[Terr_]

> it forces you to actually start _paying attention_ to what goes in.

Anecdotally, merely recording calories had a big impact. I found myself treating calories as if I were frugally spending money: "Wait, X has a a terrible pleasure/satiety per calorie compared to Y, that's a bad deal, I'd be wasting calories."

[el_memorioso]

Actual research [1] says that just taking a photo of everything you eat helps awareness of food choices and portion sizes, which should contribute to healthier diets. Anecdotally, for me, just writing down everything I eat (without even counting calories) helps me avoid unnecessary eating.