Health Tip: Keep a Food Diary

(HealthDay News) -- A food diary may be helpful in the battle to lose weight. It can help you track what you eat for a week or even a day, and help you realize how much every little snack matters when counting calories.

Here are suggestions on what to record, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

• Write down the portion size of every food you eat. Record the dimensions, weight, volume or count.
• List exactly which foods you ate, including any sauces or condiments used.
• Record what time you ate, where you ate, and if you ate with company. Recording these things can help monitor trends in your eating habits.
• Include what you were doing while you were eating -- watching TV, reading, etc. -- and how you felt while you were eating.