When many people hear "food logging," they immediately think of calorie counting apps and diet culture—meticulously weighing portions, scanning barcodes, and obsessing over macronutrients. But the SoWell Method takes a completely different approach. Food logging with Dr. Sowa isn't about restriction or judgment; it's about awareness, understanding, and emotional neutrality.
Why Food Logging Matters on GLP-1s:
Food logging is one of the three Habit Foundations in the SoWell Method, alongside daily weigh-ins and meal planning. This practice is especially crucial for those on GLP-1 medications for several reasons:
Establishes your baseline
Before you make any changes to how you eat, logging helps you understand your current patterns.
Reveals hidden influences
Many of us eat in response to emotions, situations, or habits we're not fully aware of.
Helps avoid side effects
GLP-1 medications can cause digestive discomfort if you don't adjust what and how you eat.
Supports mindful eating
As GLP-1s change your hunger signals, logging helps you reconnect with your body's cues.
Dr. Sowa recommends starting your food log two weeks before making any other changes—even before taking your first dose of medication. This gives you a chance to identify patterns and plan for changes you might need to make to avoid side effects once you start treatment.
The SoWell Approach to Food Logging
Forget everything you know about traditional food tracking. The SoWell Method's food log captures three key elements:
- What you ate and when
- Your hunger level (1-10) before and after eating
- Your mood, circumstances, and other relevant context
You're not counting calories or macros. You're simply creating an honest record of your eating patterns and the circumstances surrounding them.
How to Use the Hunger Scale
A unique aspect of the SoWell food log is the hunger scale, which helps you reconnect with your body's signals. On a scale from 1-10:
| Hunger/Fullness Level | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | So hungry you are weak |
| 2 | Very hungry, irritable, low energy, significant stomach grumbling |
| 3 | Pretty hungry, stomach beginning to growl |
| 4 | Beginning to feel hungry with thoughts about food |
| 5 | Satisfied, neither hungry nor full |
| 6 | Slightly or pleasantly full (aim to stay here) |
| 7 | Slightly uncomfortable, could have stopped eating several bites ago |
| 8 | Feeling stuffed and uncomfortable |
| 9 | Very uncomfortable, stomach aches or is distended |
| 10 | So full you feel sick |
The Power of Logging Circumstances
Perhaps the most valuable part of the SoWell food log is the "notes" section, where you record:
- Your emotional state
- The environment you're in
- Who you're with
- What you're doing
- Any other relevant circumstances
Optimal Eating Pattern
This information often reveals patterns that help explain your food choices. Dr. Sowa's patients frequently experience "aha" moments when they discover connections between specific situations and their eating habits.
"I never considered myself an emotional eater until my food log revealed specific triggers related to body image anxieties." — Kristen, SoWell Patient
"Through logging I discovered most of my pleasure and relaxation activities centered around food, which led me to develop new non-food sources of enjoyment like city walks and tea tasting." — Liam, SoWell Patient
Getting Started: Practical Tips
Choose your format
The SoWell Hunger Scale + Food Log template is available as a digital or printable resource. Store it somewhere easily accessible—on your phone, tablet, or computer if digital, or in a convenient location if printed.
Set reminders
Create a daily alarm to remind you to log. The best time to record your meals is right after eating, as most people have poor food recall after just 24 hours.
Be specific but don't overthink it
Record what you ate with reasonable specificity, but don't feel the need to measure or weigh everything. This isn't about precision; it's about patterns.
Stay neutral
This is absolutely crucial: approach your food log with emotional neutrality. What you ate doesn't say anything about your character or worth. It's just information—data that helps you understand yourself better.
Be honest
Don't change what you eat to make your log look "better," and don't self-edit or omit foods. The goal is an accurate picture of your current habits, not an idealized version of what you think you should be eating.
Log consistently, but don't stress
Missing a meal or even a day in your food log isn't failure—it's part of the process of building a new habit. Just pick back up when you can.
Using Your Food Log for Insights
After a week or two of consistent logging, take some time to review your entries and look for patterns:
- Hunger patterns: Are you waiting until you're extremely hungry to eat? Are you eating past comfortable fullness?
- Emotional triggers: Do certain feelings consistently lead to specific food choices?
- Situational influences: How do different environments or people affect your eating?
- Food effects: How do different foods make you feel after eating them?
Once you start GLP-1 medications, your log becomes even more valuable. You may notice changes in your hunger levels or find that certain foods cause discomfort. This information helps you adapt your eating patterns to support your medication's effectiveness while minimizing side effects.
Success Story: Identifying Hidden Patterns
One of Dr. Sowa's patients was experiencing severe nausea after starting Wegovy. After reviewing her food log, they discovered she was vomiting several times a week—but only on days when she ate her favorite Jennifer Aniston kale salad.
Her body could no longer tolerate raw kale while on the medication. Once she eliminated this one food, her side effects disappeared completely.
Without careful logging, this pattern might have gone unnoticed, potentially leading her to discontinue a medication that was otherwise working well.
Emotional Neutrality in Food Logging
Remember the key principle of emotional neutrality as you engage with your food log:
| DO THIS | NOT THAT |
|---|---|
| The log is a helpful tool that provides data | My food log determines my value (strength/adequacy/intelligence) |
| It provides information, just like a thermometer or blood pressure cuff | It's better to avoid logging until I've had a "good" day/week/year |
| We can use this data to help determine next steps | A worse than expected meal/day/week means I should give up on my goal |
Food logging in the SoWell Method isn't about judgment—it's about information gathering. The log doesn't tell you if you're "good" or "bad"; it simply helps you understand your patterns and make informed decisions.
How Long Should You Keep Logging?
Food logging is especially important during the weight loss phase of your GLP-1 journey and for about six months into maintenance. Over time, as you develop new habits and a better understanding of your body's signals, you may be able to reduce the frequency of logging while maintaining your awareness.
However, many patients find that the habit becomes so valuable and ingrained that they continue some form of logging indefinitely. It serves as a check-in with themselves and their relationship with food.
Why It Matters:
Food logging in the SoWell Method isn't another way to police your eating—it's a tool for developing a deeper understanding of your relationship with food and your body's signals. By approaching it with curiosity and neutrality, you transform what could be a restrictive practice into a liberating one.
As you continue on your GLP-1 journey, your food log becomes both a record of your progress and a guide for your ongoing success. It helps you identify what works for your unique body and lifestyle, supporting sustainable, long-term health.
Track Your Journey to Mindful Eating
Our specially designed food tracking template helps you monitor not just what you eat, but your hunger levels and circumstances too. Perfect for anyone on a GLP-1 medication or developing healthier eating habits.
Download Now
