Do you think food journals are a waste of time and set you up for failure?

Question

I really don't see the point of them. They take too much time, especially if you are counting calories. They can become addicting. They can discourage you if you eat something unhealthy and make you give up.....and then binge....and then try again (rinse and repeat).

I think it's simple. You're body speaks to you when it's hungry. Eat when your hungry....not when your bored or emotional. It would be best to get an idea of the portion size you need of course, but keeping track of every ounce and every calorie is ridiculous. If it works for you, then I applaud you (seriously). But, I lost 30lbs without one the healthy way. When I actually tried keeping one, I gained 5lbs.

Answer 1

Journals are a great way to discover things about yourself. A journal helps those who have weight fluctuations learn why they are having this problem. After you have been journaling for awhile, you will be able to look back and see a pattern in your life and learn the warning signs of when you start to get weak and go off your diet. It might be that your boyfriend is steering you towards bad foods etc. It is about finding the triggers that are not so obvious, like complacency, or eating certain foods or what you are drinking. When you see your patterns, then you can change them and become stronger. I learned through journaling, that after I drink diet pop I want to eat more food. I think I am trying to get rid of the after taste, and as a result, I rarely have it now. I also discovered the same thing with treats made with artificial sweeteners. I learned that it is hard for me to just have a cheeseburger, and not the fries, so now it is easier to avoid the temptations to cheat because I now know new things through journaling.

A journal doesn't have to be anything pre-printed and purchased from a store, to work. I have used "Word" to store my notes and customize it to work for me. Then used the "Find" feature in "Word" to help me trace back to key words such as "cheated, emotional, ate too much, or Red Flag." Using this method, I use "Find" for diet coke and the pages that came up lead me to discover the problems I had when drinking it.

Answer 2

Everyone is different, it you already tried keeping a food journal and it did not work for you, you obvously need a different solution Personally, I live to write and I journal everything from what I eat, my mood for the day, my to do list for tomorrow, things I saw, smelled, heard that I may use one day when I finally get around to writing my novel (I know-pipe dream) but it is really good at helping me rememebr important events etc. I also like to look back and read what I wrote on a certain day 3,5,7 or more years ago.

I gained 100 pounds giving birth to triplets, i could not lsoe the weight, so I joined metabolic research center. It is expesive, and very strict vut I needed the strict regimine or I would have cheated. They do not require a journal but I kept one and it really helped.. I am back to 125, weighed 109 pre pregnancy.. My food journal saves me every time. I just took (just this minute) a small bite of my hubbies delcicious brownie, it tuned into 2 then three bites) I stopeed to write it down and wa gorrified to read that I ate 2 whole brownies over the weekend, (big ones), but not at one time, I did so by taking a biote of his or a bite of my kids every few hours. I would have either gained or not losrweight this week and without recording those brownie bites, the 7 huge bites of pizza, some chip and hot sauce and oh yeah that diet coke float , hey real ice cream but the coke was diet, hahaha, that i ate as I picked it up off my 10 year olds nightstand after she fell asleep. Poor baby she made it and fell asleep before she ate it. Being the dutiful mom I carried into the kitchen for her clean the glass, and I cleaned it all right, I ate it with a sponn and drank the last of it. If I had not written it down I would have been so confused on Tuesday--which is my once a week weigh in day

just my opinion, it does not take THAT long to record what you eat, and it helps me to record my modd and why i am eating. Now I know to avoid taking food like ice cream, pund cake, half eaten pizze to the kitchen form the play room

good luck, you don't mention any of the other factors going on in your life when you gained the five pounds while keeping a food journal, go back and re-read it, see if you ate for comfort, when you were sad, anxious, bored etc

Answer 3

You need to decide what you want the journal to do for you.

Do you want it to help you keep track of calories? do you want it to help you review at the end of the day or week what you ate?

If you use it to count every calorie for every waking moment of the day it will cause you to get discouraged, because of all the work involved in writing all the information down.

You could use it as a quick reference for the day or week on what it is that you ate. Review the diary to make changes when you feel that something you eat regularly may be the cause for the results that you do not want.

Answer 4

Food Journals are very useful, on the finish of the day in the event you attempt to feel again approximately the whole lot you set to your mouth you're certain to go away anything out. Also you'll choose up moderate issues that you simply would no longer of concept of as being meals similar like in the event you get a headache and also you investigate your magazine you would become aware of the complications come on particular days that you simply devour a particular meals or beverage.

Answer 5

I do well by keeping a calorie/fat journal. I also weigh myself everyday. I may not see results day to day, but every few days I will lose weight.

Journaling will also help if you find you can't lose weight. You can then see a dietician and when they look at your journal, they can make good adjustments.

Losing weight is a PITA, but stick to it. It will happen.

Answer 6

they can be very effective but most do not use them properly. I can't ever see how learning would ever be considered a waste of time. the "average" person can't look at a table of food and be able to identify what are proteins, carbohydrates or fats. with out this very basic knowledge it's near impossible to eat a healthy balanced diet that may lead to weight loss or make weight management easier.

Answer 7

I think food journals are wonderful. The reason I like them is so if your are dieting and your not sure what to eat,you can always check and it also is good for progress.Take care and good luck.

Answer 8

I think that they are useful to a point. It can be helpful to see how many "empty" calories you are eating/drinking unwillingly...like with soda.

Answer 9

Yes they are... i tried it and i always end up eating more than what i planned and gained as well.. all they do is tell you that you love to eat...and i already know that! lol


-SmiLeYActress26

Answer 10

yes! well they don't fill me up when I'm hungry