If you’re keeping a food journal along with a workout by workout record of your accomplishments in the gym, congratulations. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that writing down a list of everything you eat can help you lose 6% more weight when dieting. On the other hand, eating out at just one lunch per week contributes to 5 fewer pounds of lost weight and meal skipping can cut your weight loss by 8 pounds.

This research tracked the efforts of 123 older obese women who were either focused exclusively on reducing caloric intake or exercising while dieting. Over the course of this year-long intervention, subjects lost an average of 19 pounds which accounted for 11% of their original body weight.

True Strength Moment: Restaurants have a reputation for providing larger portions than size-conscious people need and regularly skipping meals can slow your metabolism over time. Being able to review what you’ve eaten throughout the day and on past days helps you stay on top of that delicate balance required for maintaining a healthy diet.