A food diary is a personal record of your food intake that enables you to keep track of the calories you ingest and reflect on any habits or emotions that cause you to eat when you are not hungry. Keeping a food diary helps you to keep track of what you eat each day and is an excellent first step in managing your weight and nutrition needs. Dieters who keep a food diary lose more weight, according to Dr. Jack Hollis of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research. And even one day's record of the food you eat may help you to clarify your dietary goals.
Step 1
Decide if you will use a spiral notebook or a loose-leaf binder for your food diary. Allot one page for each day of your food diary and clarify for yourself why you are keeping the diary, the information you wish to track and with whom you will share it.
Step 2
Enter the date in the upper left hand corner of your daily record. Write down the time of day, type of food, and the quantity or serving size of every morsel of food you put into your mouth. Leave enough space to enter the calorie count or any other details you have decided to keep track of.
Step 3
Include drinks as a separate entry. Make note of the type and quantity of any taste samples or spoonfuls of any other foods you put into your mouth. Remember to include garnishes and all condiments.
Step 4
Keep your food diary with you at all times. Avoid postponing your entries until the end of the day to eliminate the risk of an incomplete or inaccurate record of your food intake.
Step 5
Review your diary every few days. Look for eating patterns that may relate to the time of day or any personal circumstances that may suggest emotional eating issues.
Tips and Warnings
- If you keep track of how you are feeling whenever you eat, it may give you insight as to when you're eating out of boredom, sadness, anxiety or other emotions.
Things You'll Need
- Loose leaf binder or spiral notebook
Member Comments