but I was always confused by the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) on a nutrition label that are based on 2,000 calories per day. Is 2,000 the recommended budget? Is this for a man or a woman? An active or inactive person? What about a short person or tall person?
This then leads one to ponder, "If I track my current calories, how does that help me figure out how many I SHOULD be consuming?"
Guess what! The website and apps mentioned above do the calculations for you. Basic questions about your sex, height, age, daily activity level, and your goals quickly produce a new daily calorie budget (with recommendations on losing weight slowly), and even let you know by what future date you can expect your weight loss result if you stick to the calories. Pretty cool if you ask me.
Improving your quality of life through healthy choices isn't easy - but it's worth it.
Follow me at http://www.TheBalancedBowl.com for healthy food tips, recipes, grocery shopping advice, occasional humor, and motivation.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_Battista
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