As you probably have figured out, I am not really what you would call a ‘food blogger’.
I don’t take pictures of everything I eat; I instead like to focus on a variety of topics that appeal to me. On average I probably post 1 meal a day and I also enjoy posting healthy baking recipes often too.
As Dr. Phil would say:
“How’s that working for ya?”
I really enjoy blogging and I have especially enjoyed focusing on writing- it is one of my passions!
I like the freedom I have by not taking a picture of everything I eat. I like to be able to just sit down at the table and not have to worry where my camera is. I like to be able to stand at the counter and munch crackers from a box mindlessly (Hey it happens!). Given my history with disordered eating, I really don’t think it would be wise for me to take pictures of everything I eat. Right now I think I have achieved a nice balance in my life.
Yesterday, I read this great article on a new study that was done on the topic of food journaling. Lydia Zepeda and David Deal from the University of Wisconsin-Madison wanted to find out whether taking pictures of one’s food would be more beneficial for weight loss than simply writing it down.
Does taking pictures of one’s food make one more mindful of what they are eating?
Zepeda and Deal asked 43 participants to record what they ate for one week in words and as pictures. This required that participants snapped pictures of their food prior to eating it.
When researchers quizzed the volunteers, they found that photo diaries were found to be the most effective tool.
Taking pictures of one’s food appeared to provide a strong visual reminder of what was consumed, including binges. Snapping a couple shots immediately prior to eating served as a critical evaluation point and made participants mindful of the situation.
In comparison, written food logs are often seen as less effective because they can be written hours later when it is already too late. Many dieters will sit down before bed and write down what they ate. This may not be as effective a strategy as people assume.
The results of the study allude to the possibility of the usefulness of the photo journaling tool. Dietitians are beginning to ask their clients to take pictures of what they eat as it is a much more precise gauge.
My Take:
I can definitely see how taking pictures of one’s meals can result in making better food choices! Images are such a powerful tool. I think this study is a bit similar to the study about participants who eat their meals in front of a mirror. Guess what? They eat less! The mirror serves as a ‘visual’ reminder of what they are putting into their mouth. Other research shows that people eat more in dimly lit rooms. See a pattern here?
I think that photo journaling would be a great tool for dietitians to obtain a better ‘visual’ of what their client is eating! However, it isn’t fool proof, I mean…who really knows if someone is truly photographing everything they eat.
Taking pictures of one’s food can be problematic though. As I indicated above, taking pictures of everything I eat probably wouldn’t be a good idea for myself. For others it is a great tool that keeps them in check and tells them if they are eating enough. It is quite similar to people who have told me that they count calories to make sure that they are getting enough calories in a day. If they don’t count calories, they usually end up eating too little. So I definitely think that like everything in the health world, it can have a positive or negative influence on someone.
I know some food bloggers who have told me that taking pictures of everything they ate made them crazy and obsessed and they had to stop. Conversely, many have no problem with snapping pictures of what they eat and do so without the blink of an eye! It is simply a quick blip during their day that they have become accustomed to.
Taking pictures of one’s food is not going to work for everyone! Many people would find it bothersome. On occasion, when I plan to snap a few shots of a meal it can be annoying! Sometimes I just want to eat!! Eric gets to happily munch away and I have to try my best to take professional looking pictures. Taking pictures of my food can be a real drag! There, I said it!!
I love the freedom of taking pictures when I want to. I guess I am a bit rebellious that way and don’t like to feel that I have to do something. I think if I felt like I had to snap all of my meals it would take some of the joy out of the process for me.
My questions for everyone today are:
- Do you take pictures of what you eat? Why or why not?
- Has taking pictures of what you eat ever caused problems for you?
- Do you think it is a helpful tool for weight loss?
I’m off to bake, bake, bake! Baking madness in the kitchen today! See you tonight for some fun pictures!!!!
I take pics of some of meals when they come out especially delicious. I just like to remember them, kind of like a work of art, lol
I also struggled with disorded eating throughout high school. I know that method works for many peopls but I feel in my heart that for me it would lead to some major issues… It’s just not for me.
I keep up my fitness and Health blog at: www.rebornrunner.wordpress.com
I tried taking pictures of my food for a little awhile.
It got old. Real fast.
I’m pretty good about watching my portion sizes and accurately calculating how many calories I’m taking in, so I don’t even write it down anymore. I usually estimate my meals to be 400-500 calories, and my snacks to be 100-200. If I go above that, I take away from the next snack/meal. It’s simpler for me.
I get too obsessive about things regarding weight loss tools, so I can’t take pictures, weigh myself too often, take measurements too often, or keep track of calories on a daily basis or else my eating disorder thinking kicks in, and I end up with the binge and restrict cycle. Blegh.
I think it’ll be helpful for people who need awareness of what they eat, but for me it’s not a good idea.
“Whatever flies your kite” I guess. :D
I do, on occasion, take pictures of my foodles that I decorate and do a good job on. :3 But that’s not for awareness, that’s for sharing like “ooh look at what I just made!” heh.
I take pictures of MOST meals, and I’ve found it to be helpful. For example, I knew I wasn’t hungry last night when I was cleaning up before bed, but I found myself reaching for the container of dried fruit. Since I didn’t want to bother getting the camera out, and I’d already created my blog post for today, I backed away (slowly!) from the cannister and I was happier for it in the morning.
That said, I don’t stress about taking pictures of every single thing. While I log what I eat, I don’t take a picture of every bar I eat at work since it’s pretty much the same most days and that would get boring for readers!
I agree, food blogging is, like everything else in life, all about balance :)
I do take pictures and log ALMOST everything I eat. Sometimes I get bored and munch on a cracker or two and I think… who wants to see ONE damn cracker on my blog… I am not gonna take a picture of it! I feel like since starting my blog I haven’t done as much mindless eating in front of the TV or while studying, which was one of my biggest problems because I wasn’t even hungry. I mean it happens every now and then but not everyday like in the past.
I’m relatively new to food blogging myself and I too am not taking pictures of everything I eat. I’m trying to give my family and friends an overview of what a healthy diet looks like and how they can still make healthy food taste yummy, and that variety is a big part of it too. It works nicely for me because cooking is a creative outlet for me as a stay at home mom, and so is photography and writing, so it’s a great way to tie these three things together!
I’m definitely with you on this one. If I had to photograph everything I ate, I think I’d lose some joy out of eating it. Not everything has to have a mathematical equation or purpose. Just savor and enjoy!
Taking photos to lose weight makes sense for people who can benefit from that. But people with normal eating habits usually aren’t the ones who take photos in the first place. Unless you’re a cook who does it for a living.
I go to UW-Madison!!! Goooooo Badgers! :D
I think it’s great for certain people. Nothing works the same for everyone, including food blogging. For me, it’s working :)
I take pictures of everything for my blog and I love doing it. I don’t think of it as a food journal though. I just really like buying new dishes and making my food look pretty. I guess I like the whole photography aspect of it!
I only take a picture of a meal that I had already planned on posting in my blog… no spontaneous pictures of meals. I usually only take a couple of pictures a day so it’s not a big deal.
I couldn’t imagine taking pictures of everything I ate…that would definitely be a drag.
I take pictures of dinners only, or particularly great lunches or snacks out that I want to share. I don’t use my blog as a food diary by any means!
I have been on Weight Watchers for 19 months now and since I started my blog in January Ive lost SO much more weight with taking and sharing my pictures of the meal I cook. I find it to be a very helpful tool for me. I used to be a binge eater and ate TONS of food in secret, so feeling like I am being held responsible for what I eat helps me. Even though I stopped my bingeing ways before starting to blog. :)
While I have a food blog, I do not snap photos of every single thing I eat. If I eat some cereal straight out of the box or grab a quick snack before bed, I do not bother to snap a pic. I guess I focus mostly on main meals and snacks that I eat over the course of the day. Because of this, I don’t find it problematic at all. I also don’t find it to be a good visual tool because I’ve never intended for my blog to work that way.
Like you said, taking pictures of everything gets old real fast. But I must say that taking pictures of most of what I eat and posting them has made me eat a little better and also to think about what I am eating.
Do you take pictures of what you eat?
– Yup, about 95% of it…the other 5% is boring to anyone but me. :)
Why or why not?
– I am really enjoying the different dynamic the food porn gives my blog. Prior to the food photos it was just me droning on about my menu or gym time. Now there are pretty pictures that everyone seems to enjoy!
Has taking pictures of what you eat ever caused problems for you?
– Not yet. Although the BF rolls his eyes every time I’m telling him not to touch the plate yet or to get his hands out of my shot. I think the only time it will cause a real problem is at a fancy restaurant for a date night.
Do you think it is a helpful tool for weight loss?
– It has been incredibly helpful to me for mindful eating. When I’m considering a treat or unplanned/unhealthy snack, I am immediately reminded that I’d have to tell all and quite often I just walk away. :) Of course, often I just say too bad and just don’t take the picture or tell the blog world. haha.
I take pictures of my meals and some of my snacks, but not everything. There are plenty of little bites here and there, and if I have a snack after dinner and I’ve already blogged, I’m not updating :)
I like taking pictures because it’s helped me be more creative in my meals, plus I think it’s fun – if it stops being fun, by all means, I won’t be taking pictures of everything.
I do see how it could be a problem for some people, too, though.
I used to take pictures of everything I ate, including gum or hard candy! It got so stressful, repetitive and frustrating that I just couldn’t do it anymore. So I don’t. I still blog and I still take pictures of food but not everything. I’m so much more comfortable now and I think I actually eat less and healthier too because I spend more time planning my meals instead of planning my photographs :)
I must say though that it did help for a while and used to be fun. But as with many things, we go through seasons and changes and this is what works for me right now.
I take pictures of some of my meals (and attempt to make it more of a piece of art than just to record what I’m eating). I’ve found that keeping track of everything that I eat, calories, etc. causes me to think about food ALL the time so its just not a good option for me. I do think a few days of it can help people realize that they may be eating at times they never realized (ie while cooking kids meals)so it does have that benefit.
I do take pictures of my food, but not everything I eat. Usually just breakfast and dinner, though I might start scaling that back. I do post most of my meals on my blog, which I think is a good reference, and the visual is more interesting than just a list of what I ate.
While blogging and food photos encourages me to be creative, I do sort of feel guilty when I have leftovers 3 days in a row and the pics are the same.