What Is the One Daily Habit That Can Drastically Improve Your Diet According to Nutritionists?
Do you know that small, simple things can make a big difference to your lifestyle?
Getting off the Tube a stop early to walk or ensuring you get enough in the mornings. These are good for all-round health and improve your sleep, mood, and focus. But do you know the most effective tip that I've picked up from my time working with nutritionists and other health experts?
It's super simple: keeping a food diary.
Image source British Vogue
Image source British Vogue
The idea is to write down everything you consume a whole day – food and drinks – and ideally, the emotions you experience each day, too. It might seem like a tedious task initially, but it is a game-changer for your diet and overall well-being.
Keeping a good diary provides invaluable information about what type of food you consume and how it affects your mood, metabolism, energy and more. It helps you identify obstacles that may be preventing you from hitting your health goals, learn about eating behaviours that may be damaging your progress, and check in on important nutritional parameters like fibre, protein, sugar, and more.
Eating a diverse array of plants is now widely acknowledged as an important health goal, and a food diary helps you to grasp how many fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds, and whole grains you are ingesting each day. Not to mention the fact that it also helps you ensure you're eating adequate protein and fibre – both of which are good for gut health and overall well-being.
So, grab a pen and paper or write in the Notes section on your phone. Update your diary every day of the week, including the weekend. Most people shy away from tracking at weekends because it can vary from weekday patterns so dramatically, but this is precisely why they should be included. Weekends make up 30 per cent of your year, so it's important to get a realistic view of what your norm is.
Remember, approach the exercise with curiosity, not judgment. Removing the shame around food is essential for long-term health and enjoyment. Food logging can be eye-opening, but it is meant to be a tool to help you make positive changes that will benefit your health and well-being, rather than something that makes you feel bad about yourself.
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