Have you ever wondered why your past diet regimen seems to not work in helping you lose weight? Or have you ever wondered where to start in terms of switching to a healthier diet? If you answered yes to these questions, then this article is for you! As part of our "Lose weight the right way: A Step-by-Step Guide" Series, this article focuses on the second important step in your weight loss or healthy living journey - the Self-Assessment Step which is divided into the ABCDE:
● Anthropometric Assessment
● Biochemical Assessment
● Clinical Assessment
● Dietary Assessment
● Ecological Assessment

This article will focus on the Dietary Assessment. This step allows you to reflect on your current diet in terms of your schedule, types of food you eat, amount of food you eat, how you feel each meal, cravings and other digestive related symptoms by making a 1 week food diary.

Materials Needed:

1. 1 Week Food Diary - You may search for templates online or create your personal one week diary.
2. Ballpen
3. Measuring cups or spoons - for measuring how much rice or vegetables to eat per meal
4. Camera - Optional if you want to take photos of your meals. Photos can serve as your baseline if you plan to modify your diet.

Instructions:

1. For 1 week, record the foods that you eat the moment you wake up until you go to bed.
2. Record the time, type of food and the estimated amount (example: cups, tablespoons, slice or piece)
3. Also include additional notes such as how you feel such as feeling hungry, thirsty or bored.
4. If applicable, include digestive symptoms or concerns you are concerned about such as bloating, indigestion, nausea, or constipation.
5. By the end of the week, reflect on your food diary.

How to Interpret Your Food Diary

1. Schedule.  In terms of schedule, do you feel hungry at a certain time slot? Do you eat regularly or irregularly? If you get hungry at a certain time slot, follow your biological clock and eat at those time periods. If you eat irregularly such as night shift individuals, it may be helpful to set your own eating schedule so your body can train itself to adjust its biological clock in terms of preparing the digestive system for meals. Otherwise, an irregular eating schedule may increase the chances of experiencing bloating and indigestion.

2. Type of Food. What type of foods do you usually eat? Do you have at least one serving of fruit, vegetable, protein and carbohydrate at each meal? Or is it composed mainly of carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, cakes, pastries and bread? Having a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables can help increase the bulk of meals and make them more satisfying and filling. This is helpful in any weight loss programs.

3. Amount of Food. How many cups of rice do you usually eat each meal to make you feel full or satisfied? How many slices of cake or pastries do you eat in one sitting when eaten alone? Do you notice how much you eat or it just passes by without noticing? Awareness on the amount of food is important for all beginners because this is one of the foundations of a calorie controlled diet - portion control.

4. Feelings About Food. When you look for food, do you feel hungry, thirsty, stressed or just bored? If you feel hungry then eat. If you feel thirsty, go for water first before looking for sweetened beverages because the additional sugar will make you feel more thirsty and it will add extra calories to your total daily intake. If you are stressed, go for nourishing food items that can help relieve stress such as dark chocolate and fruits. If you are bored, you can either choose another activity or go for low calorie or healthier snack options such as pop corn, carrot or cucumber sticks, nuts and seeds and watery fruits such as watermelon and melon.

5. Cravings. Are you craving for something sweet or something savory? Sweet cravings are either due to stress or low blood glucose levels in those who need continuous mental energy. If you are craving sweets, go for natural sweetness from dark chocolate, yogurt, milk or fruits. If you are craving for savory dishes, it may signify an underlying electrolyte imbalance especially for those who regularly exercise or have been drinking coffee and urinated a lot.

6. Digestive Symptoms. Do you experience hyperacidity, bloatedness, indigestion or constipation? Hyperacidity could be due to the food consumed such as tea, coffee, chocolate or soda. Bloatedness could be due to stress, the food consumed or unpreparedness of the intestines to process food especially in the morning or late night. Indigestion can also be due to the type of food such as dairy, high protein meat or high fat foods such as cream based cakes and ice cream. Constipation can be due to stress, inadequate water intake and inadequate fiber intake from fruits and vegetables. Taking note of the timing of these symptoms can allow you pinpoint certain trigger foods and let you know what to reduce next time.

If you have other special dietary concerns, you may consult a Nutritionist-Dietitian to help make the nutritional plan that works for you. In our next article, we will discuss how to assess your current lifestyle and how to gradually shift into a more active lifestyle through a beginner physical activity plan. So stay tuned!

/AET

References:

• Jameson, J. L. (2018). Harrison's principles of internal medicine. McGraw-Hill Education,.
• Kurpad, A., Vaz, M., & Raj, T. D. (2013). Guyton & Hall: Textbook of Medical Physiology-A South Asian Edition. Elsevier India.