Keeping Track Of What Exactly You Eat: How To Do It Correctly‏

When you start a diet one of the most often heard pieces of advice is to keep a food journal in which you write down every thing you eat during the day. Keeping your meal record not only helps you see clearly what you are consuming, it helps you see what you are not eating. For example, after retaining a food journal for a few days, you might see that you are not taking in very many vegetables but that you are consuming lots of sugar and bad carbohydrates. When you write every little thing down you'll be able to see which parts of your diet must change as well as have a simpler time figuring out what kind and how long of a workout you need to do to shrink your waist line and burn the most calories.

But imagine if you write each thing down but still aren't able to figure out how to lose weight? You can observe your foods the correct way or the wrong way. A food record isn't only a list of the items you've eaten during the day. You have to keep track of some other very important information. Here are a number of the things you need to do to be more effective at food tracking.

Be as precise as you can when you write down what you take in. You need to do more than just write down "salad" into your food log. Write down all the ingredients in the salad and the type of dressing you used. You must also write down the amount of of the foods you are eating. "Cereal" is not good, however "one cup Shredded Wheat" is. Remember the more you consume of something the more calories you take in so it is important that you list quantities so you know exactly how much of everything you're eating and how many calories you need to burn.

Record the time of morning you take in things. This can help you discover when you feel the most hungry, when you are vulnerable to snack and what you can do about it. You'll notice, for example, that though you eat lunch at the exact same time every day, you also--without fail--start to snack as little as an hour later, every day. You may also be able to identify when you are eating simply to have something to do. This is very important simply because, once they are revealed, you can find other ways to fill those moments than with unhealthy foods.



Write down your feelings when you eat. This really helps to demonstrate whether or not you turn to food as a response to emotional issues. This will also show you whether or not you gravitate toward specific foods based on your mood. Many of us will reach for junk foods when we are worried, angry or depressed and will be more likely to choose healthier options when we are happy or content. Not only will this allow you to notice when you reach for specific foods based on your mood, it will help you find ways to keep healthier (but similar) options on hand for those same moods and help you figure out whether or not someone professional can help you deal with the issues that are sending you towards certain foods in the first place.