A diet trick: Keep a food diary

Whether you’re meeting with a dietician or not, a food diary is a tool that can help you analyze your current eating patterns. By tracking what you currently eat, you or your dietitian can get a firsthand glimpse into your personal eating style. It may also help you discern trends in your eating patterns that you failed to notice in the past. A dietician can help you take what your food diary shows are your current eating patterns and put together an effective eating plan.

To get the most complete picture of your food consumption, keep a food diary for one to two weeks. (It may help to store the diary in a convenient place, such as near where you normally eat your meals.) Jot down what you’ve eaten and how much, as soon as you eat it. If you wait until the end of the day, it’s likely you’ll forget some of the things you ate earlier. A thorough food diary should record such facts as these:

·         What you eat and drink. This means every mouthful of food — even tastes, snacks, and sips. Indicate how it was prepared (baked or fried, for instance). Also count oils, butter, sugar, and condiments.

·         When you eat. The timing of meals and snacks is valuable information for blood sugar control.

·         How much you eat. When you first start recording your food intake, measure your portion sizes with standard measuring utensils. This serves two purposes: It provides more precise information about your food consumption, and it helps you become accustomed to standard serving sizes. You’ll probably be surprised by what a standard 3-ounce serving size of chicken or half a cup of potatoes looks like on your plate. As you grow more familiar with these portions, you can begin to “eyeball” servings more accurately. 

·         Physical activity. It’s important to track the timing and intensity of your exercise sessions so you can begin to get a picture of how physical activity interacts with your food and medication schedules.

·         Medications and blood sugar levels. Bring along any records of blood sugar tests, as this can provide the dietitian with some idea of your average blood sugar levels. Also mention any medications you are taking.

What other types of diet tricks have worked for you?

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