Keeping track

For successful weight loss, I've learned it's critically important to have an awareness of what I'm doing each day.  Otherwise, I kind of get lost and return to my former bad habits.  The times I've lost weight most successfully were when I kept track of what I ate.  There are lots of food diaries and trackers available these days.  I'm a Lifetime Member* of Weight Watchers (WW) and I've gotten used to its etools, so that's where I do my tracking.  It's a program that's worked for me, both in terms of flexibility and usability.  Its online food tracker and recipe builder are well-designed.

Here are a few other great options I've found:

• WebMD has a free food and fitness tracker.  It looks like a good one.
• A friend sent me a link to a free calorie counter she's using, on MyFitnessPal.
• Duke Diet & Fitness Online is a great deal at $5 a month (billed quarterly).
• SparkPeople is a very popular free site, as is SparkTeens.
• I also found another free site: My-Calorie-Counter.
• Here's another one from a friend: MyPlate (Livestrong)

There are many benefits to tracking.  Keeping honest and accountable for my choices is one thing.  Increasing my awareness of the cost of various choices is another.  Hmmm... I could have a cup of grapes for zero points, or a quarter cup of raisins for three...  I have become much more aware of nutritional issues from this daily practice, too.  I know the value I get from lean protein and high fiber foods, and I also know the price I pay for too many carbs or fats.  Also, I have become much more aware of satiety -- which foods fill me up, and leave me feeling satisfied longer.  For instance, if I start with some soup that's mostly broth and veggies, or I have an apple and some water before I eat my main meal, I know I'll get that full feeling a lot earlier than if I just dive into the main course and gobble it up quickly. 

Tracking may seem like a lot of work, but after a while it's not.  It becomes second nature.  I know my portions and the value of most of my favorite foods now, so tracking goes pretty quickly.  I ran into a new WW member the other day who signed up with the Monthly Pass and was immediately tracking on her iPhone and accessing recipe information on her pink rhinestone-encrusted iPad.  Techology's really helped make tracking easy and convenient on apps like those for WW Mobile.

I'm not interested in promoting any single program or product.  I just wanted to share some of my experiences in the battle of the bulge, and urge everyone interested in weight loss/management to give tracking a try.





* Note: the Lifetime Member title never goes away even when the pounds return.  I'm currently tracking my food and exercising to get back to my goal weight.