There are several reasons for keeping a food diary and the most significant relates to control of calorie intake. A food diary also enables the identification of emotional triggers that lead to excessive indulgence in unhealthy food items and to record the kind of foods that are consumed by individuals. For individuals who wish to lose weight, maintaining a food diary is an efficient means. It provides factual information about the number of nutrients and calories that they are ingesting daily. Weight loss requires a change in both eating and lifestyle habits. Most people are under the wrong impression about being able to change their eating habits easily since it is common to eat more than what they are supposed to. Maintaining a daily food diary enables people to lose weight if they are serious about it.
Food diaries make people keep track of every calorie that they intake. An individual who plans to intake a specific amount of calories can do so by being able to know when he has utilized his daily intake. He can calculate and see the number of calories taken and thus be in control of his eating habits. The individual can measure the intake of vital nutrients that are necessary for the body while controlling them at the same time.
For people who are trying to lose weight, it becomes possible to ensure the intake of essential vitamins, protein, and calcium while not compromising on the minimum intakes to enable the body to maintain essential needs for energy and health. Several research studies have proved that people who keep daily food diaries for a minimum of six days a week double the chances of weight loss as compared to people who do not do so (Hillmich, 2008).
Emotional eaters can cope with the urge to eat unhealthy amounts of food by maintaining food diaries. They can monitor their mood as compared to the choices of food they wish to eat. This diary entry does not record calorie and nutrition particulars but covers the individual’s experience with food items daily. The individual records his experiences with different kinds of food for the entire day and thus ascertains his mood as emanating from the consumption of different foods. However, this diary entry requires the individual to be able to note his observations about events, emotional conditions, and choices as related to his daily eating habits to make a strategy of weight loss for the future.
People suffering from ailments such as diabetes can evolve healthier eating habits by keeping a food diary. Such patients are required to eat more proteins and vegetables and avoid foods with high sugar content. Similarly, people who wish to change to a diet with low cholesterol can also do so by recording and being in touch with their food intake. Overall, the food diary enables individuals to switch from unhealthy eating habits to foods that maintain the required nutritional values (Peters, 2009).
A food diary enables success in one’s endeavors in being a guide to understand the foods that contribute to weight loss. As one weighs himself regularly, the pounds can be found to be disappearing and earlier menus can be checked back in learning about foods that helped in the success. As one progresses with the daily food diary, the junk foods that were once relished may give way to healthier food and snacks consistently (Lively, 2009).
Works Cited
Hillmich Nanci. Using Food Diaries Doubles Weight Loss, USA Today. 2008.
Lively Kat. Keeping a Food Diary for better Weight Management. Web.
Peters Katherene Elzers. What are the Benefits of Food Diary. Web.