Looking for an easy way to accomplish your weight management goals? Keep a food diary!
Writing down everything you eat and drink is a great way to keep track of your nutrition, and it may also help you lose weight too! A food diary can help you be more conscious of what, when and why you’re eating ““ valuable information that can get you on the right track toward a healthy weight.
Not sure how to do it? Consider these helpful tips to get you started:
1. Decide what you want to track. Are you interested in calories? Fat? Portion sizes? Cravings? Not all of this information will be necessary or useful to everyone. Pick a few items to track based on what you believe will help you reach your health goals.
2. Keep it short and sweet. You’ll be more likely to keep up with your food diary if you keep things simple. Be sure to record your meals as soon as possible; you likely won’t remember everything you’ve eaten if you wait a few days to write it down.
3. Be honest. Don’t cheat yourself by omitting details. Whether you’ve been good or bad, you need to be truthful so you can accurately track your nutritional intake and learn from your mistakes!
4. Analyze your findings. Don’t just write the diary ““ read it, too! Do you tend to overeat (or not eat enough) during a stressful day? Are your portion sizes bigger when you eat out with friends? Your findings can help you discover habits you never knew you had, and help you change them to successfully achieve your goals.