A recent Kaiser Permanente Center study found that overweight and obese folks who wrote down everything they ate for five months lost 50 percent more weight than a similar group that didn’t keep a journal. Both groups worked out three hours weekly, consumed 500 fewer calories a day and ate more veggies and fruits. So why the weight-loss difference among the diary-keepers? Jotting down your food intake makes you more aware and accountable of your eating habits.

Even better news: More than 40 percent of the study’s participants were African American, so this method can work for us. Grab your notebook and get writing!