We’re on to Week 5 of 52 Weeks to a Healthier You! We’ve already talked about making an honest self-assessment, drinking more water, finding fitness motivation, and improving our sleep habits. Now, we’re finally ready to start talking about what we eat.
If you’re fearing a brand new diet plan, you can breathe easy. 🙂 We’re just going to start by taking a look at what we’re currently eating by using a free printable food diary. Rather than making any drastic changes right away, it’s a great idea to see what you’re already consuming on a weekly basis, so you can make gradual adjustments that are more likely to stick.
Here’s a primer on why and how we can keep a food diary!
Disclaimer: I am not a health or fitness expert. Please consult a medical professional before starting any new health or fitness regimen.
Image: Minerva Studio / Dollar Photo Club
Why Keeping a Food Diary is Important
You might be wondering: Why is it necessary to keep a food diary in the first place? Well, it’s not actually necessary, but it can be extremely helpful. WebMD explains that writing down what you eat has the instant effect of making you aware of your food choices. (I can tell you that I’ve often refrained from eating a certain junk food just because I didn’t want to have to write it down.)
It’s also helpful because you can take a look at your eating habits over time, so if you’re consistently eating a certain food, especially if it’s unhealthy, then you can take note of the time of day you choose it and what potentially triggers your cravings.
How to Keep a Food Diary
Okay, so what’s involved in keeping a food diary? It’s simple. You just write down everything you eat. Every. Single. Thing. (Yes, this includes gum and mints and those individual M&Ms that you sneak during the day.)
Along with the food you eat, Real Simple explains that it’s also helpful to write down your emotions at the time you eat. Are you sad, happy, bored, frustrated, or distracted? Keeping track of these feelings can help you spot any tendencies toward binge or emotional eating.
Free Printable Food Diary
Now, for the really awesome news! We’re giving away a free printable food diary for the week to all of our email subscribers! In this printable pack, you’ll find diary tracking sheets for Monday through Sunday, complete with spaces for meal journaling and reflective questions to help you make better choices in the future.
To get your free printable food diary, subscribe to our newsletter using the sign up form below! If you’re already subscribed to our newsletter, you’ll get your free copy in the next newsletter (which will go out on Sunday night).
This post is part of the Free Printable Day linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click over to get even more great free printables from our fellow bloggers!
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