If you’ve ever tried to lose weight by going on a diet, chances are, you’ve tracked your food. Studies consistently show that people who keep track of what they eat tend to lose more weight and find it easier to keep that weight off. However, for some people, keeping track of their food can cause added stress and compulsory tracking habits. This can impact their well-being and quality of life. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of recording your food intake so you can decide what’s right for you!
Pros of Food Tracking
Awareness and Accountability
When we track what we eat, we become more aware of things like calories, protein and fat in our food. This knowledge can help us choose healthier foods and improve our eating habits. It’s also a way to remind ourselves of what we’ve eaten and hold ourselves accountable to our goals, which is helpful since we so often forget what we’ve eaten in a day.
Identifying allergies/sensitivities
Tracking your food intake can help you find out if you’re allergic or sensitive to certain foods. If you experience stomach problems or allergic reactions, keeping a record can make it easier to pinpoint the exact cause and avoid that food in the future.
Losing Weight
One of the advantages of tracking your food is that it can help you lose weight. Research has shown that people who track what they eat tend to lose more weight compared to those who don’t.
Cons of Food Tracking
Time-Consuming
Consistently writing down everything you eat all the time can be time-consuming. Keeping track of calories and other nutrients requires a lot of effort and might even cause stress.
Becoming Boring
After tracking your food for a few days, you might feel like you’re stuck in a repetitive rut. Following the same routine every day can get boring and feel pointless.
Triggering
For some people, tracking their food intake can become an obsessive compulsion, leading to an unhealthy relationship with food.
Key Takeaways
These are just a few of the pros and cons of tracking your food. Remember, everyone is different, and what works for one person might not work for another.
If you choose to track your food, make sure you do it mindfully and consciously. Set realistic goals, focus on nourishing your body and enjoy the process! Tracking food can be an effective tool to help you reach your health goals. There are also free apps you can download to help you keep track, such as:
Tracking what you eat can be a helpful way to watch your diet and food habits and make sure you’re getting balanced, healthy meals. While it might take some practice to get used to, it’s well worth the effort. However, tracking your food can easily spiral into an unhealthy obsession. Finding the right balance between tracking and enjoying your meals will help you build healthy habits that last!
