Cheap and Effective Dieting Tool: Food Journal

Got $2? You'd be surprised to know that that's all it takes to boost your chances of weight loss success.

$2 can't buy you the two most common tools used by people trying to lose weight:
- Personal Trainer (average cost: $60-$70 per session, according to Dr. Sal Arria, president of the National Board of Fitness Examiners).
- Dietitian or Nutritionist Consult (average cost: $100-$200 according to CostHelper).

What costs $2 that makes a huge difference in your weight loss efforts? A pen, and a notebook. Simple, yet extremely effective in helping you shed those unwanted pounds. Keeping track of your food intake helps keep you reliable with what you're eating, and makes you think about what you're eating and the consequences (calorie-wise) before you dig in.

Of course, for those who prefer something other than the old paper and pen, there are more options to keeping a food journal.

Specific food journals. There are journals that are already set up to help track all your food intake and additional information that you may want to track as well. They're much more expensive than a cheap notebook, but they may make keeping track of information and looking back at data more efficient.

Food journaling through your phone is a quick and easy way to track your food on the go. Send a text or email to your dieting buddy to help hold you accountable.

Several apps are available for any smartphone to help you food journal. These apps aren't free, but most are fairly inexpensive, and convenient for those that use their smartphone for everything.

Keep in mind that several studies have proven that the cheapie notebook and pen is just as effective as the more expensive tools - so don't feel like spending more money will get you better results!

As far as food journaling, there are several tips to keep in mind to make sure it works to its full benefit.

Don't spend a ton of time on details. The simple approach - writing down just the basics (such as calories or serving size) or even using a pre-made checklist - has been shown to work just as well as detailing your foods extensively. Just make sure you report everything you eat.

Pick the journaling method that works best for you. To stick with it, you have to use something that you'll be consistent with. If you're more tech-oriented, pick an app. If you need a diet buddy to keep you accountable, send out a text. Those enticed by pretty journal pages may benefit from a food journal splurge.

Take a picture. A Wisconsin study showed that taking pictures of what you eat before you eat it can actually help you lose even more weight than just writing down what you ate.

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