Use this Food Tracker to prepare yourself for a visit with your doctor, dietician or nutritionist, or to simply get a better idea of where those calories are coming from. While you can either print this chart or use the convenient online version, the “rules of play” are pretty much the same no matter how you decide to track your food intake.

1. Be honest. This isn’t a test and there’s no right or wrong answer. The more honest you are with what you’re eating, the more knowledgeable you’ll be about your overall eating habits. Having the right information now will give you the best advantage and incentive to progress to better eating habits.
2. Be accurate. What you eat is one thing; how much you eat is just as important. Record your portion sizes whether it be “one medium apple” or “2/3 cup cooked brown rice”. If you’ve eaten a packaged food, record the serving size as it’s listed on the nutrition label.
3. Be timely. Noting when you eat will make it easier for you to spot unhealthy patterns. For example, passing on breakfast could lead to a not-so-healthy lunchtime binge. Keep track of when you eat to see if you need to space your meals and snacks at better intervals.
4. Be prepared to be surprised. Once you’ve completed a week’s worth of foods eaten, you may find you’re sitting open mouthed for reasons other than hunger. Not only may you be surprised at how much you eat and when you eat it, you may find that you’re eating the same foods over and over again without much thought. If that’s the case, make sure you have a variety of options on hand and make a conscious effort to add variety to your meals.