by Rita Chaney
Keeping a food journal may be the best-kept secret to dieting successfully. What exactly is a food journal? What should you include in your food journal? Personalize your journal by including the elements you need to experience successful weight loss or maintenance. Food journals are helpful to keep for a number of reasons.
What is a Food Journal?
A food journal is a record of what you eat. Like most journals, it reflects what you have done, in this case, what you have consumed. Use a spiral-bound notebook, a book-like blank journal, or a tablet of paper. It can be any size that is convenient. Or you/P>
What Should I Include in My Food Journal?
Review this list of suggestions of what to keep track of. Select elements important to you and your dieting success.1. At the top of the page, write the day/date.
2. Record what you eat/drink, along with the quantity. For example, "8 ounces skim milk." If you want to get even more specific, document the time you consumed them.3. Write down the number of "units" you are counting for the foods, such as calories, fats or carbohydrates (carbs). Some individuals keep track of more than one unit (i.e. calories and fats). For skim milk, record "80" calories, "0" fats, "13" carbs or whatever unit(s) you are counting.
4. Log how much of each food you consumed. Of course, it is best to weigh/measure the amount of food you eat. Doing so helps you get familiar with portion control. If you don't have a food scale, estimate the amount.
5. Balance your food journal like you keep your checkbook, with a running total of what remains in terms of calories, carbs, or whatever unit is being counted. If your daily calorie limit is 1,800, record "1,800" at the top and subtract from it the calories for food items eaten, just like money spent in your checkbook.
6. Record your weight at the end of each week so you will know which weeks you lost, gained or maintained.
How Can I Personalize My Food Journal?
Making your food journal reflect what is relevant to your diet contributes to your dieting success. Here are some suggestions:
1. Make your own daily sheets for journaling and logging intake.
2. Leave a line or 2 on the page to record feelings. Learning more about how you feel when you have a meal or snack is helpful for many. It's important to jot down if you are bored since many see boredom as a trigger to overeat.
3. Jot down when you exercise, what you did and for how long. For example, swimming 30 minutes.
4. Use a "check-off" system to make sure you eat the number of servings of fruits, vegetables, dairy, or water you need. If you are a person who has trouble drinking enough water, for example, include a place to count water servings.
Why Keep A Food Journal?
For many, a food journal keeps them honest. That handful of almonds? Those bites of chocolate cake? Write them down and count them.
Plus, your food journal reveals the foods you consumed when you lost a pound. Review the journal on weeks you did not lose or even gained weight to see what you did/didn't do in terms of eating and exercise activity.
Your food journal will educate you about your eating habits. It will also show you when you've eaten too much food, if you have a habit of eating a fat-laced snack at 10 p.m., or that you eat too few fruits and vegetables.
Utilizing a food journal leads to dieting success. The secret is out.