Changing Food Habits

It's easier than you think with a food diary.

A good way to decide if you have some habits that are keeping you from achieving your weight loss goals is to keep a food diary for several days or for a week. A food diary will help you become aware of how much you are eating, why you are eating, and your eating patterns.

Losing weight and keeping it off usually requires changes in our eating habits. Since human beings are creatures of habit, we often do things we are not aware of that cause us to either gain weight or keep us from losing weight.

Keep a food diary…

In your food diary you'll want to write down the following things each day—the types and amounts of foods you eat—the times you eat—the number of minutes you spend eating—the places you eat—how hungry you are when eating—how you felt when you were eating—and other activities related to eating.

When you enter the types and amounts of foods you eat in your diary, remember to write down all foods— meals, snacks and nibbles—immediately after you have eaten them. Do not write them down before eating. Wait until you're finished, so you'll be sure to record exactly what you had. You may be surprised at the amounts and kinds of foods you eat regularly. You may find that you nibble quite a lot.

The number of minutes you spend eating could reveal that you're eating too fast. Overweight people often eat too fast. Learning to eat more slowly helps you to recognize when you're full—and it helps you to enjoy your food more.

You may eat out often—or when at home—you may eat in areas of the house other than the dining room or the kitchen. Just by allowing yourself to eat in specified places of your home, may help you to reduce your food intake.

To find out how hungry you are when you're eating, rate your hunger on a scale of one to four, with one being the least hungry and four being starved. If you're not sure whether you're hungry, ask yourself these questions—"has it been three or four hours since I last ate—have I been more active than usual today—and would I be satisfied with a meal of fish or lean meat and vegetables": If you answer "yes" to all these questions, you're probably hungry.

Moods may affect your eating habits.

How you feel when eating could affect your eating habits. Boredom, nervousness, and loneliness can all cause eating binges.

Sometimes other activities, such as watching TV or a movie, working or reading, may be activities you associate with eating without being conscious of it.

By examining your food diary, you'll learn a great deal about your eating habits. Perhaps you'll find you eat large amounts when bored, depressed, or frustrated. You may find a lot of your eating is just routine—as in joining your children for cookies and juice when they come home from school.

Learning your habits through your food diary will help you make changes that can lead to your weight loss goals.

For more information about diet and weight control, contact your local county Extension office.