20 Nov 2010 Techno-savvy diet tracking

It’s essential to make it work with real life foods and real life situations. That’s where food journaling comes in to play. It’s vital for anyone who wants to lose weight to understand the extent of how much they eat. The more you understand this, the better food choices you will continually make.

Try not to assume that you always know what you’re doing. Studies indicate that people can underestimate their calorie intake by as much as 20-40 percent. As servings get larger, we tend to underestimate even more. It’s all about reading food labels and measuring your portions. Once you accept the fact that you must measure your food portions, then it’s time to track your calories by maintaining a food journal.

The food label itself is the first place to start. (Be sure to look at the serving size!) Most foods, except for fresh produce, have food labels. Thanks to computer and cell phone technology, there is almost no excuse anymore to not know the calories in a food.

There are many websites and smart phone apps these days to assist with maintaining your food journal. Many of these sites are free, and some have a nominal fee.

When searching for online food journaling here are some things to consider. Look for a site that indicates how many foods are in its database. Some sites only have 9,000 foods or fewer in its database, and some have more than 600,000 foods. The larger the database, the easier it will be for you to find your calorie counts. Many sites also allow you to add foods that they may not have in their database.

Some sites will recommend a calorie level for you. Be aware that the calorie level they recommend may or may not be appropriate for you. Consider consulting with a registered dietitian to get an ideal calorie level based on your health history, lifestyle and activity level.

Many people say that keeping a food journal is a very eye-opening experience. People value the consistency, availability and accountability of online food journaling. There are many technological options to make it easier to track your diet.  

 
Websites:

Calorieking.com Free or extended version for $12/month

Caloriecount.com Free

Myfooddiary.com 7-day free trial, then $9/month

Livestrong.com Free

Fitday.com Free or upgrade for $5.49/month

Smart Phone Apps:

My Fitness Pal Free

Lose It Free

Calorie Tracker $2.99

Calorie Counter Pro $2.99

Tap & Track $3.99

Nutrition Menu $.99