By Jennifer Lynn-Pullman MA, RDN, CSOWM, LDN

Every January, many of us make New Year’s resolutions. One of the most common resolutions is weight loss. Many people make this same resolution year after year. We could discuss why goals were not accomplished or even if weight loss is necessary or an appropriate goal to begin with, but we can tackle those questions at another time. For now, if weight loss is part of your plan for the New Year, thinking about keeping a food journal for a few days.

I find that making small improvements to your current diet can make a big impact on your health and weight. Start by taking an inventory of your current diet. You might be cringing at the thought of keeping a food journal, however this will allow you to see exactly what food you are consuming and where your calories are coming from.

How to Keep a Food Journal

Try to be as detailed as you can. Write down everything that you eat and drink. Note when (time) and where you are when you are eating meals and snacks. You can use a simple piece of paper or you can use an online app like Lose It or My Fitness Pal.

Ask yourself the following questions:

How many meals am I eating regularly? Do I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Do I skip meals? Do I have long intervals between meals?

Skipping meals or waiting too long to eat can lead to extreme hunger. When we get too hungry we can make poor choices, because we might just grab anything to eat to feel better or overeat.

Solution: Try eating at regular intervals. I recommend at least 3 meals per day; however, you may feel better with 4-6 meals per day.

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Do I eat snacks? When do I snack? Am I eating snacks instead of meals? What types of food am I eating for snacks? Do my snacks contribute more calories than a meal?

Snacking often contributes a lot of extra calories. For many people, snacks can contribute more calories than one meal.

Solution: Before you grab a snack first ask yourself why you want that snack. Are you hungry? If yes, then enjoy a snack. Make the snack healthy, including carbs, protein, and healthy fats. A great example is an apple with peanut butter. Something else to consider though is that thirst can make you feel hungry. You might just need to drink more. Try drinking a glass of water before reaching for a snack.

If you’re not hungry, ask yourself why you want to eat the snack. You may be snacking out of boredom. Take walk or find another activity to keep you busy if you’re just bored.

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What types of beverages am I drinking? Do these beverages contain calories?

Beverages don’t fill us up. Calories from beverages can contribute hundreds of calories throughout the day for some people. 

Solution: try decreasing the number of sweetened beverages by drinking smaller portions or the frequency.

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Do I eat fruit and vegetables? How many servings?

Everyone assumes as dietitians that we tell everyone to eat more fruit and vegetables. We aren’t going to suggest this if we didn’t think it was a good idea! Fruit and vegetables not only contain essential nutrients, but they are low in calories and rich in fiber.  Fiber helps fill you up, so you can eat more food, but eat fewer calories!!

 Solution: try adding one fruit or vegetable to each of your meals.  Aim for a goal of 5 total fruit/veggies per day.  I usually suggest 3 vegetables and 2 fruit servings. Eat more than 5 if you wish of course.

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What types of protein do I consume? Do I consume meat that is high in fat like processed meats (bacon, sausage, luncheon meats, and hot dogs) and beef?

Not only is protein an essential nutrient, but protein consumed with meals and snacks will help us feel fuller longer. Proteins are categorized by their fat content: very lean, lean, medium fat and high-fat meats. The higher the fat-content, the more calories these choices provide. The higher fat proteins are also often higher in saturated fat.

Solution: try to consume more proteins that are very lean or lean such as fish, poultry, and low- fat dairy products. Plant-based proteins such as beans are also a lean choice.

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Bottom line: Eating should be enjoyable. Don’t deprive yourself. Eat to feel full and eat foods that you enjoy. I like to follow the 80/20 rule. Try to make better choices 80 percent of the time. Never feel guilty for eating a food that you really love.

Jennifer Pullman MA, RDN, CSOWM LDN has been practicing dietitian in the Philadelphia area since 2001. Since 2007, Jen has solely worked with patients undergoing weight loss surgery including Roux Y gastric bypass, lap-bands, and sleeve gastrectomy.  In addition to her work as a bariatric dietitian, Jen runs two blogs: Nourished Simply, a general nutrition and recipe blog and Bariatric Bits, a website dedicated to providing nutrition information for weight loss surgery patients. Jennifer became a Board Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management in June of 2017.