After a weight loss surgery, the team at New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville reminds you that it’s important to keep track of what and how much you eat. You can easily do this by keeping a food journal.
What’s a food journal?
A food journal is simply a detailed record of what you eat and drink every day, including supplements
The Benefits of Keeping a Food Journal
Many of us are aware that bariatric surgery is just a tool for losing weight. To sustain it, one needs to make the necessary lifestyle changes especially on areas like diet and physical activity.
A food journal can help you in implementing the changes in diet as
- It promotes accountability.
Oftentimes, we underestimate calories and portion sizes of our food. But having a detailed record of what we eat and drink every meal can give us a better idea as to how much we’re actually eating and if we’re following our dietitian’s recommended diet.
- It helps to identify trends.
Having a food journal allows you to determine what works and what doesn’t. If you’re having issues with your diet, your dietitian can look into your journal and help you make the necessary adjustments.
- It can keep track of emotional eating.
Life after bariatric surgery can be tough. And for some, stress eating may serve as an outlet.
If you jot down how you feel every day, your journal can be an important key in helping you determine if you’re stress-eating.
Starting a Food Journal
It’s pretty much straightforward. You can do it using a notebook and a pen or an app on your phone.
A good food journal would include the date and time of each meal, specific food and drink with their portion sizes, and how you feel on that particular day.
To benefit from having a food journal, you have to be consistent in logging your entries.
It can be challenging in the first few weeks but just stick with it. It’ll eventually become a habit.
If you’re considering weight loss surgery, the first step is to watch or attend a free seminar to learn about the different surgery options and pros and cons of each. CLICK the link below to view Dr. K. Robert Williams and the seminar for New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville. https://newlifeseminar.premiersurgical.com/
New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery is part of Premier Surgical Bariatrics. New Life is affiliated with the Parkwest Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville, TN, part of Covenant Health Bariatric Services. Parkwest Medical Center is a member of Covenant Health.
References:
https://weightwise.com/blog/stay-on-track-with-a-food-journal/
https://www.jaxsurgical.com/obesity/benefits-of-a-food-diary-after-bariatric-surgery