(KUTV) One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to stay in shape and lose a few pounds.

It can be hard to form a habit and stick to that weight loss goal, but experts say one trick to saying goodbye to the pounds is to keep a record of everything you eat and drink.

When she was in her forties, Charmain Jackson’s weight hit 260 pounds. She knew she had to control her emotional eating, but how?  She found the answer by putting her diet into words.

"I started the food journaling, and that's when the weight started to come off because I had already started exercising a little bit and then that sort of triggered the whole exercise, eating, trying to sleep more,” Jackson says.

Jackson has been keeping a daily food record for five years. 130 pounds lighter, she has no plans of stopping.

But you don't have to keep a food log this long to make it effective, says registered dietitian Marisa Moore.

Try a few days to start.

“For better or for worse, you write down everything that passes your lips,” Moore says.

And there is not just one way to keep a diet diary.

“You can get an application for you smart phone to track what you eat,” Moore suggests.

Moore says the science from the record keeping is strong.

"There's one study that showed that people who kept a food journal, they were able to lose about double the weight versus those who did not keep a food journal, but importantly they were able to keep the weight off."

For Jackson, the accountability factor works. “It helps me really be in control of my own eating habits.”

Experts also suggest not skipping meals and to avoid eating out at restaurants too often.

(Copyright 2013 Sinclair Broadcasting Group)

Benefits To Keeping A Diet Diary