Keeping a food diary is an excellent way to encourage you to make better food choices. Incorporating the proper nutritional guidelines and maintaining a balanced diet is not always easy, but a helpful way to ensure you stay on track is to monitor your eating habits. Additionally, food diaries can be a useful tool for providing your physician with information when trying to target causes for food allergies or illnesses. It is a very simple to start a food journal and to customize it to better meet your needs.
Step 1
Head each page of your journal entry with the date and goal or purpose for keeping a food diary. Divide your page into four categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks/desserts.
Step 2
Record the time at which you eat each meal to help you track how often you are eating and to prevent skipping meals in the future.
Step 3
Write down the serving amount of all foods and beverages consumed throughout the day. List the number of calories, fats, carbohydrates, sugars and proteins contained in each item.
Step 4
Carry your journal with you everywhere you go so that you don't forget to write something down. Track all condiments and any small bites of food you may take.
Step 5
Create five columns for the major categories: calories, fats, carbohydrates, sugars and proteins. Include a row at the bottom of your page for a total calculation of daily consumption. Calculate your numbers at the end of the day, or keep a running total of your numbers as you go.
Step 6
Continue to journal in your diary for seven days consistently. Review the past seven days and decide if you need to add or subtract certain foods. Determine if you should be increasing or decreasing your daily nutritional totals.
Step 7
Over the course of the next several days, try to gradually incorporate new food habits that will help you reach your goal.
Tips and Warnings
- If you are an emotional eater, write down what triggered you to eat a particular food and how you felt at the time you consumed it.
Things You'll Need
- Journal
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