Do you have any health conditions to consider when planning any dietary changes? For example:

• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Food allergies
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Digestive/elimination problems

For these and other conditions, we recommend you consult with a physician or dietitian prior to planning your diet to determine any special modifications you should make.

Specific concerns:

Do certain foods make you feel good?

Do certain food make you feel bad?

Do you avoid certain food groups or types of foods because they are unappealing to you?

Do you avoid certain foods because you do not know how to prepare them?

Do you tend to eat the same foods all the time?

Do you have strong cravings for one or more of the following:

• Sugar?
• Fat?
• Salt?
• Alcohol?
• Caffeine?

Do you eat a lot of foods that are highly refined?

Do you consume a lot of snack foods?

Do you rely mostly on convenience foods?

Do you have a tendency to overeat or binge?

Do you frequently skip meals?

Do you lack the time needed to prepare healthy meals?

Do you dislike meal preparation?

Do you find it difficult to plan and organise your meals?

Do you eat most of your meals in restaurants or fast-food outlets?

Possible solutions:

After answering the questions above, use the food diary to record your observations about any that you answered with a Yes response. Then work through these possible solutions:

Do you have a regular exercise programme?

Do you have a job that requires intense physical activity?

Are you satisfied with your level of fitness?

Is it easy for you to maintain your weight?

Are you within 10% of the normal weight for your age and sex?

Do you have a lean body?

If you answered No to most of these questions, you should plan to increase your physical activity as you make your dietary changes.