Photo Diaries More Effective Than Food Diaries?
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I’ve been taking photos of food for a while now, not so much to lose weight, but simply because I like taking pictures and I love food and it’s a great way to remember what I eat. Now, a new study suggests that this habit may actually be more effective than a written food diary for weight loss.
From the New Scientist:
[Researchers] at the University of Wisconsin-Madison told 43 people to record what they ate for one week in words and as pictures.
When they quizzed the volunteers, photo diaries seemed to be the most effective. Not only did they provide powerful visual documentation of snack binges, they also triggered critical evaluation at just the right time - before the food was eaten. “I had to think more carefully about what I was going to eat because I had to take a picture of it,” was a typical response.
In contrast, written diaries are often completed long after the meal and do not create as powerful a reminder of the quantity and quality of the food that was eaten.
At the moment, I only take pictures of my food if it’s really yummy or pretty and I can be bothered. But I love the idea of doing this all the time, for every meal, so I can have a historical account of my eating habits over time. I think it’d be interesting to correlate what I’m eating with my mood, and to see how the types of food I eat changes with the seasons and my ever-changing tastes.
Does anyone else do this? I think I’m going to start!
Snap-happy dieters reap benefits [New Scientist]
1. Solution-driven, 2. Cross section of a TVP Meatball, 3. Salad Saturday: Rocket Tabouleh, 4. Bircher Muesli, 5. My magnificent lunch, 6. Corn tortilla porn, 7. Pizza at Story Deli, 8. Dinner is served, 9. Quinoa-amaranth timbales with puy lentils, roasted root vegetables, and sauteed kale, 10. Southern style, 11. Aloo Gobi, Dhal, Roast Cauliflower, & Basmati Rice, 12. 6-Grain Porridge with Soymilk & Nanner, 13. Enchiladas, 14. Besan Cheela “Omelet”, 15. Vegan Cabbage Rolls, 16. Back on the Bircher Muesli wagon, 17. Spaghetti, Tomato-Basil-Garlic Sauce, Tofu Neatballs and Roasted Brussel Sprouts, 18. Salad with french beans and goat’s cheese parcels, 19. Vegetarian food at Cafe Lipp, 20. Puy Lentils, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Pumpkin, 21. Tofurkey Dinner
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September 9th, 2008 at 9:53 am
This is an interesting idea! I often talk to people about keeping a food diary in a tiny notebook that they can carry round with them, but as the quote says, you have to take that moment to stop before you eat if you are taking a photo