The Food Log

One of the most important parts of your fitness plan is the food log. Personally, I prefer a simple food log. I have a small notepad that I write down the food & calories I eat that day, and it takes only a few minutes to do. Here’s an example page:

Monday 2/6/06
Breakfast:	oat bran, banana, coffee	400 cal.
Snack:	orange	100 cal.
Lunch:	sandwich, apple	520 cal.
Snack:	pretzels	120 cal.
Dinner:	salad, chicken, rice	1000 cal.
Snack:	dry cereal	100 cal.
Exercise:	20 min. calisthenics	-140 cal.
	40 min. running	-600 cal.
	BMR	-2100 cal.
	TOTAL	-600 cal.

You may want to initially jot down fat, carbohydrate, and even fiber amounts in the foods that you normally eat, just so you get a feel for the balance of your diet. I found that this amount of recording gets tedious, though. The above format takes a lot less time and effort.

It's all one big math problem - you want intake to be less than out put, in order to lose weight. If I go out to lunch, I’ll skip a snack or two - It all adds up. Remember: 3,500 calories = 1 pound of fat. If you keep a diet similar to the above example (-600 calories per day), you’ll lose a little more than 1 pound per week.

After awhile, you’ll get to know the serving sizes and calories of your favorite foods. You'll even learn which snacks are worth it..and whichs one are not. It gets easier – trust me. You’re investing time now, and it will pay dividends as you adopt a healthier lifestyle.

It's also worth noting that a food log does not have to be a permanent part of your long-term habits. You may chose (as I do) to only do it when you start 'slipping' or notice a weight gain. Once you do a food log for 2-3 months or longer, you'll have a great understanding for the calorie values of food and the amount of time it takes to lose weight.

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