Good eating habits are essential for maintaining physical health and stable moods. When you're busy with life, though, bad habits can creep up on you. The effects of poor nutrition build up over time, so you may not always notice the connection between your diet and your health. Because you may not remember everything you eat, keeping a record of your snacks and meals helps you assess your eating habits more accurately.
Features
A food journal or food diary contains notes on all food and drink you consume each day, along with related factors. Whenever you eat, write down what you ate, including the brand, how it was prepared and the portion size. Also note the time of day, where and with whom you ate, what you did while eating and why you ate, such as due to hunger, boredom or cravings. You might also note your mood and physical symptoms such as energy level or feelings of fullness.
Function
Writing everything down provides a snapshot of your eating habits and lets you more accurately estimate your average calorie and nutritional intake. Food journals also allow your doctor or nutritionist to see exactly how you eat. This is important for planning a course of action for weight management, as well as diagnosing conditions related to digestion, nutrient deficiencies and allergies, among others.
Time Frame
Most food journals cover three to seven days in a row, note experts from Brigham Young University. For long-term changes in the way you eat, you may want to journal for several months so you can track your progress. Keeping a food journal for as little as one day can still help you identify unhealthy eating habits.
Benefits
Making a note of everything you eat or drink as soon as you consume it prevents you from forgetting about snacks, condiments, calorie-laden drinks and other small items that can affect your health. It also highlights unhealthy patterns like lack of fresh vegetables or too many high-cholesterol foods. With a written record at hand, your doctor or nutritionist won't have to rely on your potentially inaccurate description of your eating habits. Knowing exactly where your diet is going wrong helps you set goals for improvement.
Considerations
A food journal is useful only when you're honest and accurate. Record all food and drink and avoid fibs such as recording ketchup as tomato sauce. Make notes as soon as possible after eating instead of depending on memory later. Unless following your health care provider's instructions, don't skip days or change your eating habits just for the journal, especially if your doctor needs dietary information for diagnostic purposes.
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