A food journal is a diary used to keep a written record of your eating habits. Typically, these journals include a host of information pertaining to food consumption--the time at which a meal is consumed may be listed, along with the estimated amount of calories in the meal and the exact foods consumed. Some people use food journals as part of elimination diets designed to identify food allergies and sensitivities. The use of a food journal to help improve eating habits and foster better health has been endorsed by groups like the American Heart Association.
Step 1
Determine the purpose of your food journal. Are you seeking to lose weight? If so, then you'll want to log things like calorie consumption. If you're seeking get an idea of which foods you are allergic or sensitive to, then you'll want to write down how you feel, both mentally and physically, after consuming certain foods.
Step 2
Create columns for the date and the types of foods consumed, using a notebook or a spreadsheet on your computer. Keeping track of the foods you've eaten is one of the most important roles of a food journal.
Step 3
Build a column chronicling the time at which the meal was eaten. Meal timing is very important. In his book "Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss," nutrition expert Dr. Mark Hyman states that meals eaten within two hours of bedtime can compromise sleep and play a part in weight gain. Monitoring the time at which you eat your meals can help you identify unhealthy trends.
Step 4
Keep track of calorie consumption by creating a column designed to list a calorie estimate of each meal consumed. If your primary goal is to lose weight, you'll want to keep an eye on the calories contained in each meal, and your food journal can serve as a helpful record. Additionally, knowing that you will be self-reporting your activities may make you less likely to cheat on your diet plan.
Step 5
Monitor the impact that each meal has on your health and well-being by creating a column that tracks all mental and physical effects of food consumed. If you're using your food journal to identify food allergies and sensitivities, adding this column is a must. If you have chronic conditions like arthritis, be aware of how your symptoms are impacted with each meal. For example, some people with arthritis are sensitive to gluten and dairy; ingesting these foods causes a flare-up, while removing these foods from their diets can result in a cessation of symptoms. Also take note of how you feel emotionally after each meal, as certain foods can have an impact on brain chemistry.
Tips and Warnings
- Online resources can help you estimate the calorie content of certain foods.
- If you experience acute allergic reactions such as wheezing or swelling after ingesting a food, seek medical assistance immediately.
Things You'll Need
- Journal or computer with spreadsheet software
References
- "Ultrametabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss;" Mark Hyman, M.D.; 2006
- American Heart Association Food Diary Page
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