Tracking for weight loss

Keeping a food journal can play a successful part in your weight-loss journey.

From little things, big things grow
A biscuit with a cup of tea, a handful of ham while making lunch, a mouthful of ice cream...the little things you eat throughout the day can add up to create a weight-loss road block.

By learning to account for all bites, licks and tastes, you can manage and plan your healthy diet more effectively.

How do I track?
Keeping a food journal can be tricky at first, but if you remember to write as soon as you bite, you’ll get into the habit quickly. Online subscribers can find out more in the Tracking Plan Guide

Why should I track?

• A visual indicator: Sometimes snacks don’t seem like much when you add them up mentally. Instead, write down everything you eat throughout the day so you’re forced to visually regard items.
• Plan ahead: If you have a big night coming up, save your Weekly Allowance of 49 ProPoints so you’ll have extra ProPoints values for a glass or wine or slice of Birthday cake on the weekend.
• Are you really hungry? By writing down what you eat and how you’re feeling, you may discover you’re experiencing feelings of boredom or stress rather than actual hunger.
• Portion distortion: A serving size of pasta can easily grow to match your hunger. If you’re tracking your food intake, write down exactly how many grams you’ve eaten so serving sizes can’t creep.
• Exercise: The good news is exercise can add up fast. If you walk to and from the train station or bus stop, you could easily be reaching 30 minutes per day.
• Motivation booster: When you look over at how healthy you’ve eaten over the past week, you’ll feel inspired to keep going. No one wants to have a bad report!

Tools for tracking
There are a number of ways to keep a food diary. You can purchase a Weight Watchers My Journal, a 12-week food and exercise diary that fits in your handbag. If you’re often on a computer and like the idea of ProPoints values being calculated for you, subscribe to Weight Watchers Online to access the interactive Food and Exercise Tracker. If these options don’t sound right for you - all you simply need is a pen and notebook to get started. Ready, set, track!

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