How to Start a Nutrition Journal

Working towards healthy eating habits is not an easy task with all of the fast-food, processed food and simple, quick cooking dinners that are on the market.  One of the best ways to understand what you are eating so that you can eliminate some of that unhealthy quick-grab food is to actually spend a few minutes each day writing down what you have eaten.

You will be amazed at what goes in your mouth.

Go one step further, and write down why you ate it:

• were you hungry?
• was it meal time?
• were you bored?
• were you trying to stay awake?
• were you thirsty and decided to eat instead?
• were you just driving by and had a 'craving'?

All 6 situations need to be understood by you, especially the last 4.  What you eat can be dictated by why you are eating.  Take some time to investigate for yourself and then take a few steps to give yourself some healthy alternatives.  Here are a few:

1. have unsalted nuts available for a quick snack
2. buy organic produce
3. wash and cut produce as soon as you return from the store so that it is ready to eat
4. eliminate junk food and salty snacks from your cupboards
5. eat a fruit instead of drinking fruit juice
6. have your drinks with ice - more refreshing and you can crunch the ice to satisfy both thirst and the feeling that you need to eat something
7. keep driving by and think of the money you will be saving instead of spending it on a craving
8. eat breakfast! everyday
9. drink green tea
10. eat cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale etc - their high fibre keeps you full longer