Keeping a food journal–whether you’re looking to lose weight or stay on track with your health goals–is very beneficial. Journaling brings awareness to what you’re eating, how much you’re eating, and helps you identify patterns in your eating habits.
If you’re ready to start food journaling keep these tips in mind:
Track your mood
When you’re eating, it’s beneficial to take note of how you’re feeling before indulging in certain foods. Noting your mood will help you identify any emotional eating patterns.
For instance, do you tend to gravitate toward a sweet treat when you’re feeling stressed? Hit up the drive-thru when you’re feeling sad? Mindlessly eat that bag of chips when you’re feeling anxious? Maybe you do, or maybe you don’t–but tracking your mood while (and before) eating will help you understand the why behind why you’re craving/indulging in certain foods.
If a specific mood is linked to a certain food, you may be able to stop the habit in its tracks and find a healthier way to cope.
Note portion size
Keeping track of portion sizes is a must for a food journal to be an effective weight-loss tool. Calorie and nutrition content will vary depending on how much of a food you consume.
For packaged foods, you can scan the label for nutrition facts. For produce and protein, it’s best to measure or weigh each item to determine their nutrition content. Portion size matters – too much of anything, even what’s considered ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ food, can hinder your goals and results.
Note, you won’t have to weigh and measure your foods forever, but it is essential at the beginning to gain confidence and awareness of how much you are really consuming.
Include everything you eat and drink
The splash of cream in your coffee, the candy you ate after lunch, the bite of a cookie you couldn’t resist – write it all down! It’s easy to miss calories, especially the mindless one’s in-between meals or in beverages.
Liquid calories are often forgotten about, but a trip to Starbucks for your favourite latte or even a glass of juice can add to your daily caloric intake. What you’re drinking is just as important as what you’re eating.
To avoid missing anything, write everything down within 30 minutes of eating or drinking it. This will help you identify calories you may otherwise have forgotten about.
Track all nutrition facts
It’s no secret – being in a calorie deficit will likely equal weight loss–however, if you’re skipping meals but indulging in sweets, you’re likely not going to feel great. You’d be lacking in fibre, protein and other vital nutrients all while consuming too much sugar.
Tracking all nutrition facts, not just calories, can help you see where you’re falling short. Maybe you need to incorporate some more vegetables into your diet, or maybe you didn’t realize how much sugar you were actually consuming… awareness is eye-opening!
When eating, aim to incorporate nutrient-dense foods into your diet, like vegetables, fruits, lean protein and whole grains. Calories aren’t everything; the nutrient content is just as important. This will help support your overall health beyond weight loss.