Why it helps whether you have a weight-loss goal or simply want to feel better

There are many reasons to keep a food journal. I feel like a lot of people don’t do it. They think it will be too hard and time consuming. While it can be an in-depth analysis, it doesn’t have to in order to be effective. 

Let me show you.

Process.

• Get a small pocket-sized notebook that you can take anywhere with you. 
• If you don’t take it wherever you go, you might forget to write down what you have consumed (or conveniently skip writing it down at all). 
• It’s important to be intentional with writing it down as a way to hold yourself accountable. You need to be honest with yourself or it doesn’t work. 
• Don’t make it so much of a chore that you regret keeping a food journal at all. 
• However, if you want to do a deep dive and track macros (carbs, protein, and fat), go for it.

In my notebook, I do the following:

• Write down the date, day of the week, and weight. I don’t weigh myself every day, maybe 2–3 times a week.
• Write down my categories B (Breakfast), S (Snacks), L (Lunch), and D (Dinner).
• I simply write down what I eat each day in each category.
• I often eat a morning snack. Then, I have an afternoon snack because I can get hangry if I don’t. However, I keep it as one category. You’re welcome to make an AM and PM snack category to keep them separate.
• As I write down what I eat, I focus on two areas in particular: sweets (my nemesis) and fruits/vegetables (need more of them in my life). Whenever I eat a sweet, I put a box around it. When I eat a fruit or vegetable, I put a star over it.

Reflection.

I have three parts to reflection at the end of each day:

• Count how many fruits and vegetables (stars) and sweets (boxes) I had for the day. I’m aiming for 4–6 fruits and vegetables and fewer than 2 sweets a day.
• Give myself a grade for the day: A, B, C, D, or F. The grade is completely subjective. In addition to looking at the number of stars and boxes, I think about how I feel overall.
• Journaling. This can be a sentence, paragraph, or more depending on how I’m feeling on that day.

When I journal, I write about how my body is feeling. I note the food I put into it. I also reflect on the reasons for eating what I did.

For example, I struggle with eating in the late afternoon before dinner. At the end of the work day, I’m often tapped out from decision fatigue. I get home and feel like I’m starving, so I will eat whatever I can grab my hands on. Most of the time I grab chips or something sweet even though I have healthy alternatives on hand. 

Therefore, I’m working on taking a beat before I grab something to eat. I do a quick assessment:

• Before I do anything, I drink a glass of water. Then I ask myself:
• How am I feeling? — Bored, stressed, annoyed, etc.
• Am I actually hungry? — If I’m actually hungry, then it’s important to open the refrigerator instead of going into the pantry.
• Do I need a quick pick-me-up before I exercise? If so, I eat peanut butter toast or a piece of fruit with a cheesestick. 

In Conclusion.

Keeping a food journal is not something I do all the time. 

I do it when I’m feeling a little off and am not sure why. It helps me understand why I might be more tired, constipated, stressed, etc.

I do it when I’m training for a half-marathon. In those times, I pay a lot more attention to my macros. This helps me keep up with what I need because of an increased running schedule.

I do it when I’m in a season where it makes sense. For example, Lent just started and I want to focus on my overall well-being. One layer of that is my physical health. 

Whatever the reason, make keeping a food journal work for you and the purpose you’ve given it. Achieve your goal. Solve the problem. Allow the season to end. Then, you should release it.

If you’ve kept a food journal, tell me about what’s worked for you. Share what you’ve learned about yourself in the process. Let’s learn from each other. 

Until next time, Cheers!