Ways of Keeping Track of the Food You Eat
One of the main collapses of a great diet regime is eating without keeping track of what you eat. If you can know exactly what you eat each day, you are on your way to success. Here are ten ways that you can track what you eat.
1. Write everything down. Buy a small notebook and head the top of each page with consecutive dates beginning with day one of your diet. Keep it with you at all times whether you're at home or at work or dining out.
Write down every single thing you eat throughout the day and make sure you include the amounts. At the end of each day you will be able to see why you are or why you are not losing weight.
2. Draw up a schedule. And then stick to it. Get on a reputable diet regime and stick religiously to the daily menus.
When you are faithful to it, you will have a complete and accurate record of your food consumption and you will be less likely to cheat because you are programming yourself to eat only what's on the schedule.
3. Get a diet buddy. Ask a friend to be your partner in the diet regime so that you can both answer to each other for everything you have eaten.
This is beneficial as well when you are having weak moments and want to sneak that little something. When you have to answer (honestly) to someone, you will keep better account of your food intake.
4. Prepare a formal setting. Enforce a rule for yourself that the only way you will eat is if you set a formal place setting at the table. Include a place mat, dinner plate, cutlery, drinking glass, napkin and candle.
When you are committed to eating only in this manner, you are less likely to sneak things on the side because for everything single thing you eat, you would need to set a formal place setting. You won't want to do that to sneak a cookie because others will see you're cheating and because it's too much effort for one cookie.
Make sure you clear the table completely when you're finished.
5. Reward yourself. One day a week, allow yourself to eat something outside of the diet plan.
This will help offset the pattern of eating a certain way which helps to shock the body back into the diet, allowing you to lose weight.
When you deny yourself certain foods for a long period of time, it is more likely that you will give in and cheat too much, or just give up. So, make it a reward once a week and you will find that you look forward to that special treat and can hold fast to the diet regime easier because you have something to look forward to.
6. Eat lots of fresh flesh fruit and green veggies. These fruits and veggies are very healthy because they help to burn fat and boost metabolism. You can eat several helpings of these without keeping track because they don't count against you as calories, but rather, work with you as fat burners.
For example: did you know it takes more calories to digest an apple than the apple actually has? So, you can have several apples snacks without adding to your calorie count because they are helping you to burn fat.
However, don't over eat either, because many of these are acidic and you don't want your acid/alkaline balance to be thrown out of whack. Typically, too much of anything is not good.
7. No food after 6. By committing yourself to not eating after a certain time period, for example 6 p.m., you are preventing the opportunity of eating something that you shouldn't.
This rule becomes a habit and easy to adapt to.
8. Establish rituals for yourself. For example, when watching television in the evening, while others are snacking on junk food, make that your time for a delicious cup of herbal tea.
This will become a time that you look forward to and it will help you get over the junk food habit. It's a great replacement for foods that you don't need.
9. Measure your food. It is very easy to over eat when you're guessing at the amounts you're eating. Keep track of the amounts by measuring and weighing what you eat.
Sometimes the difference of half a cup of something is the difference between losing weight and not.
10. Prepare your meals in advance. Put measured amounts of foods into containers so that you always have the exact amount on hand that you require for your meals.
This eliminates the chance of guessing the amount due to the pressures of time, and enables you to keep accurate account of the amounts of food you eat.
Helpful hint: remember that dieting is not denying your body food but rather developing a positive lifestyle for a healthy future.