{"id":10171,"date":"2012-05-04T09:08:16","date_gmt":"2012-05-04T13:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/hometownhealth\/2012\/05\/food-diaries-creating-your-recipe-for-success.html"},"modified":"2018-07-10T15:16:05","modified_gmt":"2018-07-10T19:16:05","slug":"food-diaries-creating-your-recipe-for-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/hometownhealth\/2012\/05\/food-diaries-creating-your-recipe-for-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Diaries: Creating Your Recipe for Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keeping a food diary can become a powerful tool to bring awareness to your cravings and eating patterns. <\/b>You don’t have to go out and purchase a fancy journal these days (though you can, if you’re so inclined). A food diary can take any form that is convenient and works for you, i.e., mobile phone app, notepad, agenda book, or on the computer.<\/p>\n

So how do you get started writing? Make notes about how you feel physically and emotionally before, during and after each meal, snack or beverage. Keep track of any thoughts you have, or connections you make. At first it may feel odd or you may not feel any particular way at all. That is okay–you may just write “fine” or “good” sometimes. The entries don’t have to be long or well-written; this diary is just for you.<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips to get you started on what your entries might make note of:<\/p>\n

Physical symptoms or bodily sensations:<\/b><\/p>\n

1. Clues for imbalance: experiencing headaches, stomach pain, muscle cramps, coughing, fatigue, insomnia, restlessness, shakiness, muscle weakness, poor concentration, pallor.<\/p>\n

2. Clues for balance: having bright eyes, hunger, stamina, natural deep breathing, high energy, restful sleep, focus, alertness, strength, good attention span, good color.<\/p>\n

Emotional symptoms may be a little harder to notice: <\/b><\/p>\n

1. Clues for imbalance: feeling anxious, bored, scared, mad, sad, depressed, scattered, restless, irritable, agitated, feeling “hyper.”<\/p>\n

2. Clues for balance: feeling confident, excited, energized, humorous, happy, interested, focused, calm, relaxed, easygoing, patient.<\/p>\n

Keeping a food diary can be a lot of fun as well as informative. Imagine it as a way of recording your experiments with food and new eating habits. Try to stay free of negative judgments! If negative thoughts and feelings arise, or if you feel guilty for eating something “bad,” remember that recording this information will help you to see the connections between what you eat and how you feel emotionally and physically.<\/p>\n

If you forget to write down a meal, just keep going. It’s all good! Just keep writing next time. Below is an example of how you might structure your food diary<\/b> (it doesn’t have to be this complicated, but the more details you can track the more helpful it will be):<\/p>\n

Meals<\/b>:<\/p>\n