Many diet recommendations include have a diet journal so you can write down everything you consume. A diet journal is one thing that we do not recommend. Although the intent is a good one - trying to get you more aware of your own diet and exactly what you're eating; as well as trying to make the nutritionist or dietician more aware of what you're eating so they can properly advise you of what not to eat - The Health & Wellness Institute has a couple of good reasons you may want to reconsider using a diet journal.

First, if historians, archeologists, or aliens for that matter, were to find a journal that contained all the things you've consumed in your diet, they'd think you must have been part of some scientific experiment. Not that you're going to journal for the rest of your life, but let's just consider what you're being reduced to if you have to journal to know what you're eating.  It's understandable that you may be surprised by just how much you're consuming if you journal. Let's just assume that's the case, otherwise you wouldn't be overweight! Second, it's not that hard to assess your diet and know what you need to cut out - at least 99% of the time. In our experience, most people have one or two things that they consume on a regular basis that is/are responsible for most of their excess weight.

You don't need to be advised to cut down on certain foods. Most likely they are ones that need to be eliminated from your diet. This can't be, pardun the pun, sugar-coated! You only need to find one thing for starters that you consume regularly and begin by replacing it with something healthy - like a piece of fruit, a salad, or similar. If you need to be questioned about certain foods, that's different. Here's some to eliminate for starters if these are a part of your diet: soft drinks (any), fast foods (most), pastries.  Start there, it's that simple. Here's one take on how using a diet journal may be helpful, if you'd like to go that route --

Health News; Cleveland.com. The first step to improving your diet is learning what to change. A food journal will help you do this. You probably don't even realize when you take a handful of peanuts from the snack jar. Most people don't realize how many calories they add by eating chips or a cookie throughout the day. Many parents don't realize how much extra food they consume when they finish the food their children didn't eat.

A food journal is all about awareness. The more information you track, the better equipped you will be to make changes. The most simple form of a food journal is to record everything you eat or drink for a few days to get an idea of what you are eating. Write down everything, even chewing gum, hard candies, soft drinks or juice.

This information is very surprising to most people. When you realize what you are eating, you will know where to cut back or change your diet. Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables, protein, or calcium? The food journal will help you decide if you are eating a nutritionally balanced diet. read more...

Bottom line: Start with a simple step when it comes to your diet. You don't need to write a history book about what you're eating. A better idea: write a journal about your life; about what you are doing and why it's fun or why it may not be; about your emotions and joys. People who like to journal their lives tend to be more goal oriented and forward thinking. You may really find out who you are, what you stand for, and where you'd like to go...rather than just what you're eating (boring!). Find some bigger goal in your life that requires you to be fit and you will...be fit, that is!

HWI