You can often train harder than you thought possible in a personal training session. Yet this hard work will be cancelled out if you haven’t considered the effect of what you’re eating. Shaun Radford, Master Coach at the Australian Institute of Fitness in QLD, considers whether a food diary is effective.
Physique changes such as weight loss or muscle gain are common goals for many Australians, and nutrition is a critical factor in achieving results. Food diaries can be one of many effective tools to achieve such goals by providing a record of your eating patterns in real time.
So should you use a food diary? Here are some pros and cons:
Pros
Cons
Food diaries aren’t for everyone. If you’re not sure about it then do your research or consult with your Personal Trainer to decide whether it would be a good method for you.
If pen to paper is a bit old school for you, there are plenty of free online tools you can use like My Fitness Pal or Calorie King. Alternatively, you can make one specifically on a Word document or Excel spreadsheet.
Don’t forget the ultimate goal is to make you more aware of the food you’re consuming on a daily basis and change your behaviour to achieve long-term success.
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