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The benefits of keeping a Food Diary
Food diaries are an excellent way of learning about yourself and your eating patterns. Most people only use food journals when they are asked to do so as part of a weight loss plan or when receiving help for an eating disorder. Of course if you are not able to be honest about what you are actually eating then they are of no use at all. |  |
In the last few years of my eating disorder I attended a regular Weight Watchers meeting and would journal so that everyone would think I was doing everything I could to help myself. I would leave my journal open for everyone to see, particularly my husband, however I NEVER recorded any food that was eaten during a binge. I was in denial although deep down I knew that I was never going to lose weight while I continued to binge. Of course the food journal looked beautiful but it was no use at all until I was prepared to be honest about what I was actually eating.
Today I periodically use a food journal to look at my different eating patterns or associated feelings that are going on around food. When I look at food diaries I am looking for recurring patterns that can cause problems.
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| Food diaries almost always help me to identify my client's trigger foods, their eating patterns that lead to binge eating or emotions that they are unable to deal with. Part of the food diary assesses the level of hunger being experienced. It is very common to see people experiencing severe hunger in yet respond to it with a mug of coffee rather than a proper meal. Emotional hunger can also be identified and it is essential to be able to learn how to recognise the different types of hunger. |
So rather than being something to fear, food diaries can be extremely helpful for people who are trying to lose weight or stabilise an eating disorder. With continued use you can become your own therapist recognising the feelings, emotions, and the situations which trigger you to eat unhealthy. When you have awareness, you have the ability to change the situation. I always encourage people to make permanent changes rather than stick to what they view as the perfect diet. Diets are always broken at some stage whether it is an hour after it started or a year later. By focusing on a healthy eating approach to life that is flexible to go with your lifestyle, you are much less likely to adopt the all or nothing approach known as black and white thinking. We have all heard people say “I’ve blown my diet so I may as well carry on eating”. When you are able to put things into perspective you are less likely to go on and develop disordered eating.
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| So don’t look at food diaries as something to fear, they are the best way to unlock your true eating behaviours so that you can find solutions to your eating and emotional issues. If you are struggling to lose weight permanently or stop binge eating food diaries are an essential tool to identify what is really happening. If you would like professional help I would be delighted to work with you through online counselling. | |
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