A food diary is one of the most essential tools in dealing with emotional eating. A food diary is a good way to monitor the kind of food eaten, the moods that come with cravings and other kinds of information on eating within a week.
Consciously jotting down the important details in a food diary takes effort and willingness. The food diary is a very visual reminder and a habit which makes it quite effective especially when coupled with professional help. The templates below look a little different from one another but the way they are used are quite similar.
Template 1
1. Write your name on blank space on the left.
- Writing your name is taking ownership of your goal which is an important step.
- Think of this step as a contract setting with yourself. The food diary is your contract to work your way out of emotional eating
2. Write the week on the right hand box.
- This is so you can keep track of the many diary entries you will be making.
- By writing the week first, you also get a good feeling of accomplishment when you have completed your first week of journaling and have made it a habit.
3. Look at the leftmost column to see the correct day of the week.
- On the smaller box, write the specific date.
- This may seem like a repetition but it is essential so you actually see if you miss a specific date.
4. Every day, do the following steps:
- Write the time when you eat.
- Jot down the meal when you ate (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks).
- Write all the food and drinks that you have for every meal.
- Draw a face to symbolize how you feel in the before and after eating boxes. A basic smile or sad face will do.
- In the notes box, write anything else you want like descriptions of food, calories (if you are counting), and even motivational messages for yourself when you have done a good job.
Example –See table 1
Template 2
1. Follow steps 1 and 2 from Template 1.
2. On the blank boxes for every day, write the food and drink that you had for every meal (found on the left most column).
3. Fill in the face template with how you feel after every meal.
Example –See table 2
Tips
- Use colourful pens or markers if that will help you stay motivated.
- Keep your food diary where you can easily reach for it like on the fridge (if you stay at home) or in your purse if you are on the go.
- File your food diary entries properly so you can easily access them and bring them to therapy as needed.