keeping a food/activity diary

[dar917]

How many of you keep a log of your food and exercise and whatever? How long have you been keeping it? I wrote down my numbers and what I ate and everything in a notebook for about a month after I was diagnosed, then I stopped for another month and started again about a month ago because my blood sugars were running higher; I seem to do better when I write everything down.
I'm just wondering how long I need to keep doing it is all. I have pretty good control (Fasting this morning was 86) and have it all figured out better now, I'm just worried about my numbers creeping back up if I stop writing down again. :/

[shockme]

i log food/meds/activity.....for me-it makes me a bit more accountable. like b4 i eat something i shouldn't,i write it down and look at it....being in writing makes the "bad food" more "offensive"....plus-my doc wants me to do a 2hr post prandial after any meal-she want s me to mix it up-so logging helps. trish

[mho357]

I never have logged my food intake. I do the same exercise routine every week so no need there.

I can remember what I ate - I don't think that I would remember to write it down. However, workday breakfast and lunches don't change much - I have something that works for me so I only need to remember evening and weekend meals.

However, I sometimes think that I would do a better job if I did have it written down.

Mark

[Geoff]

Get yourself's a LifeScan OneTouch UltraSmart meter. Every time you do a bg test you just scroll through the menu's, and log all your food intake, any med's, exercise, and anything else you need to keep a record of. No need for a book it is all in one package which if you have a computer, you can upload, and print off all your records as a hard copy.

By the way, I do not work for LifeScan, but I think it is the best thing since sliced bread, which I never eat!!

[princesslinda]

When first diagnosed, I kept a food journal, logging each bite I put into my mouth and the corresponding blood sugars....after a month or so, I had a lot of foods I felt were "blood sugar friendly." I'm like the above poster and eat a lot of the same foods.

Whenever I try a new food, I am very careful to monitor my levels to see the effects, but I no longer keep a journal.

[kgm0612]

I have been keeping a log since the day I was dx'd...... almost 5 years. I use a daily appointment book and log the time, my blood sugar reading, how many units of insulin I took, what foods I ate, any exercise I did, and if I'm not feeling well, I make note of that too.

Karen

[Evermont]

I spend a lot of time at or near a computer, part of the reason I have diabetes I guess. But I have a pretty good log system going, here's what I do:

I have a Google account (free) and I use the Google Notebook feature for a few different things. I have a diabetes notebook with separate notes for web links with my notes about them, questions for my doc (so I don't forget), goals and targets, etc.

The main thing I use it for is an integrated log. So far I'm tracking my BG's, weight, BP, all food, exercise, meds (just asprin and a multivitamin so far). I can foresee the thing evolving over time though. I'm considering switching to Google doc spreadsheet so I can do quicky charts that can make trends more visible.

The things I like most about this are that it's always there no matter who's computer I'm near I can get to it, all I need is my Google password. Plus, since it's not pencil and paper I can copy/paste it into an email and shoot it to my doctor no fuss (she's impressed). If I remember something I forgot I can go in and insert it later. I round off times to 1/4 hours to make it easier to figure durations between things sometimes I'll hurry up or wait a couple minutes to make it more real anyway.

Here's a one day snapshot:

Date Thur 20071004, weight 209 <-- lowest to date
07:00 Glucose 123, BP 137/88
07:15 Exercise 20 minutes free weights, 30 minutes walking with 3 lb dumbbells
08:30 Eat 2 egg beater omelet with 1 oz 75% fat free cheddar & 2 Tbsp red salsa, 3 cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup brown rice, purple barley, & kidney beans boiled in low sodium vegetable broth, with red and green bell peppers and onions.
11:00 Glucose 109
11:15 Eat 1/2 cup brown rice, purple barley, & kidney beans boiled in low sodium vegetable broth, with red and green bell peppers and onions. 1 fresh red pear, 1 Nature Valley maple brown sugar granola bar, 20 oz wheatgrass juice.
12:00 Glucose 115
14:00 Eat 1 Tbsp golden flax seeds
19:30 Glucose 128
19:45 Eat 1 cup red bean curry, 6 kalamata olives, 8 oz apple cider
22:00 Eat 8 oz apple cider popsicle

[xMenace]

Maybe one in four to six weeks I'll do detailed logging; otherwise I just use what my pump captures.