To record, use any journaling method you desire to accurately record your diet. (You will officially be typing this up later in a specific format, see below) You may want to keep a pad of paper and pencil with you. This may make it easier to keep track of consumption when “out and about”. Be specific; Instead of just “milk and cereal” write down “2 cups Cheerios, ½ banana, 3 quarts skim milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, etc) Estimate portion sizes as best you can (1 cup = size of baseball or the size of your fist, 3 ounces of meat, chicken, pork = a deck of cards or the palm of your hand; 1 teaspoon = 1 “pat” of butter or margarine) or for best results, consider using actual measurement tools such as measuring cups, spoons and/or food scales. Clearly, more complete and detailed record keeping will provide a more accurate picture of your dietary patterns.
Describe each food as completely as possible including the brand name of commercial products and the ingredients of homemade items. For example, if you ate a Big Mac, record 1 Big Mac, but if you ate homemade stir-fry , break the ingredient list down and record the amount of each ingredient in the portion you consumed. (e.g., 3 oz of chicken, 1 cup of white rice, 2 tbsp of teriyaki sauce, etc.)
In addition to your food/drink consumption, record how you are feeling and what motivated you to eat.
Make note of your physical and mental/emotional states before and immediately after each meal/snack. This information will factor in to your analysis in the essay portion.
Also, label each item on your menu with the note as to why you chose to eat that food or drink that beverage. Reasons could include: Personal preference
