Questions Your Food Diary Can Help You Answer

Answering these questions while reviewing your food diary each day will prove invaluable in your quest to lose weight. This will help you identify eating habits that stand between you and long-term weight loss success.

• Did you eat because you were hungry or because of habit?
• Did you eat too many of the same types of foods?
• Did you skip any meals today?
• Did you go longer than four to five hours without eating a meal or snack?
• Did you eat one large meal instead of individual meals? Would you consider it a binge?
• Did you eat too often?
• Did you eat too little in the morning?
• Did you eat more at night than any other time?
• Did you graze instead of actually sitting down for a meal today?
• Did you eat a lot of high-fat foods, such as whole dairy, fried foods, and desserts?
• Did you eat the same foods as you do every other day?
• Did you eat according to mood rather than hunger today?

If you find you answer yes to a number of these questions each day, it is important that you begin planning ways to change them.

For example, if you tend to snack or "graze" all day instead of eating three meals, you may find planning meals the night before to be helpful. If you eat too much at night, eating a substantial breakfast and a healthful snack before dinner will help stave off nighttime hunger.

Continue to keep your food diary and ask these questions to identify lingering problem areas.