Deep down, we weight loss warriors already knew the unglamorous truth when we heard the big news this week. Owning up to the extra brownie for dessert or the half of PB & J filched off a child’s plate really can help keep the pounds off. A new study by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research found food diaries really make a significant difference in weight loss and maintenance.
It makes sense. As someone who has labored over a food diary most of my life and more recently on Weight Watchers' online program, I definitely think twice before I have an extra helping when I have to answer to my laptop and my PointsTracker later that night. On the flip side, keeping a food diary can be tedious and time consuming. The good news is that the web is taking some of the drudgery out of the process with simple and inexpensive or free tools to track how many calories you are really taking in and how much you need to expend to lose or maintain your weight. Here 5 fast ways to use the web to keep you honest at your desk or on the go.
The Calorie Counter
This is a free, no frills database that allows you to search everything from cashews to cold cuts, including by fast food type and brand. The service breaks out calories and nutritional information in a label format that is easy to read and digest. The big issue here and with any calorie counter (on or off-line) is being truthful and accurate about portion sizes when you calculate how many calories you really consumed.
Calorie King
This site is comprehensive and even offers an extensive list of ethnic foods. I did a quick search for Channa Masala, one of my favorite vegetarian Indian dishes and Calorie King returned with the nutritional breakdown of the dish and even told me how much exercise I would need to burn off a serving (39 minutes of jogging, thank you). This resource also offers a variety of other calculators to help you figure out calorie intake and activity output for weight maintenance. Click on Tools and Resources. You can also purchase Calorie King software to start a food and exercise diary on your computer and/or on your mobile device starting at about $45.
The Daily Plate
If you are looking for support and an easy way to remember to record what you ate, The Daily Plate offers a free food journal AND social networking. You can keep track of your meals and snacks, how much water you’re drinking, exercise and make new friends along the way. My favorite part, though is the extensive activity calculator http://www.thedailyplate.com/fitness/directory/ that estimates calorie burning for everything from ice fishing to ballroom dancing to applying make-up (132 calories per hour for a 145lb person).
WOMAN Activity Tracker
http://www.womenshealth.gov/activity
This program was just launched this week. It’s a free tool created by the US Health and Human Services Department to help motivate women and girls to walk 10,000 steps or get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day over a 44-week period. Using the WOMAN Activity Tracker web site, you can set personal goals and log your daily activity as you move along one of six virtual routes across the United States . The exercise calculator converts any activity you can think of into steps. I like the fact that you can take part in the program both as an individual and as part of a team.
Hungry Girl
Okay, if you haven’t heard of HG by now, you’ve been living under a rock. Hungry Girl’s new cookbook is holding strong at #7 after nine weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. In her free daily email, HG offers what she calls, tips and tricks for hungry chicks. She gives advice on substitutions and alternatives to even the most delicate dieter’s dilemma. Like...which ice cream flavor to order should you wander into Cold Stone Creamery on a hot day She says stick with the Like It size serving of Sweet Cream Sans Fat(140 calories, 0g fat, <1g fiber ) and you are good to go. This is information that can be very useful when you are trying hard to keep track and make better choices.
-Heather Cabot, Yahoo! Web Life Editor and The Well Mom ( http://www.thewellmom.com/ )
Do you use the web to help you keep track of meals and exercise? What are your secret weapons?
