How to Make a Food Diary Tracker
Food diaries are tools used to track daily food consumption. For people interested in losing weight or simply watching what they eat, a food diary works well to show patterns and areas for improvement. According to Victor Stevens, senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, food diaries are a "powerful self-management technique. They help you figure out where the extra calories are coming from." (Reference 1) These effective weight-management tools can easily be made and maintained at home.
Instructions
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1
Divide your page into a chart made up of eight vertical columns and five horizontal rows using your ruler and pencil. Each box should measure 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches.
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2
Label the top of each column with a day of the week using your pen. Leave the first box open then label the second box "Sunday," then "Monday" and so on.
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3
Label the first box of each row. Again, leave the first box open before moving on to label the next "Breakfast," then the one below it should be "Lunch," then "Dinner," then "Snacks," then "Water."
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4
Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for each piece of paper. Once complete, you will have four separate sheets, one for each week in the month. Make as many months as you'd like.
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5
Staple the pages together along the left-hand side to secure into a booklet. Track your food intake by recording every item consumed at every meal, including snacks and drinks. Try to be as honest and diligent as possible to get the most value out of your diary.
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Tips & Warnings
Add a column for "Mood." Learning the reasons behind eating can provide great insight into patterns and mood-related behavior.
Tally your total food consumption at the end of each day and use a calorie counting tool to discover your total daily caloric intake.
References
- Photo Credit journal writing image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
