Diet: Keeping a Food
Diary
Instructions
The information you
record in your food diary will help you and your
family doctor design an eating program to meet
your special needs. These instructions will help
you get the most out of your food diary.
Generally, food diaries are meant to be used for
a whole week, but studies have shown that even
keeping track of what you eat for 1 day can help
you make changes in your diet.
How
much:
In this space indicate the amount
of the particular food item you ate. Estimate
the size (2" X 1" X 1"), the volume (1/2 cup),
the weight (2 ounces) and/or the number of items
(12) of that type of food.
What
kind:
In this column, write down the type
of food you ate. Be as specific as you can.
Include sauces and gravies. Don't forget to
write down "extras," such as soda
pop, salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter,
sour cream, sugar and ketchup.
Time:
Write the time of day you
ate the food.
Where:
Write what room or part
of the house you were in when you ate. If you
ate in a restaurant, fast-food chain or
your car, write that location
down.
Alone or
with whom:
If you ate by yourself, write
"alone." If you were with friends or family
members, list them.
Activity:
In this column, list
any activities you were doing while you were
eating (for example, working, watching TV,
ironing).
Mood:
How were you feeling
while you were eating (for example, sad, happy,
depressed)?
 |
|
 |
|
Helpful
Hints:
- Don't change your
eating habits while you're keeping your food
diary, unless your family doctor has given you
specific instructions to do so.
- Tell the truth.
There's nothing to be gained by trying to look
good on these forms. Your family doctor can help
only if you record what you really eat.
- Record what you
eat on all days your doctor recommends.
- Be sure
to bring the completed forms back with you to
your next doctor's appointment.
|
|
 |
|
 |
Some basic rules to
remember:
Write down
everything:
Keep your form with you all
day, and write down everything you eat or drink.
A piece of candy, a handful of pretzels, a can
of soda pop or a small donut may not seem like
much at the time, but over a week these calories
add up!
Do it
now:
Don't depend on your memory at the
end of the day. Record your eating as you
go.
Be
specific:
If you ate a cheeseburger,
write it down. Make sure you include "extras,"
such as gravy on your meat or cheese on your
vegetables. Record french fries as french fries,
not as potatoes.
Estimate
amounts:
If you had a piece of cake,
estimate the size (2" x 1" x 2"). If you had a
vegetable, record how much you ate (1/4 cup or 2
cups?). When eating meat, remember that a
3-ounce cooked portion is about the size of a
deck of cards.
If you have any
questions, call your family
doctor.
Sample Food Diary
| Food or
Drink |
|
| How
much |
What
kind |
Time |
Where |
Alone or
with whom |
Activity |
Mood |
| 3 |
chocolate chip cookies |
3:25
p.m. |
office |
alone |
working on report |
bored |
| 1 |
cheeseburger |
6:15
p.m. |
Burger
King |
Claire, Jackie |
talking |
happy |
| 1 |
regular french fries |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
vanilla shake |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1
cup |
Haagen
Dazs ice cream |
10:00
p.m. |
kitchen |
alone |
watching TV |
tired |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| | 
