In a weight loss journey you need to have the discipline, motivation, willpower, and consistency to see the results that you want. While there are many factors and habits that go into your journey, there is definitely one that stands out above all others: tracking your food intake. If you feel a little overwhelmed about the idea of tracking your intake and think it may not be for you, don’t worry! There are many different methods to track your intake so check out the tips below to find the one that works best for you. Once you get started, you will be able to experience the tremendous benefits tracking will have on your weight loss journey.
Why It’s Important
Have you ever felt out of control with your finances? You feel like money is coming in and going out faster than you can keep track of. You sit down and begin to track your expenses; take a closer look at where your money is going and what you can cut down on. Doing this simple task of tracking your finances allows you to have better control and more awareness of them. Tracking your food intake is very similar to tracking your finances. You must first assess where you are before you can make any changes. In your weight loss journey, awareness always precedes change. By tracking what you eat for a given amount of time, you will get the big picture of your eating habits and see the positives and negatives of your daily food intake and routine.
Find your Tracker
Tracking your intake may seem like a tedious task and you may be questioning whether or not it will work for you. The great thing about tracking your intake is it can be done in multiple ways that are all effective. There are many free apps you can use to track your intake including the G-Plan’s app. However, you can also use the notes app that is in your phone to jot down what you are eating and estimate your portion sizes. If you do not like to spend much time on your phone, you can use a pen and paper or a white board to keep track of your intake. Remember to keep it simple and do what works best for you. Since many people eat a similar diet each day, knowing your foods and becoming familiar with the brands and amounts you eat can make your tracking process easier and faster. Regardless of the method you use to track your intake, decide how long you want to track your intake and work on making it a daily routine. If you are consistent about when and how you track your intake it will be easier to stick with long-term.
Benefits of Tracking Your Intake
Tracking your food intake will give you insight into many aspects of your daily eating habits. You will be able to see how often you are eating, how much you are eating, and what specific foods you are eating. Over time, you may begin to see that you are missing food groups or lacking in specific ones such as vegetables or proteins. Tracking your intake allows you to see all the little extras in your day that you may not be aware of. By tracking your coffee creamer, sugar, condiments, the candy you may be grabbing at work, and sugar-sweetened beverages you are bringing awareness to where empty calories may lie in your diet. A small amount of added calories and sugar in your day could be the difference between weight loss and weight gain for you in a given time period. These extras are things that can be eliminated from your diet or swapped out for healthier options. Tracking your intake will also highlight what you are doing well and allow you to give yourself credit for your healthy habits. Building on what you are currently doing and taking small steps to improve your habits will lead you to be even more successful.
If you are on a weight loss journey, tracking your intake is the key to being successful and reaching your goals. Remember, there is a method of tracking for everyone and the more specific and accurate you are with reporting your intake; the more accurate your information and feedback will be.