This post comes out of a conversation that Andrea and I had about food logging. I was struggling to come up with a topic to write about this week, so I turned to her for some inspiration. Food logging is something both Andrea and I do regularly. It may seem like a waste of time, or extra work. But I cannot stress enough how important it is.
Before I go any further, I want to say that food logging is one of the best tools you can learn. Hands down. The simple act of food logging will make you more conscious of the food that you are putting into your body, as well as help us (at Balance in Motion) give you better nutrition advice when you seek it.
If you’re like most people, you are unaware of all the little “extras” that you eat throughout your day. From the jam that you put on your toast in the morning, to the salad dressing you put on your salad at lunch. The foods that you think are “healthy” are in some cases not. This is not entirely your fault. Big brand’s spend truck loads off money creating clever marketing schemes that paint the illusion that their product is healthy. In some cases, their product may be healthy. But like anything, it all comes down to how much of that specific something you are eating. When it comes to your diet, moderation is key.
But I digress.
There are many ways you can log your food. At BIM we suggest MyFitnessPal. It’s free, easy to use and gives you a thorough breakdown of everything you are eating.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight, or simply want to become healthier. Food logging will have a lasting benefit on your health. It will—
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- Help you understand the source of your calories
- Help you learn how to control your calorie intake
- Help give you a better feel for portion control, and why it’s sometimes necessary
- Identify situations where you binge
- Provide a hard objective record of your diet
- Help identify whether or not you have a calorie surplus or deficit
- Help you better communicate with your nutritionist
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Bottom line: Food logging will teach you to be accountable to yourself. It is an educational and—in some cases—humbling process that will give you a rich understanding of what you are putting into your body, and why you may not be seeing results despite countless efforts to tone up or lose weight.
If the whole notion of food logging seems daunting to you, I want to assure you that it doesn’t have to be. Like most things in life, you just need to get into the habit of doing it. By using an app like MyFitnessPal, setting reminders in your phone and perhaps calling on us at BIM to keep you accountable, food logging will become second nature to you.
I want to end off by not only encouraging you to start food logging, but also to share your log with us at BIM. We can help you uncover the areas where you might need help, as well as give you suggestions/food recommendations to ensure you reach your health & wellness goals.
So don’t hesitate to come talk to us. We’re always here to help 🙂
Happy logging!
Nicole
