Self-Audit! It's April in November!

FOOD AUDIT!!! DUN DUN DUN!!

If you ever wanted to be a tax auditor..this isn't your chance. But it's kind of the same. If you really buy into the metaphor.

Now, how extensive you want to be is up to you. But, what I like to highlight it just writing down all the things you eat for a few days, then dissect it. Here's a small survey to help you.

1. Did I eat something new each day?
2. Am I getting enough fruits and veggies?
3. Did I eat breakfast?
4. When do I eat my biggest meal?
5. When I am hungry?
6. Did any special events occur?
7. How many meals were take-out?
8. How many were on the go?
9. How many licks does it take to get to the center of the tootsie pop?

That last question is vital. The world may never know.

Anyhow, these are some questions I ask myself. Anytime I read or hear something new in the world of dieting and food nutrition, it's something I can tie back to one of these questions. For example, "how many meals were take-out and on the go" pertains to the article I posted about the calorie counts on menu items. Which is also related to the obesity epedimic.

You know the obesity epidemic. I'm sure you've heard of it, it's very bad.

You probably eat a lot of your meals outside your house -- coffee in the morning, Chinese for lunch, McDonald's for the kids, the new place uptown that's doing discount, etc -- you get my point.

Food is everywhere, everywhere except your house!

This may not be a bad thing, but it should be a thing you keep under wraps. The price I pay for a 12 oz bag of Starbucks coffee (and I buy it on sale -- sometimes with a coupon) will buy me maybe 3 1/2 tall REGULAR non-Starbucks coffees. My point is, obviously I get much more out of one bag I brew at home. The extra money that I can save I could shift to buying maybe the healthier, yet more expensive option at my favorite restaurant. Making better food choices doesn't always mean that you have to immediately go back to cooking at home. If you hate cooking, don't do it. But, it doesn't mean that you can't audit and budget your food calories and your food dollars.

So, try and audit yourself. Seriously, there's nothing to lose. If you fail your audit, you won't lose your job and the IRS won't take your house, so stop fretting and try it already. If your feeling extra bold, you can email me your answers to ddavisdiet@gmail.com with "Food Audit" in the subject line, and I will post them and mock you. Or, I will extract bits, make some jaunty remarks and observations that are ...disclaimer coming .. no way substitute for medical advice. Happy auditing!