Keep a journal immediately after eating! No worries about weight control

If you want to effectively control your weight, maybe you can do this! An American study pointed out that if you want to control your weight, you must eat less. If you want to eat less, write down everything you eat at the moment. Dr. Hong Jiande, a metabolic doctor at Shutian Clinic, also pointed out that people who are very particular about calories are better able to control their diet and are more likely to lose weight successfully.

Studies have shown that writing down what you eat right after you eat can effectively help you lose weight. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

The research sample was 123 sedentary, overweight, postmenopausal women living in Seattle. The women's eating behaviors when losing weight were observed, and it was found that pens and notebooks were the two most important tools for successful weight loss. The women who kept a food log lost about 6 pounds more than those who didn't. Women who skipped breakfast and ate out more often (especially lunch) lost 5 pounds less.

The researchers note that eating out can be a barrier to healthy dietary changes because it often means less control over ingredients and cooking methods, and larger portion sizes. The purpose of recording food is to make you pay more attention to what and how much you eat. Whether you want to lose weight, control diabetes, or just avoid eating when you are not hungry, recording can be helpful.

Dr. Hong Jiande, a metabolic doctor at Shutian Clinic, mentioned that recording what you eat is the concept of calculating calories. This will help you understand how much you ate and how much more calories you added than your calorie goal for weight loss. It is best to record what you eat while you are eating, and write down what you are doing while eating, or what you eat when you are particularly hungry. The most important thing is to be "honest".

Hong Jiande pointed out that taking a 60-kilogram woman as an example, the basal metabolism consumes about 1,400 calories per day, from which people can calculate how much they should eat in a day. Of course, if combined with sufficient exercise, the weight loss effect will be doubled. In addition, the smartphones that people now commonly carry can actually replace pens and notebooks, making it more convenient to take photos and record!