Diet Tweetbits

I am a food-obsessive. But how am I to stop myself from the endless cycle of feeling hungry and then guilty? Thank goodness for a new wheeze by Twitter — TweetWhatYouEat, commonly known as “Twye”.

The concept is simple — you log everything you eat and drink. Maybe if we write it down where we can all see it, we will stop, or at least cut down.
On the first day, it takes me an age to work out how to use Twye. But by the end of the day, I am reeling in surprise. When I go over my entries in my Twye diary, I realise most of it is snacks. I have had ten oatcakes — more than 500 calories. I often pick up an oatcake when I am feeling peckish. I just never knew how many I ate in a day. I also eat loads of apples. One is good. Six is too many.

Change of course

On Day 2, I eat carrots and celery and not so many apples. Every time I reach for an oatcake, I stop myself. I feel thinner already. I have a moment of temptation with a biscuit but then firmly type in biscuits to my list of what not to eat.

Day 3: I keep eating carrots to keep my mind off oatcakes. I spy the packet of biscuits at the top of the cupboard. They are speaking to me again. I mentally put my fingers in my ears, go to Twye and read other people’s entries.
But by Day 4, I am slacking. I go to my mother’s for lunch and eat creamy chicken casserole. I then eat apple pie and ice-cream.

The next day, I resolve to do better. I go for an hour-long walk. I type in 45 minutes’ walk on Twye and the minus calories come up.
 

But the only problem with Twye is finding the time to constantly log what you are eating. This means I can never have a true account of what I am eating. It also makes me think about food more than I already do — and that makes me want to eat. So Twye is good in that it makes you face what you have eaten in a day. But I will try to stop snacking and eat better and more balanced meals at regular times. That, in itself, is a good thing.