How to keep a food log

Bring it with me everywhere!

I am on my fifth week of keeping a food log and I love it. I have learned a few things along the way that have helped me be successful and consistent. There are so many ways to track food intake, from apps to old fashion pen on paper, so modify these suggestions in anyway that makes this doable for you!

1. Write down what you eat as soon as you are finished.
A few times I would forget to write down my dinners and the next morning I would think "Okay what did I have? Was that last night or the night before.." It is so much easier to get it down on paper as soon as it has been consumed! 

2. Track your water.
I have a water bottle that tells me how many ounces I have drank. I tally mark every full bottle I drink. My goal is always at least a gallon a day. 

3. BE HONEST!
Even if you don't keep an honest food log, your body will! Just do it, even if it sucks to admit that you overindulged. That crummy feeling will help you rethink cheating the next time the opportunity or craving comes over you. Plus, as the food log improves, you can look back and say "Wow! Look how far I have come!". Progress is always wonderful to track.

4. Write down how you feel after eating.
I wrote down this morning: "woke up STARVING", which is weird because I usually don't. It made me go back and look at my log from yesterday. I noticed I didn't reach my water goal; I am fairly certain that is why I felt so deprived when I woke up. Sometimes after dinner I will write: "craving sweets", "feel satisfied" or "ate too fast".

5. Analyze.
Look at an entire week- Sunday to Saturday. Look at patterns like "I was always satisfied after lunch but craving sweets after dinner" or "My worst indulgences were at happy hours" and make a plan for the next week! If you are fortunate enough to have the resource, SHARE IT WITH A PROFESSIONAL! Get their take on it, ask questions, get advice. It's a beautiful thing that God made us all experts at different things, take advantage of someone else's knowledge! 

Free Pinterest Printable!