The food log is a very important tool in this exercise. Too many times we mindlessly eat and don't do a mental check "am I just grazing"? This seems to be a famous activity in my family, we will be sitting around the table (next to the appetizer platter) chatting away and popping an occasional black olive in our mouths, or eating an occassional pickle. Now I am not saying that these are foods we should try to avoid, I am just acknowledging that I don't need to finish them off!
Buy yourself a fun, colorful little tablet and remember to record everything you eat each day. You can be more precise and leave room for a little follow up about how you feel after you eat something. Here is an EXAMPLE
Friday
October 9, 2010
Breakfast: two eggs over easy, two pieces of whole wheat toast, one glass of orange juice, and a cup of green tea.
Snack: One chocolate chip cookie, small handful of raisens, one cup of coffee
Mood: I feel sluggish, my stomach is twisting.
In this example I noted how I felt after my snack. I know that drinking coffee in the afternoon is a bad idea, because it upsets my stomach. Now I can analyze why I decided to have this cup of coffee even though I know from past experience that it bothers my stomach. Part of this experiment to understand why we choose to eat what we eat, understand how certain foods contribute or take away from us as a whole, and to develop a friendship and appreciation with food. We shouldn't have to be afraid of what we eat, but rather understand ourselves, our mood cycles, our metabolisms (why do I reach for chocolate cake and a cup of coffee when I feel tired?), and our culture. I love comfort food because it reminds me of my Grandma's cooking. Knowing where and why we crave certain foods, why we eat them (and when) can help us to stop uneccessary eating.
Enjoy the beautiful day with a nice walk :)
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