Have you ever been watching TV and reached into a bowl or box – and hit the bottom? It’s startling to realize that we just consumed hundreds. or even thousands. of calories – and we received no enjoyment from our eating. In fact, we don’t even remember all the calories we just sent down our throat. The only way to gain any control over our eating habits is to pay attention to what we’re actually consuming and a personal food journal is the best tool, because we obviously can’t rely on memory.
A food journal is just a tool to get us to our destination. But where do we want to go? We want to become conscious eaters who are always aware of what and how much we’re eating, without struggle or effort. We can’t change our eating habits until we become aware of them. But be warned that this isn’t easy so don’t become discouraged. We’re all busy people and it’s hard to stay focused on any one effort, no matter how worthy. Just keep in mind that losing weight or improving our health is so important that the effort is worth the struggle.
No matter how tough it is to change, know that you will discover many health benefits to keeping a personal food journal and remember that the time will come when recording your food will no longer be necessary. And, almost all of those benefits definitely will assist you in carrying out your desired goals no matter what they are. Here are a few of the benefits of documenting what you eat.
1. Have you ever been around people who insist that they “eat like a bird” – yet you see them frequently gorging on rich, heavy meals and desserts. They may not be lying when they insist that they eat very little because they may be very unaware of what they’re actually doing. You are most likely the same. If you don’t understand why you’re overweight or why your cholesterol is too high or why you feel sluggish and bloated, then examining you actual habits, rather than what you think about them, may be very revealing. It’s worth finding out, isn’t it?
2. Do you eat when you’re bored? Unhappy? Lonely? Upset? If so, you’re not alone because we often eat for reasons that have nothing at all to do with hunger, which is the only genuine reason to eat. Once you clearly face the ways you misuse food, you can think through other activities when you might eat for emotional reasons, activities that won’t damage your body and health.
3. By becoming aware of what foods you’re eating, you may be able to make painless changes that save on calories, sugar, cholesterol and other unhealthy consequences. For instance, if you love butter on your baked potato, you might switch to heart-healthy olive oil with no sense of sacrifice. Or you might use almond or soy milks as a healthy alternative to cows milk in your smoothies. If you test small changes, you are certain to be able to easily make healthy changes in your diet.
4. If you become aware of exactly what you’re eating, you may notice that you lack important nutrients. Some people don’t really like fruits or vegetables – but a steady diet of nothing but meat, french fries and desserts isn’t healthy for anyone. If you realize that you’re damaging your body you might be inspired to make genuine changes. At the very least, you won’t be clueless if you have some physical ailments.
Try keeping a food journal just one week. In just seven days you can find out a lot about your typical eating habits. With that information, you can make changes in your diet that will help you to lose weight, become healthy and reduce your risk of disease.
It is always smart to read diet reviews before trying a new diet since although trendy diets like Fat Loss For Idiots is extremely successful for many, it might be a waste of time for your body.