5-Day Food Journal
What is the purpose of filling out this food journal?
Many years ago, I started my transformation journey by recording my daily food intake in a public journal (on my old blog)
for an entire year! I’m not asking you to record an entire year… but 5 days!
The purpose of a 5-day food journal is to develop self-awareness around your food intake and dietary habits so we can start
the process of tracking and adjusting your food intake.
Please record everything you eat and drink for 5 days. Be as thorough and detailed as possible.
Please be as honest as you can be. I am gathering data, not judging. Don’t change your normal routine. Just record what
you are doing. Years ago, I was recording “ate 6 donuts for dinner” or “1 x bag of party mix lollies”. It wasn’t easy, but self-
awareness around my food choices was the first major step that I needed to take to turn my situation around.
If your eating habits change over the week, pick 5 days that are representative.
To measure, simply use hand-sized portions (e.g., 1 palm, 1 fist, 1 cupped handful, 1 thumb) or something else standardised
(e.g., baseball, deck of cards). You can use measuring cups or a food scale if you want, but you don’t have to.
Example
Time of Day Foods and Beverages Amount Preparation Fat Used
Consumed Method
* Describe your day (i.e., stressed): Worked a long 12-hour shift, extremely fatigued.
Breakfast – 6 AM Oatmeal ½ cup cooked Microwave None
Skim milk 8 ounces
Slivered almonds 2 Tbsp
Apple 1 medium
Water 8 ounces
Snack – 10 AM Banana 1 medium
Water 24 ounces
Lunch – 1 PM Spinach salad w/ veggies 3 cups Tossed 1 tsp olive oil
Tuna canned in water 2 ounces
Bean
Vegetable soup 1 cup
Whole wheat crackers 5 crackers Baked
Water 12 ounces
Snack – 3 PM Nonfat cottage cheese 4 ounces
Mandarin oranges ½ cup
Water 16 ounces
Dinner – 8 PM Chicken breast, boneless, 4 ounces Grilled Cooking spray
skinless
Broccoli 2 cups Steamed
Brown rice 1 cup Steamed 2 tsp light
margarine
Water 8 ounces
DAY 1
Time of Day Foods and Beverages Amount Preparation Fat Used
Consumed Method
* Describe your day (i.e., stressed):
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
DAY 2
Time of Day Foods and Beverages Amount Preparation Fat Used
Consumed Method
* Describe your day (i.e., stressed):
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
DAY 3
Time of Day Foods and Beverages Amount Preparation Fat Used
Consumed Method
* Describe your day (i.e., stressed):
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
DAY 4
Time of Day Foods and Beverages Amount Preparation Fat Used
Consumed Method
* Describe your day (i.e., stressed):
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
DAY 5
Time of Day Foods and Beverages Amount Preparation Fat Used
Consumed Method
* Describe your day (i.e., stressed):
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
