How a Food Journal Can Help You Reach Your Goals

You’re working out, you’re drinking water, you’re eating healthy and… you’re not seeing results. It can be incredibly frustrating to be putting the effort in and not reaching the goal you’re working so hard towards.

A common mistake that people make when starting a weight-loss journey is not tracking their food in a food journal. In order to lose weight, you must be mindful of what you eat and how much you eat – even if you’re eating healthy.

There are a number of great – and free – apps that can help you get a good idea of what your body is taking in and how much you’re burning off. But it’s not just about doing the math – tracking your meals can have many other positive impacts.

1. You’ll Make Better Decisions – Keeping track of the foods you eat can help you make better choices when it comes to meals and snacks. Seeing it on paper or on an app allows you to see how many calories you are putting towards foods that may not be the most nutritionally dense and are not fueling your body. This can allow you to adjust accordingly and make better decisions in the future. If you’re having digestion or stomach issues, this is also a great way to track and find out what may be causing you discomfort.

2. You Can Portion Control – Taking the time to weigh out food can be a time-consuming process, but it is a great way to determine your portion sizes and ensure they are fitting into the nutritional goals you have set out for yourself. Soon, you’ll be able to eyeball the amounts without having to whip out the scale each time. We’re sorry in advance for how small a real tablespoon of peanut butter is.

3. Find Out What Your Body Needs – Often times, the focus of a food diary is calories. While that may be the easiest – and most common – way to track your food, there are a number of different methods, depending on your fitness goal. For some people, tracking macros is the way to go, and for others it’s all about hitting a protein goal. When you find out what method works for you, you can tailor your diet and hit personal milestones accordingly.

Bonus: Having a personalized nutritional plan is a great complement to any food diary. Make sure to check out the House of Trainers nutritional program here.