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I find it helpful and important to keep a journal of the foods I eat to achieve the healthy lifestyle I am living. Mainly, journaling helps me keep in mind what I am eating. It makes me think about what I eat and forces me to make a conscious decision whether or not I should eat a particular food that day. If I am craving cookies, I can work them into my diet. Also, I tend to not eat enough and it helps me make sure I am getting the proper nutrition. The journal should include what foods, how much, when and how you are feeling when you eat. It is important to record everything you eat and to do this immediately. If you wait until the end of the day or when you get home it is easy to forget the little bite here and there or the plum you had for a snack.

There are many ways to keep this journal. A pad and pen will do. In many situations this is the best choice. You can carry a small pad and pen around in your pocket or purse so it is always with you. Of course, a napkin will do when you forget it or go out to dinner. Some like to use a PDA, personal digital assistant, and this is fine if you are into the new technology. There are many online sites and retailers that offer forms and food journals for little or no cost. Personally, I use Points® Tracker on the Weight Watchers© online website. It is well organized and it is easy for me to track the foods I eat because I am at home most of the time. When I eat out, I look up my meals before I go to insure I will not fall off of my diet. I will also jot down what I eat when I am away from my computer and log it in when I get home.

The data you record should include everything you eat. You should record the calories and/or fat grams of each food. Pay attention to nutritional labels to insure you are recording the information correctly and to find the actual serving size. In the beginning it is important to weigh and measure your food to learn what portion sizes look like. After you feel comfortable you may want to follow the guidelines that I offer in my blog entitled, “Blurt: How to Visually Measure Food.”

It is also important to record when you eat. By recording when you eat you may discover that the majority of the foods you eat are in the evening with the combination of dinner and late night snacks. If this is the case you can adjust your eating habits to eating more food throughout the day where you will not be as hungry at night. It is important to eat a good breakfast to fuel your body to jumpstart your day. I recommend also eating a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack to keep energized. This will help curb your appetite at night as well.

Finally, recording how you feel when you eat can tell you what is triggering the impulse snacks that you include in your diet. If you use food as a support when you feel depressed or angry, you can use this information to avoid this pitfall. By journaling the foods you eat on your diet you can learn what strategies to take to improve your health and weight loss. I know that tracking the foods that I eat help me stay focused toward my goals to achieve the weight loss I am seeking. It makes me aware of what and why I am eating and gives me the opportunity to improve before I fall back into unhealthy habits. I am living a healthier lifestyle by using this tool and I hope you are able to use it to your benefit as well. I also keep track of my exercise routine but I guess I will leave that discussion for another time. God Bless your continued success in your goals to achieve a happier and healthier you.

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