If you are one of those people who just doesn’t click with a paper and pen then you should try an electronic food and exercise diary. These are available for PCs and handheld computers, as well as on line. There are plenty of advantages to having an electronic version of a diary, including a food database with food counts ready listed, personal profiling, regular check-ins, and diary printing. Electronic food and exercise diaries also display visual graphs and charts that track your daily, weekly and monthly progress in terms of weight, exercise, and nutritional targets. Check out the CalorieKing.com Food & Exercise Diary for Palm, Pocket PC and Windows. (See online diary and electronic diary links below).

However, a paper diary can be just as effective, particularly if you are already in the habit of writing things down in notebooks and calendars. A diary provides a way to organize it all in one place. Look for a diary that has a “start anytime” format with columns for fats, calories, carbs and exercise calories, as well as weekly summary pages and a place to record weight and waist changes. Allan Borushek’s ten week Pocket Food and Exercise Diary is highly recommended by many dietitians and doctors. (Click on the link below).

A food and exercise diary works by recording all calories in (food) and all calories out (exercise) and then subtracting the outs from the ins. This gives you your daily total calories, or net calorie intake. But you can also record other nutritional targets such as fat, carbs, fiber, protein and water intake, as well as type and duration of exercise. Recording things in detail will help you see which areas of your diet and exercise routines need more attention.

Other helpful pointers for using the diary:

• Try recording what you eat before you eat it. This helps you stick to your meal plans and not overeat. If it’s written down, consider it done!
• Be sure to take into account the quantity of food you are eating and to factor this into your calorie count. This is easy when you use an electronic diary, but if you are using a paper version, keep a careful eye out for foods that list nutritional information for two (or more) servings in one package; if you have eaten the whole thing, remember to double the calorie count.
• One way to ensure accurate quantity records is to weigh your food before you eat it. After you have done this for a while, you can start to estimate weights with reasonable accuracy.
• Don’t forget to record all drinks and snacks! They add up, so don’t ignore them.
• Try arranging for somebody to read your diary on a regular basis. Being accountable to someone else helps you to stick to your food and exercise goals. Choose someone who will encourage you.
• Use your diary to observe connections between high calorie and high fat foods and certain times of the day, week and month. Notice similar connections with exercise patterns, and prepare yourself in advance for those times.