How to make and use a food and mood journal

Our emotions and mood swings greatly affect the way we eat. If you are a person who is inclined to indulge in emotional eating (a.k.a. stuffing your face with food when you are sad, stressed, very happy, etc.). you may also be prone to weight gain and at risk for many lifestyle diseases

A food and mood journal is a way to help you identify and address your emotional eating. It is pretty simple to make and use.

Materials

  • Any ruled notebook
  • Pen
  • Ruler (optional)
  • Stickers (optional)
  • Wrapping paper, magazine cut-outs, decorations (optional)

Procedure

1. Prepare your notebook

  • If you are the type who prefers a journal to be interesting, cover your notebook with wrapping paper or magazine cut-outs. You can get creative by putting motivational words, photos or other decorations you want.
  • Use a ruler and a pen to draw the format on your journal. The most commonly suggested formats are the calendar type by month or by week. Write the days of the week and the date and maybe even the words ‘breakfast’, ‘lunch’, ‘dinner’ and ‘snacks’, depending on the meals you take each day.
  • Make sure to leave enough spaces for you to write on.

2. Begin jotting down on your journal.

  • Write down your food and beverage choice for every meal.
  • Write down or draw how you feel before and after the meal. For example, you may write “breakfast: toast, eggs and ham before: really hungry I could eat a horse after: guilty, I ate too much”
  • Don’t worry if it feels weird that you write down your food and how you feel. The initial awkwardness will pass and you will get used to it.
  • Commit to jotting down on your journal for at least a week and you will begin notice a pattern.

3. Use your journal entries to spot and address you eating behaviors.

  • With your journal entries, you can clearly see the kinds of food you reach for the most.
  • Begin to analyse why you eat those food items by looking at the corresponding feelings or moods you have written down. For instance you may notice how your morning coffee affects you day, the salad you ate for lunch gave you more energy for your meeting, etc.
  • Take note of the food items that give you headaches, a surge of energy, feelings of bloatedness and so on. Knowing these things will help you make better food choices later.
  • Notice also when you eat most and what you eat more of when you are stressed or sad.

Tips

  • The food and mood journal is just part of the first step in addressing emotional eating. The lifestyle changes that follow will still be up to you.
  • A food and mood journal is not about tracking calories with your food intake, it is just about spotting your food behaviors.
  • If you do not enjoy writing on a notebook, you may log your food and mood in your phone or favourite gadget too.

Useful Links