Investigating eating habits

Food Journal

A food journal is a first step to help to show you where your eating habits may create some problems (For example, eating nonstop in front of the television). A food journal has also been found to keep people aware of their eating habits and help them to not over- or under-eat.

Print a Food Journal

Start your own food journal:

• Get a note book or print pages to record your food (see pdf example) Keep at least a three to five day a week journal and at least one day when you are not working.
• Next count up servings of bread/cereal/grains, fruits, vegetables and protein (meat). Compare this to the food guide pyramid for your calorie needs (choosemyplate.gov).
• Know your portion sizes to create an accurate food journal.
• Now look at what time you ate. Are you eating on the run? Are you eating right before going to bed? Are you not eating for long periods of time?
• Where did you eat? How fast did you eat? Did you enjoy your food?
• Why did you eat?
• When you get the above information obtained or have medical issues you may need to go into more depth with: How much fat and saturated fat? How much cholesterol did you eat? How much sodium did you eat? How much potassium did you eat?
• Now you have the information to decide what you need to change, like less calories, more fruit, need to eat more often. Maybe you do not know what it is to feel hungry or what it feels like to over eat.
• Now, take the three to five day journal and plan out the meals that you have recorded to have a balanced diet (what was missing, ate too much of, ate in wrong place) to see what this is like and then implement these meal plans.
• Continue to keep a food journal for another one to two weeks and go take five days to analyze against the food guide pyramid and implement more changes if need. Don't forget to give yourself praise for the good you do!
• Continue this process to keep you on track for a healthy lifestyle.
• If at any time you have a question, you may consider scheduling an appointment with a registered dietitian.

            
Know your portion sizes to create an accurate food journal.