Some times to help with a weight loss program, a food journal is an extra tool to help us with the motivation that we need – or to give us even more incentive to keep going. One good way to do this is to keep a journal of your food intake and your weekly activities.
The food / activity journal gives you a clear indication of the things you have got correct and the things that may need some adjustments or changes. It can also assist your doctor (or nutritionist / dietician etc.) with decisions on future health plans.
Some of the things you can keep track of in your journal are
Assess motivation
Record Exercise Routine
Record Progress (Strength, Stamina)
Areas that need altering
Fat grams, carbs, protein, fibre, etc.
Identify your danger zones
Pinpoint lapses
Assess your reasons for eating (aside from true hunger)
Gauge your appetite and/or cravings
Track your portion sizes
Record your feelings after eating
Whatever you include in your journal – keep it easy to update and keep track of.
It is very important that you keep this record honest. This is a tool for you to use in your future improvement, there is no point in cheating yourself! It will show your improvement as you progress so the more accurate it is the more fulfilling the results will be.
You might want take note of your mood before and after food, this will show up if there are issues of emotions related to certain eating habits.
The journal can be as simple as you want – the simpler to understand, the better. Below is a simple food journal that you can adapt or copy.