Track Food Choices for Better Weight Control

---

Researchers used a variety of approaches for comparing weight loss results from dietary changes, such as using traditional paper diaries to self-monitoring using electronics but found no significant difference in the amount of weight lost. In both a weight-gain prevention study and a weight-loss trial, only daily weighing was associated with weight losses, and less frequent self-weighing was directly associated with weight gain over the twenty-four month test period.

When the frequency of self-monitoring of diet and exercise was measured in recent studies, there was significant difference in weight loss results of those who weighed daily to the outcomes of those self-weighing less often. There is significant evidence that losing excess body fat is difficult for most individuals and the risk of regaining lost weight is high. So, monitoring the causes of excess weight gain and maintaining a healthy body weight are essential for better outcomes.

Tips for Tracking Your New Habits

Self-monitoring your weight loss plan will provide valuable feedback on how the choices you made during the day impacted your progress toward achieving your goals. Listed below are four benefits of tracking your food, weight and daily exercise:

1) Understand Your Eating Habits – Food tracking allows you to implement a sustainable menu plan by accounting for energy consumption consistently and accurately. Plus, you will gain a better understanding of the nutrient value.

2) Know Nutrient Density of Foods – Tracking calorie density of your food intake helps you realize what foods are keeping you from meeting your weight loss goals. This provides the motivation to compare options when grocery shopping to make better choices.

3) Measure Changes to Your Body – If you routinely measure your progress, it can help you gauge the effectiveness of your exercise regime and daily food intake. This can encourage you to continue replacing bad habits with healthy ones.

4) Hold Yourself Accountable – Monitoring your food intake and tracking your daily physical activities can be crucial to holding yourself accountable for maintaining a balanced diet and staying on top of your goals for healthy living.

Self-Monitor the Vital Factors for Healthy Living

There are many erroneous beliefs about losing weight and long-term weight regulation. It is important to develop the skills needed to identify triggers to better deal with negative attitudes that can lead to overeating or a sedentary lifestyle. With increases in obesity, which is the fifth highest risk factors for global death, researchers are desperately seeking ways to promote healthy lifestyle interventions that rely on self-monitoring for better weight control. Utilizing self-monitoring skills to track your consumption of calories and macronutrients should be combined with recording accurate numbers for cardio workouts and strength training as these are all vital factors for healthy living.

Here at Metabolic Research Center, we believe in taking time to reflect on how your healthy habits are having a positive impact on your life. Visit MRC online to learn more about our support network that can help you realize your goals.