Take Note, Lose Weight!

You have tried everything: Meat-free and meat only diets, juice fasts, abstaining from eating altogether, a few different pills you would rather not discuss, and, well, giving up. But weight loss experts say there is a much easier and healthier way to drop extra pounds and it involves one simple tool—a food diary.

In a recent study, researchers discovered that journaling food adventures in a diary doubled weight loss for overweight men and women. During the study, the dieters all ate food that was meant to help them lose weight and promote heart health. This meant a low-sodium diet based on whole grains, fruits, vegetables and potassium. The group also had at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a day.

As healthy as their lifestyle was during the study, the thing that led to weight loss was their daily diaries. When participants didn't record their food, they lost about eight pounds. Those who kept daily diaries lost about 17.5 pounds in five months. And the more detailed a person’s food diary was, the more pounds they shed.

Ready to lose weight? Grab a notebook or try an online program that can help you get organized. Start writing down food goals and checking them off each day as you complete them. You may also want to write every little thing down—right to the tiny bite of cake you took between lunch and dinner.

We’re curious: If you've already started a weight loss journal, what else do you write down in it besides what you eat? [Health]