Weight-Loss Keys: Food Journals, Eating In, Not Skipping Meals

"Greater food-journal use predicted better weight-loss outcomes, whereas skipping meals and eating out more frequently were associated with less weight loss," writes Dr. Anne McTiernan, a research professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle. In the new study, she and her colleagues looked at a wide range of behaviors and meal patterns to evaluate what works and what doesn't.

Their findings are published July 13 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The study lends support to the value of many strategies long suggested for weight loss or maintaining a weight loss, McTiernan said. "Our study was unique in asking about all of these behaviors in one weight-loss intervention study, to see which ones actually worked."

McTiernan evaluated changes in body weight in 123 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 75, who were overweight or obese, over a year. The women were in a diet-only group — reducing calories to lose weight — or a diet-plus-exercise group.

Their average body mass index (BMI) was 31.3 at the study start. BMI is a measurement of body fat that takes height and weight into account; a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

The women completed questionnaires about what they ate, their meal patterns and behaviors such as eating out and keeping food diaries or journals.

After a year, women in both groups lost an average of 11 percent of their start weight, meeting the goal of the study. On average, the women lost 19 pounds.

However, McTiernan noticed some strategies produced more weight loss.

Women who kept food journals — writing down everything they ate — lost about 6 pounds more than those who did not keep them.

Women who skipped meals lost about 8 fewer pounds than those who had more regular meal patterns.

Eating out often was linked with less weight loss. While overall restaurant eating was linked with less weight loss, the strongest link was with lunch out. Those who ate out for lunch at least once a week lost about 5 fewer pounds less than those who ate out less frequently.

If used consistently, McTiernan said, the food journal makes you accountable. In keeping a journal, it's important, she said, to record everything — toppings, sauces, condiments. Portions should be measured so you're writing the correct amounts, she said. With today's technology, it's easy to keep a food diary at hand. It can also be low-tech — a simple pad of paper, she said.

"The best food journal is the one you'll actually use," she said.

Eating out is linked with less weight loss because it's difficult to compute the calories, added fats and sugars in a restaurant meal, even with nutrition guides, she said.

"We didn't test men, but there would be no harm in men trying these methods also," McTiernan said.

Dr. Michael Aziz, an internist at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City, said the study findings add support to what experts have said about weight loss for years.

The food journal is a good idea not only to count calories but to look at the overall health quality of your diet, he said.

Skipping meals once in a while may be understandable, but not as a habit, he said. "Over time, skipping meals habitually could make your metabolism slower, affecting [the hormone] leptin and thyroid hormones," he said.

Eating out makes it difficult to stick to a plan, he said. "Once you eat outside, you have no control over portions," he said. "You don't know how your food is prepared."

Another expert, Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, said the study ''provides more support to the fact that developing awareness of what and how much we eat is key to achieving, and maintaining, weight loss.''

While food diaries may seem difficult to some to keep up, the study shows that it can produce more weight loss, Diekman said.

One limitation of the study, also pointed out by the researchers, is that the women were mainly white, so the findings may not apply to others. However, much other research has found a link between food journals or diaries and weight loss, Diekman said.

Surprising Health Reasons to Lose Weight

University of Birmingham researchers compared weight loss among obese and overweight women and men enrolled in commercial weight-loss programs that lasted 12 weeks (Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley) or in primary care-based programs (group-based dietetics, general practice one-to-one counseling, pharmacy one-to-one counseling).

The study also included a control group of patients who were given 12 vouchers for free use of a local fitness center.

There were 740 people at the start of the study, and follow-up data were available for 658 of them at the end of the 12-week program and for 522 of them one year later.

Participants in all the programs had significant weight loss after 12 weeks, with the average ranging from 9.7 pounds among those in Weight Watchers to 3.1 pounds among those in general practice counseling. Weight loss among participants in the primary care programs was no better than among those in the control group.

After one year, statistically significant weight loss was evident in all groups except for the general practice and pharmacy counseling programs. However, participants in Weight Watchers were the only ones to achieve much greater weight loss than those in the control group.

An increase in physical activity was noted in all groups, with the smallest increase among those in the general practice counseling program.

The researchers also found that attendance was highest in Weight Watchers and lowest in the primary care programs, which were also the most costly.

"Our findings suggest that a 12-week group-based dedicated program of weight management can result in clinically useful amounts of weight loss that are sustained at one year," the study authors wrote.

"Commercially provided weight-management services are more effective and cheaper than primary care-based services led by specially trained staff, which are ineffective," they added.

These 3 Easy Calorie-Counting Rules Will Help You Lose Weight

How many calories have you eaten today? And how many should you consume if you’re trying to maintain your current weight or lose those last 10 pounds? If you’re like most Americans, you probably wouldn't know the answer. According to years of surveys from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, a not-for-profit health education organization, only about 30 percent of us pay attention to calories when we're looking to eat healthfully. 

With so many weight loss plans focused on eliminating or increasing certain foods — whether it's through banishing carbs, loading up on protein, or eating “healthy” fats — the benefit of counting calories may get crowded out of the conversation. But you shouldn’t discount this powerful weight loss tool, say experts, because the secret to losing weight for good isn’t eliminating bread or existing entirely on green juice.

“Sustained, healthy weight loss comes down to a pretty basic equation: fewer calories plus more exercise,” say Jenny Sucov and Maureen Namkoong, RD, the authors of My Calorie Counter, Everyday Health's nutritional information guide. “By keeping track of how many calories you consume and burn every day, you can slim down, gain energy, and stave off a whole host of health problems.” 

What keeps people from counting calories? Among the biggest roadblocks people cite, according to one IFIC survey, are the difficulty of counting calories (30 percent), having a focus on other nutrients (30 percent), thinking that calorie counting doesn’t matter (23 percent), and being too busy (22 percent).

But counting calories is less time-consuming than you think. Follow these tips to get started:

1. Determine How Many Calories You Should Eat 

Your body uses about two-thirds of the calories you consume each day just to keep its systems functioning — your heart beating, your muscles moving. The rest of your calorie intake fuels everyday activities, like walking around, exercising, typing an email, doing a crossword puzzle.

To find out your ideal caloric intake, start by calculating your daily caloric needs. The number of calories you need daily depends upon five main factors: your age, sex, weight, height, and amount of physical activity. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that women looking to lose weight keep their calories in the rage of 1,200 to 1,500 a day.

To lose weight, you need to decrease the calories you take in, or increase the amount of calories you burn through exercise. This calculator, created by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, can help you determine how many calories you’ll need to aim for per day in order to reach your weight loss goal. 

2. Count How Many Calories You Actually Eat and Burn

You can easily cut calories by making small diet and exercise changes throughout your day. Here are a few ways:

Breakfast Drink water instead of a cup of orange juice. Calories saved: 112

Snack Have ½ cup of sliced cucumber and a tablespoon of hummus instead of a 1 ounce bag of chips. Calories saved: 117

Lunch Swap out 2 tablespoons of full-fat ranch dressing for fat-free Italian. Calories saved: 128

Dessert Eat ½ cup of strawberries instead of ½ cup of chocolate ice cream. Calories saved: 130

You can track your calories online here for free, or consult the nutritional information in our My Calorie Counter iPhone app or book when you’re on the go.

Don’t forget to log your exercise, too. Find out how many calories you're burning with fitness and everyday activities by using the My Calorie Counter list of calories burned during exercise, then enter that figure into your online journal. 

3. Get Portion Savvy

Even if you can’t or don’t want to tally the calories you eat at every single meal or snack, portion control is an easy way to help you consume fewer calories. “In a world where supersized is regular, it’s easy to undercount your calories,” say Sucov and Namkoong.

These tips can help you recognize what a healthy portion looks like, which can help you keep calories in check:

Think of a tennis ball. It’s the equivalent of one cup of food, which is the recommended portion for items like pasta, cereal, and yogurt.

Don’t eat straight out of the container. It’s a recipe for mindlessly overeating. Instead, measure a serving size of whatever you’re noshing on — almonds, soy chips, or other snacks — and put it on a plate or in a bowl.

Use smaller plates. Trick your mind into thinking that you have more food by downsizing your large dinner plate for a smaller, salad-sized one. A healthy portion can look tiny on a huge plate but will seem more normal when you shrink its surroundings.

Spoil your appetite with nutritious food. Try eating celery sticks with peanut butter an hour before mealtime, My Calorie Counter recommends. You’ll eat less at the meal and feel more satisfied later.

Weight-Loss Success Story: Losing 100 Pounds

Brian Trahan, publisher of a small daily newspaper in Louisiana, has had a weight problem since he was a child. He has tried many different diets, but never had any significant weight-loss success. At 41, he tipped the scales at 580 pounds. When his life was on the line, he was motivated to get serious about losing weight. In 2007, he joined My Calorie Counter, Everyday Health's online calorie counter and journal, and became one of its many weight-loss success stories.

Trahan, now 44, has since been able to not just lose 100 pounds, but 192 pounds. In the last three years, he’s had some ups and downs, but has never gone back over 500 pounds.

EH: What inspired you to start your weight-loss journey?

Trahan: My inspiration has many sources. At 580 pounds and a former athlete, my body was beginning to break down. I had problems with my knees, and one evening at a track meet [working as a journalist] I completely destroyed my meniscus. Upon visiting my physician, he looked me in the eyes and said, “If you don't lose weight now, you're going to die before you are 50.” Those words hit me in the face like a sledgehammer. At 41 years old, I was in no way prepared to face death. I began to think about my two sons. At the time, they were pre-teens and I could not imagine them having to deal with losing their father so early. So that became my rallying point.

EH: What diet tips and guidelines did you use to get started?

Trahan: I got started by searching the Internet for a means to count calories and other nutritional categories. I found My Calorie Counter and began journaling — listing what I had been consuming, which consisted mostly of fast foods. I was taking in some 4,000 to 5,000 calories per day. It was an eye-opening experience when I researched what I should have been taking in to fuel my body and my sedentary lifestyle. So began my love affair with food journaling.

EH: What type of diet did you follow?

Trahan: I consumed 1,800 calories per day, while also tracking fat, carbs, sugar, cholesterol, protein, and sodium. I haven't varied from that plan for the past three years. In addition to that, living in a humid subtropical climate, I knew it was important to hydrate as well. So I consumed between 100 and 140 ounces of water per day.

EH: How do you stay motivated?

Trahan: Realistically, there is no way to stay motivated 24/7, 365 days per year. It's not humanly possible. The key for me is to take the small victories, celebrate briefly, and then move on. I also accept the small defeats, learn from them, and then not let them grow into a larger problem. It may be an oft-used cliché, but weight-loss is a marathon, not a sprint.

EH: What is your biggest food weakness?

Trahan: My biggest weakness when it comes to food is Cajun cooking. I grew up in a Cajun family in south Louisiana, where if it moves, you catch it and deep-fry it. In addition, pizza and hamburgers also give me trouble. Regardless of the food, another weakness is portion control.

EH: How long did it take until you started seeing results?

Trahan: Since I was so heavy when I started, I began to see results immediately. I lost my first 50 pounds in a matter of six weeks. What I also learned from that is to not [always] expect those results and focus on setting long-term goals in increments. It's easier to accomplish the goal weight in that manner without succumbing to impatience.

EH: What are your diet tips for weight management?

Trahan: One of my favorite diet tips is water intake. I know that when I'm consistently drinking the 100 to 140 ounces of water, it helps appetite control while also helping keep my body cleansed.

But there are really no secrets. It's all about common sense. If you consume more calories than you should be, then you need to exercise and move more than you are accustomed to. Remaining active and limiting your excesses can be a simple outlook, but it works.

EH: What do you do for exercise?

Trahan: With my limitations [after multiple knee surgeries], I have to pick my spots for exercise. Playing golf is something I enjoy that also allows me to get out and move around. Other than that, using a recumbent stepper or bicycle works better for me at the gym. In addition, I also try to build up the muscles around my knees to help out with that problem. Another good idea for those with joint trouble like I have is to utilize your local swimming pool.

EH: What foods do you miss most and when do you have them?

Trahan: As I mentioned before, the Cajun cooking is what I miss most. I miss gumbo, boudin (Cajun sausage), crawfish, and fried catfish. When I visit my family, I try to limit those foods. I realized I can enjoy those foods, but at the same time, not eat in excess.

EH: Why do you think you’re having such weight-loss success?

Trahan: I’ve been able to lose 100 pounds-plus because I'm approaching it with common sense. When you have the mindset that there is no quick fix and that it takes hard work and sacrifice, half the battle is won.

Weight-Loss Success Story: Losing 50 Pounds

In her late 60s, Kay Franklin, a hairdresser from Oklahoma City, finally found the weight-loss success that had eluded her. Franklin, now 72, was able to lose 50 pounds in a year and has kept it off for three years. She went from 208 to 158 pounds. She’ll still never be a swimsuit model, Franklin says, but she loves her new shape and is very happy with her appearance.

EH: When did you first realize it was time to lose weight?

Franklin: I have tried to lose weight most of my life. I have a long dieting history and occasionally had weight-loss success through drugs and other fad diets — I tried anything that looked promising. But after losing weight, despite white-knuckling it, I always seemed to gain it back. I was forever looking for a way out of my constant battles with my weight. My goal had always been to lose 50 pounds.

EH: How did you get started this time and to what do you attribute your weight-loss success?

Franklin: It was an accident. On a whim, I went online and typed “Free Calorie Counter” into a search engine. It came up with Everyday Health’s My Calorie Counter. I decided to try it and so I put in everything I was eating. I began to see just how many calories I was eating — I couldn’t believe it. The numbers really opened my eyes and it made it much easier for me to focus on my goal to lose 50 pounds.

EH: What type of diet and diet tips did you follow?

Franklin: I started by aiming for 1,400 calories a day, and that really worked. I didn’t have dramatic losses at first, but I could see that I was on the right track. I can eat all types of foods, but I learned it wasn’t going to be healthy eating if I didn’t start paying attention to sodium, fiber, and sugar in the foods I was eating. On special occasions I may go as high as 2,000 calories a day, but I never go above that. I’ve discovered my weight-loss success is all in the averages. I like to say that I’ve never gone to bed hungry or stuffed too full. I live in the middle. I found out that it is not as boring as I thought and that I can live very nicely with my food choices.

EH: What’s your exercise schedule?

Franklin: I use a treadmill. I try and exercise for at least 20 minutes a day as much as four days a week. Because I own my own shop, I still work as a hairdresser and I keep active.

EH: How long did it take until you started seeing results?

Franklin: The first week of my new diet, I knew I was onto the answer for me. I was and I still am very grateful. It took a year for me to lose 50 pounds.

EH: How do you stay motivated and maintain your weight-loss success?

Franklin: I blog. I also post on three groups on My Calorie Counter where we share our daily ups and downs and weight-loss success stories and failures. I am fortunate enough to like doing the food log. Earlier this summer, I passed my 1,000th log.

EH: What’s your biggest food weakness?

Franklin: Baked goods. But I work with portions and occasionally I have what I like. The old taboo diets never worked for long in my old life. They seem to bring on a backlash where I end up by rebelling and eating more. If I get into the sugar, then the next day I have a craving. I do damage control by keeping below 50 mg on the daily sugar target. We all have to examine our own weaknesses and create our food plans that work for us. We’re not all the same.

EH: What other diet tips do you have?

Franklin: One of my best diet tips is that the battle is won or lost at the grocery store. Don’t keep poor choice foods within reach. Would a recovering alcoholic stock a home bar?

Weight-Loss Success Story: Losing 20 Pounds

Katherine Berman, 49, was in denial about needing to lose 20 pounds until she saw some photos of herself. The extra weight made her look “older and frumpy.” Having always been photogenic, “suddenly my neck looked huge and my face was getting rounder,” she recalls. When a friend suggested they lose weight together, Berman, who works as a claims examiner in San Diego, thought it was a great idea.

They both joined Jenny Craig, and Berman and her friend soon became two of the center’s weight-loss success stories. Because of her success, Berman says she now believes people when they tell her, “You don’t look your age.”

EH: When did you first realize it was time to lose 20 pounds?

Berman: I kept blaming my weight on middle age. I was buying blousy shirts, so I wasn’t feeling very fit and attractive. When I saw some photos of myself, I realized how heavy I was getting. My family also started to mention their concern about my weight.

EH: What inspired you to start your weight-loss journey?

Berman: I have a friend who also wanted to lose weight and she suggested that we do it together. Even though I knew I needed to lose weight, I was almost offended that someone thought I could benefit from joining a weight-loss center. That was admitting it out loud: ‘Yes, I am overweight and I can’t handle this by myself.’ My friend and I joined Jenny Craig. We both wanted to lose 20 pounds and we both are weight-loss success stories.

EH: What diet tips and guidelines did you follow?

Berman: I followed the Jenny Craig program. I was surprised at how much easier it is than I thought. I was concerned that I would be hungry because I like to eat a lot. This diet makes sure you are eating throughout the day by having healthy, low-calorie, tasty meals and snacks, so I have fuel in my system and that keeps me from bingeing.

EH: What was your exercise schedule?

Berman: I always walked 30 to 60 minutes a day and I still do that. I added in walking up four flights of stairs to my office three times a day — on my breaks and at lunch.

EH: How did you stay motivated?

Berman: I was really surprised that people began to notice when I had lost 7 pounds. I got so much feedback — people telling me that I looked good. I think they noticed because my face stopped being so round and I lost a bit of that bloated look. I was really motivated to stay on the program because I loved it when suddenly my pants were too big and I had to buy a smaller size — and this happened a few times! I have gone down three sizes, from a 12 to a 6.

EH: What is your biggest food weakness?

Berman: My big weakness is salty, crunchy snacks, so I have Jenny Craig cheese curls or try to make a vegetable platter with a pickle or two added in.

I recently went to New Orleans, which is, of course, known for fantastic food. I was able to select healthier items, such as fish, instead of deep-fried choices, so I wasn’t missing out on sampling exciting new dishes, but I did miss out the high calories that would have come with those deep-fried choices.

EH: How long did it take until you started seeing results?

Berman: I saw the results quickly. I was really surprised by that. I would think, how can anyone tell that I lost 5 to 7 pounds? It isn’t that much. But they really could because so many different people would convey that sentiment. Losing that amount of weight made a large, positive difference in my appearance, especially the neck and belly. Time-wise I don’t remember exactly — maybe two months.

EH: What diet tips do you have for others so they too can become weight-loss success stories?

Berman: Here are of my best diet tips:

• Before going out to a restaurant, look at their menu online. I usually decide ahead of time what I will order. This gives me time to research the nutritional content and not be influenced by others. Sometimes you will be surprised — you thought a certain dish was low-cal and it really isn’t.
• Skip the potluck or bring something that you want to eat. I usually bring a shrimp platter.
• Avoid buffets because they really test your self-control. If you have no choice, visit the buffet one time only so you can visualize how much you are eating. When you go back two to three times, you may not realize how much you are consuming.
• Pick activities like walking or biking when getting together with friends.
• Split meals with friends at restaurants. It saves money and calories.
• Eat vegetables with every lunch and every dinner.
• Make sure your veggies are cut, cleaned, and ready to eat so you don’t grab something else when hunger strikes.
• Get rid of high-calorie foods to avoid temptation. If you can’t find it in the pantry, you can’t snack on it.
• If you don’t want to tell everyone you are on a diet, have at least one buddy you share it with so you have a good support team. When I was trying to lose weight my mom and dad would make sure we picked a restaurant where I could order fish so I could still go out, but not blow all the hard work I was doing.
• Buy some cute workout clothes so you like wearing them and working out in them.
• Have a goal in mind to check progress. Keep trying on those pants that used to be too tight and notice if you are getting closer to fitting into them.
• Reward yourself with non-food items, such as a manicure or pedicure, new shoes, and makeup.

Weight-Loss Success Story: Losing 10 Pounds

Kevin Graham, 48, of Orange County, Calif., travels a lot for business, and being on the road makes it hard to maintain a regular exercise routine and eat the right foods. Over time, his weight inched up to 225 pounds, and at 6 feet 2 inches tall, he says he feels better at 215 or less.

About two years ago, he made a conscious decision to lose 10 pounds and keep his weight down. “I didn’t want the yo-yo dieting that we all do,” he says. He achieved weight-loss success by placing a photo of himself looking thinner in his wallet — this way he sees his slim picture every time he goes to pay for food. Here are the diet tips that made him a weight-loss success story.

EH: When did you first realize it was time to lose weight?

Graham: The realization had been there for a long time. You get over 40, you can’t keep your metabolism up, and it’s hard to stay as active as you were when you were younger. The waistline grows and grows and at some point you decide this is not the direction I want to head. It’s only going to get harder and harder. Two years ago, I made the conscious decision to lose 10 pounds and get myself to 215.

EH: What inspired you to start your weight-loss journey?

Graham: The desire for longevity. I wanted to have a strong and flexible body and be in control of my life.

EH: What diet tips did you follow?

Graham: My eating had been poor because I travel a lot and I eat late. I love salt and sugar and all the Mexican places in California. I didn’t give up anything. I just tried to work with smaller portions. I wanted to make small incremental changes that I could live with and maintain my weight-loss success. I wasn’t trying to lose 10 pounds by a certain date and torture myself. I was focused around calories, but I didn’t do any scientific measurement. I also cut out heavy drinks and went for water instead of soda and stayed away from shakes. When I went to a restaurant, I didn’t go through three baskets of bread before the meal.

EH: What was your exercise schedule?

Graham: I don’t keep to a strict schedule. I’m a referee for soccer, so that gets me exercising. I go to the gym and do some stretching and a little bit of weights to get some resistance training. I try to mix it up and get some activity every day, but I don’t always go to the gym or referee or get out and play. I get up every morning at 5 or 6 a.m. — sometimes I go to work and sometimes I go to the gym. It depends on what’s on my calendar for the day. The injustice of conditioning is that it takes weeks and months to get into shape, but only days to get out of shape.

EH: How do you stay motivated?

Graham: I’m trying to live a long life and have a flexible mind and body as I age. You want to look decent, too. I don’t want to be one of those [people] who flops in a chair with food in his hands all day long. Before I eat or drink something, I say to myself, “Is it really that good?” Also, I look at the thinner photo of myself that I carry in my wallet. It’s amazing what you can do over time if you have the right images of yourself.

EH: What’s your biggest food weakness?

Graham: Bread and chips and salsa and that type of stuff. I still eat sandwiches for lunch. If I would cut that out more, I probably would be leaner. I just had brownies with almonds for breakfast because they were next to the bananas. I let myself have some of what I like.

EH: How long did it take until you started seeing results?

Graham: Within a few days of making changes, I started feeling better. It probably took two to three months of ratcheting up the activities and not allowing myself to overeat or eat too late at night until I achieved the weight-loss success I wanted. I didn’t put a lot of effort into losing weight quickly. I wanted to make small incremental changes so I could sustain them and move forward.

EH: What are your best diet tips and secrets for weight-loss management?

Graham: My best diet tips are to know your goals and yourself. Picture what you’re going to look like when you’re thinner. Make a list of what you’re doing now in terms of activities and food consumption and identify the things that are most harmful to your health and get rid of them. Also, reassess your peers and don’t hang out with people whose habits may set you up for failure. I don’t monitor my weight by stepping on the scale weekly or daily. But I’m in touch with my body and I know when I’ve eaten too much or have been too sedentary and I get back on track. It’s not always easy, but when you set goals, it helps.