Have you ever tried keeping a food diary? Food diaries are more powerful than many people realise.
Like me, you’re probably extremely good at burying your head in the sand when you don’t want to face something.
But, when the facts are laid out in front of us, it’s much more difficult to deny.
This is why keeping a food diary is a great idea.
Researchers have found that when people are asked to keep an eye on what they eat, they almost always begin to lose weight – even if they didn’t intend to slim!
I thought that was pretty amazing, don’t you?
Thousands of people are trying to lose weight, and yet those who simply keep a record of what they eat, lost weight even when they weren’t trying!
This is because when you keep a food diary, you become more aware of what you eat. You’re also conscious of the fact that you need to record every snack, and therefore you think twice about having that delicious looking piece of chocolate cake!
So, whether you’re trying to lose weight, or simply eat healthier, keeping a food diary can be an extremely helpful tool to reveal eating patterns you were previously unaware of.
Today’s challenge is to keep a record of what you eat
You can do this for one day, right up to seven days, it’s up to you. Just remember to note down everything you eat and drink, even if it’s just a nibble.
When you’ve recorded your eating, ask yourself:
- Are my meals nutritionally balanced?
- Did I eat particular foods in excess?
- What foods can I live without?
Points to remember:
- Update your diary as you eat, otherwise it will be difficult to remember what you’ve eaten.
- Be specific (how the food was prepared, what sauce it was served with etc).
- Stick with it! You may be amazed at how much you will learn about your eating pattern.
Keeping a journal in the early days of habit change provides a powerful ‘away from’ motivator for the future. Your journal will eventually become an invaluable resource full of tips and strategies to help you in the future.
Think of it like this, when you come up against difficulties, you’ll be able to look back to the periods when you did well.
This will not only provide you with strategies that worked for you last time, it will also be a powerful reminder of how much you actually want to change your lifestyle.
Will you give food journaling a go today? It could be an invaluable incite into what needs to change in your diet.
To transform the lifestyles of a diet-obsessed world by teaching people how to eat healthy and make healthy eating a habit for life.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, thanks for the tip. Reminded me to go update my neglected food diary through one of Allure Magazine’s online makeover program things. Other women might be interested in these kinds of programs: Supposedly you’ll be entered for prizes every day that you update your food or exercise log, and it’s free, and they’ve got handy tips for your diet and exercise habits. Allure Magazine’s program focuses on diet, exercise, hair and makeup; Glamour’s got a number of programs that pretty much focus on diet and exercise.
I love food diaries – they are such a simple thing, totally free and yet very powerful. I think the main problem is that we all have selective memories when it comes to what we eat – but a food diary shows the real picture – now you can see exactly what you need to change to lose weight. Awesome!
I’m a big fan of the food journal. It helps a ton to keep me on track with healthy eating. Thanks!
Hey Jadefly,
Thanks for the tip!
Hi Gary,
Totally agree, I know I certainly have a selective memory, especially if I’ve had chocolate or something!!
Hi Blake,
You’re welcome!
Be careful though with a food diary…..if you keeping it for ‘only you’ then it will OK. I had an experience from another ‘view point’ which was soooooo good.
Some years ago, when I was finally in a position to lose weight/get fit I joined a Gym and had a programme manager who also supervised the whole shebang. I lost a good amount of weight and was feeling great and then he left and I was assigned a young woman.
One of her first comments “I think you are not eating enough so I want you to keep a food diary for 2wks and then hand it in and I will access etc” So I did and I handed it in.
“yes you need to increase all round intake of food….keep the diary for another 2wks so I can see you have done what I say” So I did increase….and she was happy
But my weight started to pile back on…..at one of my checkup/Doc days he investigated further what was happening. It was discovered that my portion sizes were all wrong!!
So not only keep a food diary but ‘look’ carefully at what the size of the ‘portion’ is. If you surf the Net for portion sizing you might be surprised at what the size really is. e.g. portion of cooked steak should only be the size of a pack of playing cards.
I found some very cool cartoons…….one of a woman discussing how a change from a plain white plate to a larger more colourful one has increased her hubbys’ weight considerably….she called it a vanity plate, the new one….
http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/dre0995l.jpg
the vanity plates!
I love to keep track of what I eat and I try to do so through http://www.sparkpeople.com; however I have not checked out if what I eat is balanced.
Hi Cathy in NZ,
Very very good point! I am surprised that this girl did not realise sooner, portion size is so so important. Funny cartoon!
BTW I’m going to NZ in about a weeks time, really looking forward to it.
Hi Cathy
I’m a fan of Sparkpeople they have some great content.
Check out what a balanced diet should be with my previous series.
Thanks Melanie
I have joined sparkpeople and will investigate it more thoroughly real soon. Looks like there are a lot of bright tips to use.
I am due back at the Gym this week (not the previously mentioned Gym) where I have 2 programmes one for Cardio only involves a couple of the machines and the other a Circuit Fitness which involves setting a minute buzzer that means possibly 45sec each machine and move around the circuit 3x! It’s fun although I haven’t got enough energy yet for 3x…..
As I’ve not been there since 2 days before Xmas it will be interesting to see if eating sensibly, overeating silly season days, general walking around the village has made any difference to my weight!!
I could have gone some days but the Gym was only open until 11.30am and I really am trying not to get up at sparrows fart because it’s my school (Uni) hols!!!
Sparkpeople has helped me out more than any other source. I can’t afford a gym membership or a weight group. Sparkpeople helps me in both catergories. I just wish I had someone in my town to exercise with.
I joined the University Gym with a student membership that would total only $235 for a whole year. However, I joined for 6mths and paid $160 (these are NZ$). Of course then there are addons. I got 3 programme changes for $50 instead of $20each. I thought that included assessment of fitness but it didn’t…..Because I live quite a ways from the Uni and I didn’t want to put up with a damp towel during the day, I spend another $2 and get a nice fluffy white towel which then I pop in their laundry bin!!
I probably will not re-join when my 6 months are up (come March) as my study schedule for Semester 1 is a little tougher. If I lived closer it might not be such a hassle……
It was nice though to try it out because I ‘had thought’ I was missing the Gym and in particular weights. But now I realise I wasn’t….:-)
The cost of Gyming and Dieting @ commercial entities has surely gone into new $$-making business leagues. I guess though each person has to make their own choices. I wouldn’t ever bother with a commercial dieting programme but I have had friends who have had astounding success…..one of my friends ‘went’ to Weight Watchers but used their home-based programme as she didn’t want/or had the time to show up for the weekly sessions.
Anyway I did go back to the Gym yesterday and I was greatly surprised to see I had lost nearly 1.5kg in the 2wks since I had last been there….so whatever I have been doing lately must have been for the good of me!!!!
Right now I can’t join any gym. Money was tight before Christmas and now I lost one of my jobs. I have walking dvds, a cardio tracker, an air walker, and exercise bike. I also love to walk, but not by myself.
Cathy in NZ,
I think you’ll find Sparkspeople really useful. Brilliant to hear about your recent weight loss, keep up the good work!
Cathy,
I think workout DVDs are great when you want to do something a little different for your exercise regimen. Have you tried hiring from your library? This is a good idea if you’re trying to exercise and save money at the same time.
i don’t have a DVD machine let alone a video recorder so that’s out but thanks for the suggestion…..
Cathy in NZ,
Do you have your own laptop/PC? There’s a good chance you should be able to run DVD’s on it if it’s under 10 years old.
I don’t have a DVD player either, so I use my laptop
Hi Melanie,
I’d love to get more details on the study you mentioned about losing weight without even meaning to via a food journal?
It would be extremely handy for me as I need to revamp my website and that’s just the kind of thing I’m looking for.
May I add that I provide a free online diet software program, though you need to earn points by posting on the Biggly forum (or just pay two dollars a month). It also tracks both cardio and weight training exercises. It’s for bodybuilders but works for anyone.
Alan (Biggly)
Hey Alan,
I cannot for the life of me find the details of that study (sorry!!), although I do know of another one, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which found keeping a food diary doubled weight loss. You’ll be able to find it if you google “food diary doubles weight loss.”
Thanks for the heads up on your diet software program, that’s helpful.