The Non-Diet Way to Food Journaling
For many people, food tracking is synonymous with dieting. Over the past century, diets have evolved to include detailed tracking of meals, calories, points, macros, and more. Even programs claiming to be anti-diet, like Noom and WW, still require users to log food intake to meet their designated calorie goals.
This focus on meticulous food tracking often fosters an unhealthy fixation on food and body image, as reported by many of my clients who have previously used apps like MyFitnessPal. They’ve found that these tools, marketed as helpful, have fuelled disordered eating behaviours.
However, food journaling doesn’t have to be about restriction or control. When approached with a different mindset, it can become a valuable temporary tool to help you reconnect with your body’s natural signals of hunger and fullness. By observing which foods and portions leave you feeling satisfied and energised, food journaling can empower you to rebuild trust in your body. The key is to approach it as a short-term strategy while working toward a healthier and more intuitive relationship with food.
Why Traditional Food (and Exercise)Tracking Can Be Harmful
If you struggle with disordered eating patterns, the act of tracking, especially when it comes to calorie counting, can do more harm than good, For some, logging every meal can lead to an obsessive focus on specific foods or numbers. This stress not only impacts your mental health but can also exacerbate digestive issues and interfere with the natural cues your body provides.
It’s important to approach food journaling with balance. A healthy focus should prioritise eating enough food and aiming for a diverse, balanced diet that leaves you feeling both nourished and satisfied. If journaling becomes a tool to restrict calories or avoid food altogether, it’s no longer serving your progress and could perpetuate the cycle of disordered eating.
A Healthier Approach to Food Journaling
When used mindfully, food journaling can provide valuable insights. Here’s how to incorporate it into your journey in a way that supports recovery:
Observe Without Judgement: Focus on how foods make you feel rather than assigning moral value to what you eat (e.g., "good" vs. "bad" foods).
Note Hunger and Fullness: Journaling can help you tune in to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness, rebuilding your appetite awareness.
Identify Patterns: Use your journal to explore connections between your thoughts, emotions, and eating habits. For example, do certain stressors trigger cravings or overeating?
Focus on Nourishment: Pay attention to whether your meals leave you feeling energised and satisfied. This can help you identify areas where you may need more balance in your diet.
Build Self Trust: Remember, food journaling is a learning tool, not a lifelong requirement. The goal is to move toward trusting yourself and what your body needs.
Bringing It All Together
In my book, The Binge Freedom Method™, I show how food journaling can be transformed from a source of stress into a powerful tool for recovery and self-awareness. The book’s four-pillar framework—Nourish, Balance, Think, and Feel—provides a structured approach to help you heal your relationship with food and your body.
The “Nourish” pillar, for example, guides you in recognising the importance of stabilising your eating patterns and creating balanced meals that truly satisfy you. This section also highlights how food journaling can help you identify what your body needs. Meanwhile, the “Feel” pillar delves into the emotional side of eating, offering tools to understand how your feelings impact your food choices and how journaling can provide clarity around those emotions.
To make this process even more actionable, the book includes a free downloadable workbook (which will soon also be available to buy) filled with practical exercises and prompts specifically designed to help you journal effectively. These prompts encourage you to explore your eating habits, emotional triggers, and physical sensations without judgment. By reflecting on these patterns, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what works for your body and rebuild confidence in your ability to nourish yourself—all without relying on apps or rigid tracking systems.
By integrating these practices, food journaling becomes less about control and more about curiosity and compassion. The Binge Freedom Method™ equips you with the tools to use journaling as a stepping stone toward intuitive eating and a healthier, more balanced relationship with food.
Support Your journey…
If the idea of creating change in your eating patterns feels like a minefield, you don’t have to navigate them alone. Here are some resources to support your journey toward food freedom:
1. Breaking the Cycle Starter Kit: This free resource is designed to help you take the first steps toward food freedom. Inside, you’ll find actionable strategies to begin shifting your mindset, manage cravings, and stop the binge-restrict cycle in its tracks.
Download it HERE ******
2. Join the Food Freedom Collective: This FREE supportive Facebook community is a safe space where you can feel safe with others who understand what you’re going through. I am in the group to answer your questions and support you every step of the way.
JOIN HERE*****
3. The Binge Freedom Method™: My best selling book offers practical tools and insights to help you break free from the cycle of restriction and binge and emotional eating. With strategies grounded in science, eating psychology, and nutritional wisdom, you’ll learn how to create a sustainable, guilt-free relationship with food.