People rarely realize just what – or how much—they put into their mouths each day. Or what triggers a binge. Or how very rarely they eat fruits and vegetables. Keeping a food diary, also known as a food journal, is a powerful way to raise a person’s nutritional self-awareness… and a first step to imrpving eating habits.
Studies have found that people who keep food journals lose more weight than those who don't. Why? Because a food diary makes people focus on what they eat (and sometimes also on when, where, and why). This knowledge leads to healthier eating choices, less caloric excess, and in the end, better weight management.
What exactly is a food diary? It is a daily record of everything a person eats and drinks -- including sauces, snacks, candy, and water. Besides this basic requirement, food journals can take many shapes. Some focus on caloric intake and nutritional breakdown, from fats to fiber. Others help dieters determine their physiological (how do you physically feel before and after you eat?) and psychological (what mood are you in? do you eat with people or alone?) eating patterns. Many food diaries include spaces where people can jot down exercise information as well.
Keeping a daily food journal can be an eye-opening experience. Most people, for instance, are consuming a lot less fiber, water, fruits and vegetables than they should. Others may find that while their meals are reasonable, all that "grazing" in between is sabotaging their weight. Or that they are ruining those healthy salads with fatty dressing. Or that skipping breakfast and skimping on lunch causes overeating at night. Or that they eat way too much in front of the TV… or at the bar with friends. There are many poor eating habits that dieters can work on changing-- once they are aware of them.
In addition to noticing general eating patterns, a food diary can also be a great tool for keeping track of a special diet, such as a low-sodium, low-cholesterol, or low-sugar diet. Food journals can also be helpful tools for people who suspect they have a food allergy or medical condition. Knowing what a person eats and how they feel before and after can help them and their doctor may discover important patterns that can lead to diagnosis.
Starting a food diary doesn't have to be a life-long commitment – though for many people it is. Even keeping track of what a person eats for a week can help in detecting eating patterns… and making adjustments.
Tips for Keeping a Food Diary
- Using the templates from free online journals (or fancier books available at the bookstore) helps ensure accurate record-keeping. The content of these food diaries differs, so it is worth looking around at the different options.
- Be diligent! Recording everything a person eats is not always easy, but it's important. Don't wait until night time or the next day; to ensure accuracy, a person should write down what he eats (snacks, too!) when he eats it.
- Food labels and calorie counters are helpful in figuring out the number of calories, fats, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates in food.
- Don't cheat! People need to know their actual eating habits, not the ones they’d like to have.
