The Ultimate Guide to Keeping a Food Journal

Heath experts suggest that keeping a food journal is a great way to track what you are eating and get the upper hand on losing weight or simply living a healthier lifestyle. It may seem like a pain to take the time to write down everything you put into your mouth, but it does have benefits. Seeing your diet written down really shows you how what you are eating ads up. Here are a few tips for starting your own food journal and benefiting from it.

The most important thing is selecting a method for you. If you spend your day at a computer then you might consider starting a blog online. The word blog means 'web log' and is simply a journal that is kept online. There are many free sites such as www.blogger.com where you can start your own free blog. If you do not have access to a computer then a notebook and pen will work just as great! Select a small notebook that you can carry with you.

In order to get the best experience from your food journal, you must write down everything you eat. This is the only accurate way to get a good idea of what your diet is like. If you eat something as small as two grapes or a handful of cereal, write it down. Unless everything is there it is impossible to really see how much you are eating each day. Also, make sure to be detailed. A week from now you won't remember if you ate a piece of grilled or fried chicken, unless you write it down.

When recording what you are eating also record your feelings and emotions about your meals. If you realize that you only ate those chips because you were bored, write that down. Next time you reach for those chips, you may remember your journal entry about eating because you were bored and put the chips down. Journaling your feelings will help you to recognize your strengths and your weaknesses.