By Rosanne Rust

www.rosannerust.com

www.rustnutrition.com.

A recent Kaiser Permanente study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that keeping a food diary doubles weight loss compared to those who do not keep a food log. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and was one of the few studies that recruited a large percentage (44 percent) of African-American participants. This is significant because African-Americans have a higher risk of conditions that are aggravated by being overweight, namely high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

In the study, the majority of African-Americans lost at least nine pounds, and it clearly appeared that the more food records they kept, the more weight they lost. So it sounds simple enough: Write down what you eat, lose weight.

I always encourage my clients to keep a food journal when they begin a weight-loss program. Writing down information helps with several aspects of weight loss. It initially helps individuals become more aware of what they eat. It also helps them understand how and why they eat, and gives them a look at eating patterns. Journaling helps with ownership of your food intake. Often mindless eating is where people get into trouble. They may eat for reasons other than hunger, such as boredom, stress or emotional reasons.

It’s easy to begin a food record. Try this:

n Record what you eat, including the portion and preparation methods (for instance, “one egg, scrambled with 2 teaspoons butter” — be as specific as possible).

n Record where you are eating (e.g. the kitchen table, the car, the couch).

n Record how you feel (e.g. hungry, tired, bored, lonely).

n Record your hunger on a scale of one to five, with five being very hungry and one being not hungry at all.

n Record the time of day.

In five to seven days, you can learn a lot about your eating habits with this simple record. If you happen to have an appointment with a registered dietitian coming up, this is a great way to bring information to him or her to analyze, but it also will help you get started in setting some goals for yourself to improve both your eating habits and food choices.

Rust is a licensed registered dietitian who has a private practice in Meadville. She is a nutrition instructor for Penn State’s World Campus and a licensed provider for Real Living Nutrition Services. More information: Visit www.rosannerust.com or contact her at www.rustnutrition.com.