So for work this past month, I’ve had to keep a food log, which is something that I honestly haven’t done since I did my low-fat diet experiment a couple of years ago.

The reason I haven’t done one is the same reason I haven’t counted calories for the past year or more….because I don’t need to.

I’m very conscious of what I’m putting into my body and I know that if I eat whole, natural, unprocessed foods, I don’t need to count calories.

For me looking at the nutritional breakdown of what I’ve consumed is interesting, but I also don’t like getting caught up in what I do on a day-to-day basis and I don’t like getting caught up on calories.

For me the overall picture is more important. I know I will have slip ups and bad meals and I don’t want to get caught up on them because I know if I stick to my diet in the long run that is what will matter.

How I FEEL, how my body functions, and how I even look are enough to tell me if I’m on track.

BUT that doesn’t mean that keeping a food log doesn’t have merit or benefit. And I did find it very interesting to look at my macronutrient consumption now that I’ve added in corn tortillas and some rice for carbs instead of only getting carbs from fruits and vegetables.

I think for anyone about to start a new diet, or evening starting a new diet, it can be a great tool. It can get you more in touch with what you are ACTUALLY eating.

I think sometimes we aren’t truly aware of the nutritional value, or calories, of what we put in our mouths. I think sometimes keeping a food log can be eye-opening.

I think it can also force us to be honest with ourselves about our diet.

I hear lots of people say, “Well I was pretty good today. I BASICALLY stuck to my diet.”

But if they were to food log their day, I guarantee most of them wouldn’t be saying it was a good day at all.

Most people don’t realize how quickly that handful of nuts adds up. Most people haven’t really stopped to think about what a handful of potato chips as a snack every day really looks like as part of their diet.

Heck most people have no idea about the nutritional or caloric value of half of the food they eat, especially when they dine out or order in!

So if you are happy with your current diet, I’m not saying you have to start keeping a food log.

But if you want to make a change or have failed to really achieve success in the past, maybe you should think about starting a food log. It may just reveal the flaws in your current diet program.

Here are some great logs you can use online!

SparkPeople – http://www.sparkpeople.com/

Fit Day – fitday.com

MyFitnessPal – http://www.myfitnesspal.com/