Lifestyle: Eating Tip #1The Food Diary

One thing I think is very important to do when starting a program whether its to lose weight, gain muscle, have more energy and get healthier is to start a food diary. One of the reasons for this is most people notoriously underestimate their food/caloric intake and overestimate their exercise. It merely is the way things are. Also when you keep a food diary you can start to recognize patterns i.e. around 4pm I have an energy slump and I'm inclined to want sweets or hmmm after 10 I always want cereal, or chocolate, or during the week I'm "good" and I'm "bad" on the weekend. When you have a food diary AND you're honest in said diary (there is no reason not to be) you can really see what you're up to and where you may be sabotaging yourself and your good intentions or conversely see what a good job you're doing and if there is room for improvement.

Keep a small notepad with you so you have no excuses for not recording your food/beverages, sugar packets etc and record what you have when you have it or directly afterward. You have no idea how much we will block out unconsciously because we don't want to face the facts. What you resist, persists, you cannot change a behavior if you are in denial about it. I have had many clients who kept resisting doing a diary even though weight loss was very important to them and we always had to talk (always while exercising) about what they were afraid to see and how committed they were to their goal. Everyone can benefit from doing a food diary for a period of time. I usually recommend 2 weeks to a month depending on your fluctuations. For example, women tend to change their eating habits around their menstrual cycle and it's important to see how drastic it is or if its slight change that doesn't affect their overall fitness goals. Some people will fluctuate according to deadlines or the end of semester (students and teachers alike) etc. I don't necessarily recommend doing a diary for the rest of your life unless you are a compulsive overeater and/or really need that support in which case by all means necessary, any thing that supports you keep!

If possible write down the calories and portion size. If not just eye ball it and worry about adding the caloric value later on. At first it's really most important to record the amounts and portion sizes as well as times of day. At the end of the day or week you can go into adding the calories. Make it as easy as possible to do at first until you get into the habit of it. Be honest about how and what you're eating without judging yourself. Again, no change can be made if all of a sudden you're only recording carrots sticks and celery when slices of pizza and Cheeto's are what you're really eating. Also while you're at it release the idea of dieting and bad foods etc. You can eat almost any "bad" food if you do it in moderation and consciously.

I really don't believe in deprivation and diets. The minute you feel deprived you want what you are depriving yourself of, and diets immediately conjure up bad feelings, images and again that feeling of deprivation. I prefer to call the changes one makes to support their fitness and lifestyle goals, a lifestyle change, conscious eating or an eating shift. The language you use can really support you in your endeavors' and help you stay on track. More on that in my next post in the meanwhile make "dear diary" your daily habit.