How and why to keep a food diary

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Anyone seeking to lose extra pounds certainly knows that success in this matter depends on two components: physical activity and nutrition. Moreover, the second aspect is of decisive importance. You can train like an Olympic champion, but if you continue to overeat, all your efforts will be wasted.

The most powerful stimulus for progress in sports is a training plan and training diary. They make it easier to achieve your goals and not stop halfway. The food diary works the same way. Keeping a journal like this will help you not only become more aware of your eating habits, but also easily correct them.

Why do you need a food diary?

Unlike their prehistoric ancestors, modern man very often eats when he is not at all hungry. We eat because "the time has come", for the company, out of grief or joy, simply out of nothing to do, in search of new taste sensations and so on. As for the composition of the products taken, then most people, if, of course, there are no strict contraindications related to health, do not pay any attention at all. Keeping a food diary allows you to reflect on these issues, analyze your bad habits and take measures to correct them.

The more we pay attention to what we put into our body, the more difficult it will be for us to stuff harmful and dangerous foods into ourselves. Of course, documenting your eating habits is not a guaranteed way to lose weight, but when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, it can have a very positive effect on a weight loss program.

How to keep a food diary?

1. Before you start keeping such a diary, try to clearly and clearly understand for yourself why you are doing this. Set a goal you want to achieve and write it down in red marker on the first page of your diary. The goal should be real and important enough to you. Be honest with yourself.

2. Your diary can have any form and shape convenient for you. But make sure you make sure to record the date and time of what you eat, as well as how much.

Example: September 24, 2012 8:30 am - 2 sandwiches with coconut oil and apricot jam. A cup of coffee, 1 teaspoon of sugar.

3. Why are you eating? Each entry must have a reason for eating. Then you can analyze your records and see how often you ate without sufficient reason.

Example: 24 September 2012 8:30 - 2 sandwiches with coconut oil and apricot jam, a cup of coffee, 1 teaspoon of sugar - Breakfast.

4. The level of appetite. As we said, your hunger may not match the amount of food you eat at all. Where you can get by with one apple, we eat a whole chicken. Try to assess your appetite BEFORE eating.

Example: September 24, 2012 8:30 am - 2 sandwiches with coconut oil and apricot jam, a cup of coffee, 1 teaspoon of sugar. Breakfast. Moderately hungry.

5. Summing up. If you develop the habit of keeping your food diary every day, then you will certainly accumulate interesting statistical information. Be sure to set aside time once a week or once a month to process and reflect on it. Analyze your eating habits. Calculate how many kilograms of sugar you ate and how many liters of soda you drank, think about how you can replace them.