This is the year when people are really going to lose weight, if the response to yesterday’s post about food diaries is any indication. Several people wanted to see an example of a food diary, so here is my actual food diary from yesterday:
- Rick Aster
- Monday, January 5, 2009
- Breakfast
- Oatmeal and chocolate chips, 240, $.27
- Lingonberry juice, 100, $.18
- Morning
- (none)
- Lunch
- Dates, 150, $1.05
- Cookies, 120, $.23
- Afternoon
- Cheese, 120, $.80
- Potato chips, 270, $.44
- Candy, 160, $.28
- Supper
- Chili and cheese, 620, $3.77
- Apple cider, 160, $.55
- Potato chips, 70, $.24
- Dates, 50, $.35
- Candy, 200, $.35
- Evening
- Candy, 120, $.21
- Total, 2380, $8.72
I listed the items, calories, and cost over the course of the day, then totaled calories and cost at the end of the day. Please don’t take this as an example of what to eat, but as an example of how to keep a food diary. You can have a long list because many of the things you eat are small. Resist the temptation to group unrelated foods together or to leave out things just because they are small. If you eat just one potato chip, go ahead and write that down. It’s easier to be accurate that way.
