For years I was always told, heard, and read when you’re trying to improve your health, lose weight or get a better understanding of your daily nutrition to keep a food diary/journal. Now we have all these fancy apps that do it for us, but to tell you the truth… I’m old school and love to write in my journal.
The funny thing is once I started to do this on a regular basis I was amazed at what I started to learn about the food I was eating. When our schedules get in the way or we eat on the run, not really focusing on our nutrition and well-being we tend to ignore symptoms we experience.
When I got serious about my nutrition and well-being I got focused on tracking what I would eat at every meal. I would take time to experience how I was feeling after each meal and would pay attention to my symptoms.
Keeping a food diary/journal will help bring awareness to your eating and daily lifestyle habits. When you experience certain signs or symptoms from foods, your journal can be a useful reference to track possible food allergies or sensitivities.
Try noticing how you feel both physically and emotionally before, during, and after meals and beverages.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Physical Symptoms:
Headache
Nausea
Fatigue
Insomnia
High Energy
Focus
Shakiness
Alertness
Emotional Symptoms:
Anxious
Depressed
Restless
Agitated
Energized
Happy
Calm
Frustrated
If you happen to miss recording a meal-don’t stress! Just pick up from where you left off. Once you start to make the connection with your food and what feels good to eat and what doesn’t then feel free to skip the journal. I love the accountability and still continue to do it on a regular basis. Have fun with it!
Love & Gratitude,
