Food Diaries

[Kaycee]

Ever since dieting to loose weight nearly two years ago, I have been using a food diary. Initially it was for counting calories of the food I was eating. Then slowly I made a co-relation between what I eat and my bowel problems, so I started adding my bowel habits.

Now that I am gluten free, have been for eight months, my diary is still changing.

Now I write down the dates, times and what I eat, still count the calories as I worry about putting that weight back on, (I haven't but then have not lost any for at least a year) times of bowel motions and I number them according to the bristol scale. I enter down how I am feeling physically and what vitamins etc I am taking. I also write down the steps that I do.

My food diary has been quite helpful in alerting myself to any problem foods. Ask me what I ate yesterday, and if I did not write it down, I would never know. Maybe I do spend a bit of time poring over my exercise book.

So what do you list in yours, and do you have one?

[rinne]

Mine sounds much like yours except I don't count calories and I do enter moods because I have noticed a real relationship between how I eat and how I feel. Most recently I have realized that I can trace a certain mood to foods high in histamines, though I don't seem to have overt physical symptoms. Oh, and I also note the day's activities.

Interesting topic.

[BRUMI1968]

Can you elaborate on the "bristol scale"? I just jot down what I eat and when, then how I feel and IF I had odd poop. I'd like it to be more extensive. Maybe if it were put in Microsoft Acess as a database with a pretty entry form, it might be easier. I've actually decided I should have a book I carry around with me, since you never know when you're going to be eating.

I think I'll make a new one:

time, what ate, how much

activities beyond normal stuff

mood

bowel habits

energy levels (this one really fluctuates for me)

misc. things (canker sores, swollen lip, dizzy, etc.)

Hmm. this book sounds big.

I have tried those computer programs that are supposed to analyze your calories and nutrients and whatnot, but I like the free ones and they're never very good -- they want you to enter the values for all the foods - what's the point, then? Plus, a lot of them focus on prepared foods, which I don't eat.

anyway, good post. I look forward to seeing what others say.

[Kaycee]

Check up on bristol stools on wikipedia and it explains from constipated looking ones to diahrhoea. It is on a scale from 1 to 7, with 7 being diarhoea. I still like to keep an eye on this, as I tend to be a five quite a bit too often.

Maybe being a coeliac, I might never get to normal.

Sorry for being a bit gross, but it is one way for me to keep track of things.

Cathy

[gfp]

-- they want you to enter the values for all the foods - what's the point, then?

Sometimes just being forced to look something up can be a good prompt

[taz sharratt]

im starting a food diary so some good tips there

[oceangirl]

im starting a food diary so some good tips there

Kaycee,

Mine looks like yours only no calorie count. Just everything that goes in my mouth-don't log times- just breakfast/lunch/dinner. Don't snack ever really. ALWAYS how I felt all day and what kind of night I had. (Many of my digestive issues wake me up at night-FUN!!!) It is helpful at times and frustrating at other times when I can't seem to find a culprit for things! Sounds like you're doing great with it!

lisa

[Isonic]

Hey this is a great reminder for me, thanks!

I used to have a food diary, counting food weights, amounts and sizes etc but not calories. I expanded that to add exercise and moods and sleep patterns and then when being diagnosed for hypothyroidism, added my waking (ha! which waking, exactly, for an insomniac?) axial temperature and pulse as well as retiring temp and pulse measurements. That was a LOT of detail and after three months I kinda stopped.

Now I think I'm ready to start a log again and I'll include sleep (quality, amount and duration), food and drink (amounts and frequency), moods and energy levels, activities, exercise and bowel movements. The Bristol scale is very useful!

I find once I institute a regular system it's fairly effortless to add to it daily. Longer than daily and my brain fog intervenes and memory is utterly lost. Sigh.

[BRUMI1968]

what a lovely cat!