The Food Diary

In previous attempts to lose weight, I have kept a food diary, which I have found does help me lose weight, the problems only start again when I stop keeping the diary.

I used to keep my food diary in little pocket notepads but I have now opted to use and actual diary for 2016.

The aim is to write down everything you eat, logging the calories as you go and keeping a running total. Most food you buy these days will have the calorie content on the packaging in one form or another, you might just have to do some basic maths, and for the rest you can get the information online.

Initially just eating what you would eat normally and logging it, I've found that the numbers can be quite staggering and take you by surprise. But I have found I naturally start eating less or eat different foods and the calorie count comes down by itself. 

The next step is to set a calorie target and keep below it, there are various sources online that can help you determine what you calorie target is, based on your stats and what your aim is