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How do I Keep a Weight Loss Diary?
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
There are a number of ways to keep a weight loss diary. The best way to keep a weight loss diary is to choose the kind of diary that works best with one's needs. If one's weight loss will be largely based on diet, then a weight loss diary should be organized around food intake. On the other hand, if one's weight loss will be based on exercise, the diary should focus on fitness. Some people find that the most effective way to keep a weight loss diary is to keep comprehensive notes about all factors related to weight loss including diet, exercise, and other wellness-related issues.
The simplest way is to simply keep a record of one's weight with notations about loss or gain either in a personal agenda book or in a dedicated weight loss diary. Some people take this process a step further and include notes about food and calories consumed as well as exercise and circuits completed. A weight loss diary can also be a place for a person to keep notes about how he feels about his weight loss progress and make notes about how certain foods or exercises seem to be contributing to or working against weight loss.
In addition to analog weight loss diaries, there are also digital weight loss diaries. These come in a number of forms. Some are online and are associated with weight loss companies and programs. Others are part of software that can be downloaded onto one's computer. A weight loss diary that is kept on a computer often offers charts and graphs to track progress.
One of the benefits of using a digital weight loss diary is that some of these diaries include calorie counters. A calorie counter helps to track the amount of food that one ingests on a daily basis. Some programs also allow users to figure the expenditure of calories into this part of their weight loss diaries. Expended calories are usually counted according to one's daily activity level as well as specific exercises. For example, walking for 30 minutes or gardening for an hour can be factored in.
The best way to keep a useful weight loss diary is to choose between these options. Just as each person's weight loss journey is different, so is each person's manner of organizing his weight loss information. With the many diary options out there, there is surely one to fit almost anyone's needs.
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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![A person keeping a weight loss diary.]()
By: mninniA person keeping a weight loss diary. -
![Some people keep a diary regarding their weight loss.]()
By: Sergio MartínezSome people keep a diary regarding their weight loss. -
![Food and calories consumed as well as exercises completed can be kept in a weight loss diary.]()
By: Mark HayesFood and calories consumed as well as exercises completed can be kept in a weight loss diary. -
![Simple weight loss diaries record a person's losses and gains.]()
By: sommaiphotoSimple weight loss diaries record a person's losses and gains.
Discussion Comments
My weight loss diary is simple. It's just a notebook that I update weekly. I just write down my weight for that week, the total number of hours of exercise I did and how many calories I ate on average per day. I do use a calorie counter separately.
I think that online weight loss diaries work relatively well. It's an easy way to keep information.
I personally use the weight loss diary of a weight loss forum that I'm a member of. The diary is basically an application where I put my weight loss goal and where I am right now. I also put a time frame. So for example, my goal might be to lose twenty five pounds in six months and I may have lost five pounds so far. The application will show me everyday, how much time I have left to reach my goal and how many more pounds I need to lose.
This diary is not just for keeping track of weight, it's also a form of motivation. It reminds me what my goal is and keeps me going. The only downside is that I have to go online to see it. So it's not accessible to me all the time.
I think I need a weight loss diary. I lose a few pounds and then I gain it back and I never know why. I need to keep track of my weight more closely and figure out what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong.
I don't think I can keep track of calories though. That's too much work. I need a simpler method. Any recommendations?
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