Food Diary

I read Chris Shrugart’s article on keeping a food diary. What I don’t understand is why someone wouldn’t keep one? Mr. Shrugart goes on and on (and on) about the benefits of a diary, etc. Geeze! You spend 15 minutes a day keeping track of what you eat. You do this for 6-8 weeks. By then you know the calories in almost any food you consume. After all, bodybuilders can only eat certain foods. What the hell is the problem? Whom should Mr. Shrugart have to persuade? Why wouldn’t a person serious about changing his looks keep one - come on guys, please let me know why he needed to even write the article.

I wonder the same thing. I carry a palm pilot for business and it is a great thing for food too. I got a program called Diet Log and it has most foods programed into it already. You can adjust portion sizes and it keeps track of it all. I’m telling you it is great!

I agree with chris’s article 100% tracking my food intake was one of the best things I ever started doing, you can grow a tremendous amount more and diet a hell of alot better, when you know exactly how many calories your getting and where their coming from. mind you I also believe you must measure and weight out your food for the maximum benefit, their is a hell of a difference from consuming 2800 kcals a day as opposed to around 2800 kcal a day by estimating and guessing portion sizes.

-Dozer

I agree food diarys are a minimal hassle considering the rewards they bring…my only hassle is when i eat out because you really have no idea what restaurants put in their meals…i used to agonize over kcals/pro/carb/fat content of restaurant meals but now i don’t bother since i only eat out once a fortnight or so

Because many people underestimate the impact that diet has on the physique. Also, the average American is too “busy” to keep track of what they eat. And most couch potatoes cite “lack of time” as the reason they don’t exercise. I guess watching three hours of television each day is more important to them than the way they look, feel, and function. Oh well, most of us on this forum can’t relate to that mentality. That’s the reason we are in better shape than 97% of everyone out there.
That’s my take on it.

Mike: Might I add that someone said (and I THINK it was Chris), that the longer you keep track of what you eat, the easier it becomes. Sometimes I think people think that you’ll be running around with scales and calorie counters all your life. But eventually you get a “feel” for how much, say, a cup of oatmeal is without actually measuring it out. I tell you…I am GLAD when I have “control” over what I eat instead of visa versa…

I admit, it’s a basic concept, a given for most people, but the sad thing is that about 90% of bodybuilders and “fitness enthusiast” (you have to say that with a lisp for full effect) don’t keep a food log. Talking with regular T-mag readers, I was shocked to find out that most didn’t keep some sort of nutrition journal. Some just never bothered to do it, some may be lazy, and many just didn’t know how to get started.

I had a lot of requests from readers for an article that explained an easy way to keep a food log. Hopefully, my article accomplished that.

I am one of those who haven’t been able to keep a food journal. Actually, I haven’t tried yet. As Chris stated, this article pointed me in the right direction. Now I know where to start. Thanks!