Logging your foods can take the guesswork out of reaching your fitness goals. At MyFoodDiary, we make keeping a food diary easy. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your account.

Don't forget about beverages.

Sodas, coffees, smoothies, energy drinks, and juices can contain as many calories as an entire meal, but they rarely make you feel full. It’s easy to forget about beverages when you update your food diary. Record everything you drink, from water to soda, including small sips throughout the day.

Measure high-impact ingredients.

For maximum food diary accuracy, we recommend measuring foods and ingredients that significantly impact nutrient totals. For example, a tablespoon of cooking oil contains 120 calories. If you pour straight from the bottle into the pan, you could easily underestimate the amount you use. We also recommend measuring added salt and sugar.

Bites count.

Do you nibble from your child’s plate? Do you taste while you cook? These calories count, too. Do your best to estimate the amount of each bite to ensure your nutrient reports are accurate.

Note how you feel.

We eat for many reasons that don’t always involve true hunger. Your family may have a set meal time, or maybe you are stressed or bored. When you record your food, also make notes about how you felt during the time you ate the food. Were you starving and grabbed what you could find? Did you choose an unhealthy option due to your social setting? Emotions play an important role in healthy eating. Record how you feel to understand better how your emotions affect your eating habits.

Look for patterns.

Food diaries are especially beneficial because they help you identify patterns in your eating. These patterns may be healthy, like you consistently eat a breakfast balanced in carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat. Keep up those healthy habits. These patterns may also be unhealthy, like your late-night snack always puts you over your calorie limit. Use these patterns to identify what might be holding you back from reaching your goals, and then plan how you will overcome these challenges.

Lori Rice, M.S., is a nutritional scientist and author with a passion for healthy cooking, exercise physiology, and food photography.