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Healthy Eating

3-Day food and activity journal

​Use this journal as a tool to help you meet your eating goals. When you review your journal, you can see the progress you’ve made, or you may decide to make new goals.

​​​How to fill in the journal

  • Print or save the 3-Day Food and Activity Journal.
  • Write down everything you eat and drink. You may want to record one weekday (or workday) and one Saturday or Sunday(or day off).
  • Include:
    • How much food you ate. See the suggestions below to estimate portion sizes. If the food comes in a package, just write down the package size. Example: 175 mL container of yogurt.
    • ​How the food is cooked (for example: fried, baked, boiled, barbecued)
    • Anything you add to food, during or after cooking. Example: cream, sugar, oil, butter, jam, syrup, ketchup or other sauces, dressings or condiments.
    • Details about restaurant foods, fast foods, or packaged foods (for example: McDonald’s Big Mac® or KFC® chicken).
  • Measure the food you eat for a day or two to help you understand how much you eat and drink. Use measuring cups and spoons.
  • Write down all your activities for the day. Include planned activities (going for a walk or swim) and activities of daily life (housework or grocery shopping). Comments may include where you ate, your mood, or stress level.
  • Print more copies of the journal if you need more space to write.
  • Read over your journals to see what is working well and what you may want to change.
  • Keep on tracking. Use this tool to help you meet your goals, or to make new goals.

To estimate portion sizes, use the guidelines below:

This amount of food: Is about the same size as:
2½ oz (75g) of meata hockey puck
1½ oz (50 g) of cheese2 white erasers
1 cup (250 mL)a baseball or fist
½ cup (125 mL)a hockey puck
1 medium piece of fruit
a tennis ball
2 Tbsp (30 mL)1 golf ball
¼ cup (60 mL)2 golf balls
1 tsp (5 mL) – use for butter, margarine, mayonnaise
a thumb tip or one die

 

Example of how to fill in your food journal:

Meal Day 1: Thursday Day 2: Saturday
Breakfast (First Meal)
  • 1 cup Bran Flakes® with 1 tsp sugar and ½ cup 1% milk
  • 1 cup coffee black
  • 1 slice whole wheat toast with 2 tsp soft margarine
  • 1 egg fried in 1 tsp butter with 3 strips of bacon
  • 2 slices whole wheat toast with 2 tsp soft margarine
  • 2 cups tea (chamomile)
Snack
  • 1 carrot muffin - Tim Hortons®
  • 1 medium black coffee - Tim Hortons®
  • 1 medium apple
Activity
  • Stressful day at work
  • 30 minute walk

 

Download the 3 Day Food and Activity Journal.



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Current as of: December 15, 2021

Author: Nutrition Services, Alberta Health Services