Weight-Loss Software > Printable Diet Journal

Which Printable Diet Journal Is Best?

By Terry Dunkle, DietPower Editor-In-Chief*

By "printable diet journal" we mean a software program or a website where you keep a diary and make printouts for your doctor, dietitian, or your personal use. Crude versions merely tally your calories. Others do more.

When choosing such a journal, here are five features to watch:

Quality Printable Diet Journal Download it free. (No strings.)

Food Data

Your printable diet journal should have 20,000 or more foods in its database. Beware of databases that exaggerate their total by counting duplicates under different names— "green beans" and "string beans," say.

Avoid online journals that accept food data contributions from users, because these are often full of errors and needless duplication. Almost none are fact-checked.

Make sure the database includes nutrient data, not just calories. It should cover at least a dozen nutrients.

Exercise Data

Make sure your journal lets you log your exercise, as this will earn you extra calories that you can eat. It should include at least 500 physical activities -- not only sports, but exercise machines, occupational and leisure activities.

Besides the activity's identity, the journal should let you log its intensity or speed. It should also consider your body weight when calculating the calories you expend.

Printouts

Obviously, a good printable diet journal should offer many printing options. If you are seeing a nutrition professional, ask what printouts are needed, and make sure the journal can provide them.

Intelligence

Besides logging meals and tracking calories and nutrients, a topnotch diet journal can "learn" about you. DietPower®, for instance, automatically adjusts your calorie budget daily to guarantee reaching your goal weight on deadline. In addition, it recommends foods you like that are best for your personal nutrition.

Other printable diet journals may offer equally "intelligent" services. Read their feature lists carefully.

Warranties

Don't buy a printable diet journal that you can't try free before purchasing. It should also offer a money-back guarantee—at least 30 days, and better yet 60 or 90.

(You don't have to worry about any of this with DietPower®, because our program is completely free.)

 

---

*Terry Dunkle is a 30-year veteran medical journalist and consumer advocate who serves as CEO and chief editor at DietPower, Inc., a leading maker of nutrition and weight-loss software.

To comment on this page, click here.

            SPAM POLICY: DietPower doesn't send emails to people who haven't requested them, nor do we share email adresses with third parties. If you
            suspect that someone has subscribed you to our mailing list fraudulently, email us at webmaster@dietpower.com.