It’s good advice you’ve heard before: When you’re trying to lose weight, keep a food diary. People who do, lose more weight, research shows. But not everyone likes to record everything they eat on paper—and that does mean everything, from the mouthful to the spoonful. If that sounds like you, consider a higher-tech type of food diary: Snap a photo of every meal or snack before you eat it.The results? The on-paper diary carried the day; 19 of the volunteers preferred it, compared to nine preferring the photo method, and seven not having a preference. But all reported that the act of taking the photos, and the photos themselves, raised their awareness of what they were eating in a way that the paper diaries didn’t. When participants took pictures of their food, they often changed or adjusted their choices because they could see what they were going to eat before they ate it—and reconsidered their selections.
People often record what they eat after they eat it, the study noted. With photo food diaries, you have to snap the picture before you eat—and that action can snap you out of an unhealthy choice. As one study participant said in a post-study interview, “Who wants to take a photo of a jumbo bag of M&Ms and write it down?”
Although disposable cameras were used in this study, you can use the camera on your cell phone. The rule is, put all meals and snacks on a plate before you take a picture. That minute of delay may be all you need to decide that you’re not really hungry and don’t want it after all.
While you’re at it, why not download the daily photos of your meals and snacks on Pinterest or Facebook? You can share them with supportive pals and encourage them to do the same. Together, day by day, you can raise your awareness of what you choose to eat (or not), and ooh and aah over each other’s healthy plates. As your eating habits change for the better, you may discover that you’re a darn good photographer or food stylist. Who knew?
