I've heard that keeping a food diary is a great idea when you're starting a diet and trying to examine your eating choices in order to live a healthier lifestyle.

Of course, it always seems like such a good idea until you actually have to record all those details. When I started a food diary more than a year ago, I wrote down everything: "10 unsalted almonds, 1 Granny Smith Apple, 1 chicken breast, 1 can of Diet Coke, 1 cup of coffee with skim milk, four squares Lindt dark chocolate, large green salad with oil and vinegar, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions, 1 large peanut butter cookie from the farmer's market...ooops!"

At first, I relished recording each and every detail. I made parenthetical notes and clarifications; the entries were messy with my scrawl and lots of asterisks. The reporter in me likes to observe, note, and document details no matter how small. I even had a special leather-bound book that I toted around in my bag to jot down the details.

Naturally, over time I found it a burden to write down EVERY SINGLE ITEM I put into my mouth. But the food diary served an important purpose: recording everything I ate made me hyper-vigilant and aware of exactly what I put into my body. I was able to identify the bad choices, the afternoon sugar fixes, the over-eating, and where I could cut back by exercising portion control. I was able to figure out where I could replace high calorie fats with healthier, more filling substitutes.

Now, whenever I feel myself falling off the rails, I return to the food diary concept. If I don't actually jot the items down, I make mental notes.