I think my first experience with a food diary was in 9th grade...that was last century! WHOA!! Our assignment was to write down everything we ate for three days. Then we had to evaluate it when compared to the guidelines set forth in the Food Guide Pyramid. I thought it was interesting, but I sure never thought it would be a part of my daily life.
Cut to today. I just completed (and won) my first Kickstarter DietBet. I did some slammin' workouts, but I KNOW that the majority of my success is due to being conscious of what I was eating. Making an effort to pay attention to what and how much I was eating was huge!!
So...there are tons of apps and websites to help with food tracking, but the one I use is MyFitnessPal. It has tons of foods from tons of locations and it also has a barcode scanner. At least half (if not more) of the time I just scan the barcode instead of even searching. It's fast and simple. Then all I have to do is log my portions.
If you are new to food tracking, DON'T WAIT! Go get MFP, NOW!!! It's free! I think it is best to start off by just making a habit to log everything we eat. Don't stress about tweaking, eating less, or tracking nutrients. Just take a day or two to make a habit of logging what you eat. It only takes a few seconds and it will really help you see what works for your body and what doesn't.
Along with food tracking, I like to take a photograph of everything I eat. It keeps me accountable, in that I’m thinking, “Would I want to show someone that I ate this?” It also gives a quick visual to help you remember, “Oh yeah, I liked that!” or “Ugh, not again!”
So, there you have it! Get trackin’!
Blessings,
Sarah