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In order to make changes to your eating habits and behaviors, you must know what they are to begin with. Keeping track of the things you eat and how much you eat, has several benefits to your diet success. This is also known as self-monitoring your diet behavior.

When you make the effort to self-monitor your eating patterns, you will be able to distinguish which eating patterns are unfavorable. You will be able to determine how often you skip meals or how long it is between your meals and snacks. Factors such as location, time and activities can affect how much and what you eat whether you realize it or not. You may find that a particular time of the day triggers hunger for you or that watching a television show may cause you to have a strong desire to snack. With the information that you get from self-monitoring, you will be able to modify your habits and make positive changes to your behaviors.

Writing down what you eat and drink and when will help you to be aware of how often you actually do these things. It will also help you to become more aware of the things you are putting into your body. This will help you to decide which items are appropriate or are not appropriate. Studies have also proven that those who keep a food diary are more successful in the long-term in achieving their weight loss goals. So grab a notebook and start writing! You have everything to gain except the weight.