Food Diaries Help Dieters Shed Pounds

Dieters who keep a detailed record of their caloric intake in a food diary are more likely to lose weight, a major new study says. Out of nearly 1,700 participants, those who wrote down every snack and nibble of the day lost twice as much weight—and continued to lose weight after the study ended, MSNBC reports.

Dieters found themselves reluctant to indulge in that second piece of cake while keeping such a journal. “It had a very big impact,” explains one study participant. “If I was walking through the kitchen and wanted to grab a cookie or a brownie, I would think twice because I knew I had to write it down.” (More dieting stories.)