EUGENIZATION.

After reading part 1 of my post on food journaling, Sairalyn so sweetly reminded me of the one big pitfall of food journaling:

It’s very true that underreporting on food journals is rampant. It has killed many a decently designed nutrition study, as well as sabotaged the progress of countless trainees. What can be done to counter it?

Well, you can’t insure that it will never happen. In fact, if you happen to be a trainer reading this, count on folks underreporting. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve “busted” someone eating something then not reporting it (or being told that his roommate’s sister saw him eating raw cookie dough over the weekend, which mysteriously went unreported).

I implore trainer and trainee alike; give the ritual the gravitas it deserves. It’s ok if the journal doesn’t reflect a paragon of virtue; it’s not supposed to. Food journaling is for accurate reporting of the facts so that a plan can be devised, period.

It helps to treat the food journal like a checkbook - think to “balance” it right away. Better yet, since the food probably won’t get up and run away, write it down before you eat it. Whatever it is, no matter how little (or how much). This has the added benefit of making one reflect upon the virtues of the foodstuff before it enters the Great Digestive Ride (one of the great reasons to perform food journaling in the first place).

So please, be honest - you only have to do it for a week.