A food diary is a useful tool to help people improve their health. It can help you understand your eating habits and help you identify what foods you eat regularly.
In a weight-loss study, participants who kept a daily food record lost twice as much weight as those who did not keep a record.

Keeping a food diary

Health

<ul>
<li>Write down what specific foods you are eating, your beverage consumed, and how your food is prepared (baked, fried, etc.) Include sauces and dressings.</li>
<li>List how much you are eating in household measures (cups, teaspoons, tablespoons.) If possible, weigh and measure your food.</li>
<li>Note the times you&#39;re eating to identify potentially problematic times, such as late-night snacking.</li>
</ul>
Also jot down where you are eating, what else you&#39;re doing while eating, who you eat with, and how you feel while eating.

What you should include in a food diary

<ul>
<li>Write down the food or beverage as soon as you consume it.</li>
<li>Be very specific. If you are drinking a latte, write down the type and size.</li>
<li>Include any alcoholic beverages you consume.</li>
<li>Use smartphone apps like Lose It! or MyFitnessPal for information on calories and other nutrients.</li>
</ul>

Tips for successful food journaling

Step back and look what you&#39;ve recorded. Look for trends, patterns, or habits. You might consider these questions:
<ul>
<li>How healthy is my diet?</li>
<li>How many servings of fruit and vegetables do I eat every day?</li>
<li>Am I eating whole grains each day?</li>
<li>Do I consume added sugar? If so, how frequently?</li>
<li>Do my moods affect my eating habits?</li>
<li>How often do I eat on the run?</li>
</ul>

After completing a food journal for a week

Once you know which areas you can improve, set one or two healthy eating goals using the SMART goal format. That is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. For example:
<ul>
<li>Observing that you eat two servings of vegetables per day, a SMART goal can be to eat three servings of vegetables per day.</li>
<li>Or if you order takeout three nights per week, your SMART goal can be to order takeout only once or twice per week.</li>
</ul>

Set SMART healthy eating goals

<header dir="ltr">

					
					<time datetime="January 31, 2019" dir="ltr">
						Posted January 31, 2019, 10:30 am
						
					</time>
					</header><img src="https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2016/07/2013Kathy-McManus-headshot-2-150x150.jpg" width="45" height="45" alt="Katherine D. McManus, MS, RD, LDN">Many people begin the new year with a resolve to improve their health. This improvement often starts with changing what they eat.A food diary can be a useful tool in this process. It can help you understand your eating habits and patterns, and help you identify the foods — good and not-so-good — you eat on a regular basis. Research shows that for people interested in losing weight, keeping a journal can be a very effective tool to help change behavior. In one weight loss <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18617080" dir="ltr">study</a> of nearly 1,700 participants, those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records.<h3>What should you include in a food diary?</h3>Most experts agree that the secret to successful food journaling is accuracy and consistency. So, what should you record? A basic food diary should include the following:<UL><LI>What are you eating? Write down the specific food and beverage consumed and how it is prepared (baked, broiled, fried, etc.). Include any sauces, condiments, dressings, or toppings.</LI><LI>How much are you eating? List the amount in household measures (cups, teaspoons, tablespoons) or in ounces. If possible, it is best to weigh and measure your food. If you are away from home, do your best to estimate the portion.</LI><LI>When are you eating? Noting the time that you’re eating can be very helpful in identifying potentially problematic times, such as late-night snacking.</LI></UL>Jotting down where you’re eating, what else you’re doing while you’re eating, and how you’re feeling while eating can help you understand some of your habits and offer additional insight.<UL><LI>Where are you eating? Record the specific place you are consuming food, whether it’s at the kitchen table, in your bedroom, in the car, walking down the street, at a restaurant, or at a friend’s home.</LI><LI>What else are you doing while eating? Are you on the computer, watching TV, or talking with a family member or a friend?</LI><LI>Who are you eating with? Are you eating with your spouse, children, friend, or a colleague, or are you alone?</LI><LI>How are you feeling as you’re eating? Are you happy, sad, stressed, anxious, lonely, bored, tired?</LI></UL><h3>Tips for successful food journaling</h3>Here are more tips for keeping a successful food diary:<UL><LI>Write down the food or beverage as soon as you consume it. Don’t wait until the end of the day because your recollection is likely to be less accurate.</LI><LI>Be as specific as you can with the food or beverage. For example, if you are drinking a latte, note the type and size.</LI><LI>Be sure to include any alcoholic beverages you consume.</LI><LI>A smartphone app like Lose It! or MyFitnessPal can support your efforts. These apps also offer information on calories and other nutrients.</LI></UL><h3>You’ve kept a food diary. Now what?</h3>After completing a week’s worth of food journaling, step back and look at what you’ve recorded. Search for any trends, patterns, or habits. For example, you might consider:<UL><LI>How healthy is my diet?</LI><LI>Am I eating vegetables and fruit every day? If so, how many servings?</LI><LI>Am I eating whole grains each day?</LI><LI>Am I eating foods or beverages with added sugar? If so, how frequently?</LI><LI>Do my moods affect my eating habits? Do I reach for unhealthy snacks when I’m tired or stressed?</LI><LI>How often do I eat on the run?</LI></UL><h3>Set SMART healthy eating goals</h3>Once you’ve identified areas for improvement, set one or two healthy eating goals for yourself. In doing so, use the <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/an-easier-way-to-set-and-achieve-health-goals" dir="ltr">SMART goal</a> format. That means your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-based. Here are a few examples of SMART goals.Food diary observation: You average two servings of vegetables per day. 
Goal: Eat more vegetables. 
SMART goal: Eat three servings of vegetables per day.Food diary observation: You order takeout three or four nights per week. 
Goal: Cook more at home. 
SMART goal: Order take out no more than one or two nights per week.Food diary observation: You eat healthy meals and snacks until about 3 pm, when you hit the office vending machine. 
Goal: Eat healthier snacks. 
SMART goal: Bring a healthy snack (a piece of fruit and a small handful of nuts) to work every day.Keeping a food journal can be very informative and move you toward improving your health. Using the data from your food diary to make SMART changes, and continuing to track your progress, is a great place to start your journey for a healthier 2019.

For those looking to improve their diet or lose weight, keeping a food diary is a useful tool. Recording information for at least a week will help people identify habits and patterns that will help them set realistic goals.

Many people begin the new year with a resolve to improve their health. This improvement often starts with changing what they eat.

A food diary can be a useful tool in this process. It can help you understand your eating habits and patterns, and help you identify the foods — good and not-so-good — you eat on a regular basis. Research shows that for people interested in losing weight, keeping a journal can be a very effective tool to help change behavior. In one weight loss <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18617080">study </a>of nearly 1,700 participants, those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records.

Most experts agree that the secret to successful food journaling is accuracy and consistency. So, what should you record? A basic food diary should include the following:

<ul><li>What are you eating? Write down the specific food and beverage consumed and how it is prepared (baked, broiled, fried, etc.). Include any sauces, condiments, dressings, or toppings. </li><li>How much are you eating? List the amount in household measures (cups, teaspoons, tablespoons) or in ounces. If possible, it is best to weigh and measure your food. If you are away from home, do your best to estimate the portion. </li><li>When are you eating? Noting the time that you’re eating can be very helpful in identifying potentially problematic times, such as late-night snacking. </li> </ul>

Jotting down where you’re eating, what else you’re doing while you’re eating, and how you’re feeling while eating can help you understand some of your habits and offer additional insight.

<ul><li>Where are you eating? Record the specific place you are consuming food, whether it’s at the kitchen table, in your bedroom, in the car, walking down the street, at a restaurant, or at a friend’s home. </li><li>What else are you doing while eating? Are you on the computer, watching TV, or talking with a family member or a friend? </li><li>Who are you eating with? Are you eating with your spouse, children, friend, or a colleague, or are you alone? </li><li>How are you feeling as you’re eating? Are you happy, sad, stressed, anxious, lonely, bored, tired? </li> </ul>

Here are more tips for keeping a successful food diary:

<ul><li>Write down the food or beverage as soon as you consume it. Don’t wait until the end of the day because your recollection is likely to be less accurate. </li><li>Be as specific as you can with the food or beverage. For example, if you are drinking a latte, note the type and size. </li><li>Be sure to include any alcoholic beverages you consume. </li><li>A smartphone app like Lose It! or MyFitnessPal can support your efforts. These apps also offer information on calories and other nutrients. </li> </ul>

After completing a week’s worth of food journaling, step back and look at what you’ve recorded. Search for any trends, patterns, or habits. For example, you might consider:

<ul><li>How healthy is my diet? </li><li>Am I eating vegetables and fruit every day? If so, how many servings? </li><li>Am I eating whole grains each day? </li><li>Am I eating foods or beverages with added sugar? If so, how frequently? </li><li>Do my moods affect my eating habits? Do I reach for unhealthy snacks when I’m tired or stressed? </li><li>How often do I eat on the run? </li> </ul>

Once you’ve identified areas for improvement, set one or two healthy eating goals for yourself. In doing so, use the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/an-easier-way-to-set-and-achieve-health-goals">SMART goal </a>format. That means your goals should be S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant and T ime-based. Here are a few examples of SMART goals.

Food diary observation: You average two servings of vegetables per day. Goal: Eat more vegetables. SMART goal: Eat three servings of vegetables per day.

Food diary observation: You order takeout three or four nights per week. Goal: Cook more at home. SMART goal: Order take out no more than one or two nights per week.

Food diary observation: You eat healthy meals and snacks until about 3 pm, when you hit the office vending machine. Goal: Eat healthier snacks. SMART goal: Bring a healthy snack (a piece of fruit and a small handful of nuts) to work every day.

Keeping a food journal can be very informative and move you toward improving your health. Using the data from your food diary to make SMART changes, and continuing to track your progress, is a great place to start your journey for a healthier 2019.

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Why keep a food diary? - Harvard Health Blog

Keeping a food diary

What you should include in a food diary

Tips for successful food journaling

After completing a food journal for a week

Set SMART healthy eating goals

6 Popular Ways to Do Intermittent Fasting

9 psychological ways to help you lose weight

10 Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Adults

Bite‑sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

Why keep a food diary? - Harvard Health Blog

Keeping a food diary

What you should include in a food diary

Tips for successful food journaling

After completing a food journal for a week

Set SMART healthy eating goals

6 Popular Ways to Do Intermittent Fasting

9 psychological ways to help you lose weight

10 Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Adults

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career