Why keeping a food diary works
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Honest (adj): telling the truth or to be trusted
That's what a food diary helps you to be. Some people feel that it can be tedious however being true to yourself about what exactly you eat and drink actually works. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics showed that older, overweight women had more success in achieving weight loss 12 months later when they journalled their food intake regularly, compared to those who only skipped meals (intentionally). By recording everything you put in your mouth, the thing you find out quickly is the reality of what you actually consume and how often. After recording for a week, most clients report "wow, I didn't realise how many times a day I grab something sugary" or "I didn't realise how many coffees I have instead of water." |
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The other important thing to remember is that your diary is for your eyes only (and maybe your dietitian's!). A food diary is a tool to help, not hinder your progress and being 100% truthful is the only way you can improve your habits. It will challenge your choices daily, whether that's because you don't want to write it down or you realise your eating patterns aren't as good as you thought they were. This is all perfectly normal and crucial to success.
As habits take time to evolve and change, perseverance is key. A food diary needs to be kept for five to six weeks to really reflect and learn from your mistakes, make changes and then you will see positive outcomes. Most people are really stringent at the start but as time goes on, they start getting bored, then all the bad habits come back. Unfortunately that's just human nature, but sticking to keeping a log and really taking time to work through all the small changes will add up to long term, sustainable habits.
Download your food diary template below to start tracking!
As habits take time to evolve and change, perseverance is key. A food diary needs to be kept for five to six weeks to really reflect and learn from your mistakes, make changes and then you will see positive outcomes. Most people are really stringent at the start but as time goes on, they start getting bored, then all the bad habits come back. Unfortunately that's just human nature, but sticking to keeping a log and really taking time to work through all the small changes will add up to long term, sustainable habits.
Download your food diary template below to start tracking!
| tnc_food_diary.nov2018.pdf |
Content included on this site is prepared as general information only. It is not advice and should not be substituted for personal advice which takes into account your individual health, financial or other circumstances.