With all the talk of New Year's Resolutions and dieting, I keep coming across advice to keep a food diary. The articles usually point out that research shows keeping a food diary "even for just one day" can aid your weight loss efforts. (I haven't been able to find these studies, but maybe I'm just using the wrong search engine or key words.)

Keeping a food journal has been part of my routine for a very long time now. In fact, I have several editions of notebooks dedicated to logging every morsel of food that goes into my mouth (along with blood sugar readings and insulin dosing, of course).

It's also a cornerstone to the Weight Watchers program. "If you bite it, write it" is a common phrase heard in meetings. My leader, Kim, started what we call "The Magic Traveling Journal." The 12-week planner gets passed around to a different group member each week. (READ MORE)