Diet Food Diary

Food diary is a diary, which helps in maintenance of food and beverage intake on a daily basis. It helps in keeping a record of food intake and snacks. Intake of beverages and water is also kept track of. A food diary is usually used by an obese person to lose weight. It can also be used by an underweight person to understand deficient calories and nutrients.

Both these are done by systematically counting calorie intake and increasing or decreasing calories with help from a qualified dietitian. Increased weight gain results in certain complications, such as diabetes, obesity and so on. A food diary aids in cutting off certain foods, in case of individuals suffering from various health problems, such as heart diseases, renal problems, diabetes mellitus and so on. A look at the diary, by the end of the day, portrays the additional intake. Research revealed double the weight loss in individuals who followed a diet diary.

A food journal is similar to a food diary. Diet diaries prove beneficial in conjunction with a strict dietary regimen. A diet diary allows the record of the food or beverage. The type of food eaten with exact quantities is noted down with the number of calories contributed. The remaining calories left after every meal can be calculated, if any. This helps to identify the allowance left for the day. The various meals that are portrayed and recorded are breakfast, lunch and dinner.

An online diet diary is your online guide to help you plan the daily intake well. An initial assessment of food intake is essential. It is an organized manner of tracking the nutritional intake. A diet food diary should include all the minute details. The method of cooking of various foods, such as boiling, microwaving, steaming and frying and so on are also mentioned. Baked foods, such as muffins and cakes provide fat and sugar, apart from calories. The type of cuts is indicated, in case of meat intake. Sirloin, loin and so on are lean cuts, which are preferred. Use of spreads should be mentioned, while eating sandwiches. Sauces and salad dressings are also mentioned. The time of the meal with the additional servings is also important. The location or the place of eating the meal, such as home, restaurant and so on is also important.

Processed foods are also mentioned, as they are rich sources of sodium. Salt in the form of sodium is not recommended in increased amounts. It is also referred to as diet log. In short, everything that goes into the mouth is recorded, with the quantity of consumption. All accomplishments are recorded in an easy manner. These can reviewed for motivation even later on in life. The joy or anxiety with each meal is also noted down, as food intake increases with emotional stress. A food log is a visual record of every food that is consumed to make calorie counting easy. A food diary thereby helps the physician or the nutritionist to plan a healthy diet.

Submitted on January 16, 2014