by Tami Raco Health & Nutrition Coach and Personal Trainer www.thewellnessministry.com
If I asked you to hit the bullseye on a dart board but I blindfolded your eyes do you think you could hit it? Would you even come close? No is the likely answer. The same holds true for trying to improve your diet and not seeing where you are going.
In the past 16 years of working with clients in weight loss the most successful people in losing weight were the ones who used food journals. Keeping a food journal is a tried-and-true strategy. Logging everything you eat and drink into a journal or an app will give you incredible insight on where you are spending your calories and more importantly how your carbs, proteins and fats look on a daily basis, helping you reach your goals.
Research shows that it takes than 15 minutes to journal your daily intake and once you get the hang of it and it becomes a habit, it will likely be closer to 10 minutes a day. Here are a few time saving tips so that you can incorporate this incredibly beneficial habit into your wellness journey.
Use an app: There are many free apps available to download which will help you keep track of your diet. Some popular ones are MyFitnessPal, Ate Food Diary, and Lose It, as well as diet specific type apps.
Plan your meals: If you plan your meals in advance you can enter your food in at the start of the day. This gives you a great idea of how your day is going to shape up at the start of it. It also gives some valuable insight on if you are going to have room for that dessert or not later in the day!
Save recipes: If you eat a meal often or a certain prepared meal regularly, save the recipe in your paper journal or add it into the app and store it. That makes it much easier to select it once it is there and ready for you.
Scan the bar code: One of the most convenient parts of using a food diary app is the ability to scan many items. No need to record or enter. Simply scan and the nutritional info automatically fills into your diary.
Although food journaling can be time consuming when you first begin, with some planning and patience you can make the process a regular part of your day and it will add so much insight and value to your efforts in reaching your health goals.
