For anyone looking to lose weight, develop muscle tone or just improve their general nutrition, a food diary is a fantastic tool. Starting a food diary is simple and can give you some fantastic results, just grab a note pad or your phone and write down everything you eat and drink that day…That’s it!
After a few weeks, you will begin to notice certain trends and things which you might not even realise you are doing! If you are still unconvinced by the idea of starting a food diary, these tips should help explain why food diaries are AMAZING for helping you reach your goals!
Increased self awareness
When you ask most people about their diet, most people seem to think they have a ‘healthy’ diet, that is until they write down everything that they have eaten that day...
...It really is so easy to forget a couple of biscuits or a handful of nuts here and there, but all of those calories can quickly add up if left unchecked!
Accountability
Food diaries are also a great way to help control your portion sizes.
Having to physically write down the size of each of your meals and portion sizes will make you think twice before serving them. It is pretty common for most of us to feel as though some foods don’t ‘count’ when we eat them because there is no evidence, food diaries keep you accountable to of this!
Adapting
After keeping a food diary for a week or so, you will most likely begin to realise some of the trends in your diet that you didn't even know about. So now that you are aware of WHAT you are eating, it's time to adapt! Realise the kinds of food that you are eating which contain the most ‘empty calories’ (calories from food which contains no beneficial nutrients) and start reducing your intake of them.
Start by experimenting with new meal ideas, perhaps reduce your portion sizes or always keep some healthy snacks with you during your day. By being able to adapt your nutritional habits, you will quickly shift the negative habits out of your life!
How can I get started?
Think you are ready to start your own food diary? It really is easy! Just grab a note pad or open a note in your phone and write down everything you eat and drink for that day. It can be easy to forget midday snacks things so a good tip might be to write down things as you eat them, that way, that sneaky biscuit won’t be left off!
Repeat this for a week and see how you get on. If you are spotting some trends you didn't know about, start adapting. If you would like any further help, message our very own in house nutrition expert here!
The final thing to remember about keeping a food diary is to be honest with yourself. It is easy to miss certain things off of your diary in order not to feel bad about eating them, but the only person that you will be fooling is yourself.
The more accurate your diary is, the more that you will be to improve your nutrition and step towards achieving your results!
