I am a still a kid on the inside. I think stupid things are funny. For instance farts are a riot.  My eldest son recently learned the never-gets-old "pull my finger" gag and I could not be more proud.

I would venture that most men are still this way to a certain degree.  A certain high powered executive I know still giggles like a school boy if you mention the word "duty" in a sentence, and truth be told so do I.  Don’t even get me started on the funniest word there is: "Diarrhea"- always hysterical. (Try this, when someone asks you a question, just answer "diarrhea". They might not laugh at first, but you will.)

The above childish mentality is why I still think it is funny when people talk about a "food log". All I can think of is literally a log of food.  It just sounds like something that Hickory Farms gives out samples of during the holidays. And just like Homer Simpson I begin to think "Mmm, food…"

 
Josh on the inside

Calling it a "food diary" simply leads to the aforementioned world’s funniest word, so that wont work either. I think a better and more accurate term is "nutrition journal." But realistically at this point if someone said to me "nutrition journal"  I think I would just say "You mean food log?"

Let’s move on…

The reason I bring up the "food log" is a recent study. Kaiser Permanente recruited 1700 participants and tracked their progress as they embarked on a weight loss journey.  This moderate weight loss plan involved both exercise and a healthy diet.

It turns out that the dieters who kept a daily journal (or food log ) of every single thing they ate lost TWICE as much weight as those who did not.

Now the fact that loggers lost more weight does not surprise me in the least.  But losing double what the others dieters did is simply astounding.

It comes back to a point I constantly harp on: Accountability. Keeping track of your eating habits keeps you accountable for what you consume. The majority of Americans  vastly underestimate the amount of food they actually consume.  The proof is in the waistline.  When you write it down everything is right there in black and white.  Hidden habits are uncovered, and nutritional missteps come to light.

“It had a very big impact,” one study participant noted. “If I was walking through the kitchen and wanted to grab a cookie or a brownie, I would think twice because I knew I had to write it down.”

I require all Carter Fitness clients keep a food journal. The ones that actually keep track make better progress every time, without fail.  I tell them they can use the PDF I give them, send me an email, write it in a spiral notebook or write it on a napkin with a crayon – it just doesn’t matter.  So long as it gets written.  You can download the journal I give my clients HERE.

Keeping track of what you eat is one of the easiest secrets to fat loss success I can think of. If it makes you think twice about what you are consuming than it is worth it.

Call it a nutrition journal, or a food log it just doesn’t matter – make it your duty.

Diarrhea.

Joshua Carter
http://carterfitness.com