Bite It and Write It!: A Guide to Keeping Track of What You Eat and Drink

Nutrition is an evolving field, so counseling strategies and dietary plans greatly vary, and many are unsuccessful or simply unrealistic. But there is a strategy that works. It can be summed up in only three words: Writing it down. Whether your goal is to lose weight, manage disease, or simply be healthier, keeping track of what you eat and drink in a journal is an effective way to change your dietary habits and choices for the better.

The consistent success of this strategy is the basis for Bite It and Write It, a structured food journal and easy-to-follow nutrition guide developed by four nutritionists who have used the technique in their own counseling practices. The book presents ten healthy goals (one for each week of the journal) and lets you record your daily food consumption, water intake, and physical activity as you work towards them. To help you along the way, the authors supply a wealth of nutritional advice that will empower you to change the way you think about food and become more committed to improving your health. Getting in the habit of writing down what you eat is the beginning of true lifestyle change, and Bite It and Write It makes it possible for you to take this essential first step.

• Use the daily food logs to track your intake of calories, carbohydrates, sodium, and water; record calorie-burning activities; and reflect on your progress or goals.

• Learn how to properly plan, prepare, and portion your meals and snacks.

• Find out how to navigate high-calorie restaurant menus and snack-filled supermarket aisles for healthier options.

• Consult calorie guides for commonly consumed foods, concession stand snacks, and chain restaurant cuisine.

• Discover creative ways to replace eating with fun activities--and say goodbye to your days of overeating, emotional eating, and mindless eating.

Stacie Castle, MS, RD, CDN, received her BS degree in Food and Nutrition from Queens College, CUNY, and her Masters degree in Public Health Nutrition from Columbia University. She honed her counseling and clinical skills as she worked in health clubs and a prestigious long-term care facility, where she was one of the first dietitians in New York City to define the role of a nutritionist within a Long-Term Home Health Care Program. Stacie opened her own practice in 2001 in Lake Success, New York, where she counsels and inspires thousands of people with type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, celiac disease, and gastrointestinal and metabolic issues. She also offers worksite nutrition lectures to corporations and non-profit agencies. In the fall of 2009, Stacie successfully passed the American Dietetic Association course to obtain a Certification of Training in Adult Weight Management. By using motivational counseling techniques, Stacie has come to know the powerful effects food can have in the prevention and management of disease.

Shana Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, CDE, received her BS degree in psychology from Emory University and her Masters in Nutrition Education from Teacher’s College at Columbia University. She completed her internship at New York Presbyterian Medical Center and continued her career as a registered dietitian there for the next five years, specializing in cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Shana has had the pleasure of treating Dr. Mehmet Oz’s patients and working closely with the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, and her work at the hospital led her to become a Certified Diabetes Educator. Currently, Shana maintains a successful private practice in Roslyn Heights, New York, that specializes in weight management, medical nutrition therapy, and family wellness. In addition to counseling patients, she lectures to a variety of audiences including students, support groups, and the general public.

Robyn A. Cotler, MS, RD, CDN, received her BS degree from University of Maryland and her Masters in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, where she also completed her internship. Robyn has coauthored a research paper with Rockefeller University Hospital on diet’s influence on blood cholesterol, and has written for Woodbury Magazine and several other newsletters. As a regular guest speaker for elementary and middle school students, she has influenced children to make better food choices. In addition, she has been a guest speaker for cancer and bariatric support groups. Robyn continues to practice in the Woodbury/Plainview area providing individual nutritional recommendations for diabetes, gastric bariatric surgery, family nutrition, and celiac disease.

Marni Schefter, RD, CDN, graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She completed her dietetic internship at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, and her last rotation was at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York, where she continued as a clinical dietitian. For the next three years, Marni simultaneously worked at North Shore and counseled clients out of the private practice she opened in Wantagh, New York, and she continues to offer counseling in weight control, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, eating disorders, and sports nutrition at her Wantagh office. Marni is an active member of the American Dietetic Association and the Long Island Diet Association, for which she chaired a private practice reimbursement committee. In addition to serving as a consultant to various eating establishments on Long Island, Marni gives lectures to classes and audiences at private restaurants.