Whether or not you've tried tracking your food in the past, you're probably well aware that tracking your intake can be an important part of meeting health goals.

But should you be tracking everything you're putting in your mouth right now? Is it going to help you reach your glucose goals?

The answer: It's not clear!

Some people find that tracking their intake is really helpful. Others find it overwhelming and leads them toward obsessive behaviors around food.

So which camp are you in? (You may be in a different camp from these two!)

Overall, it's important to take your own needs and personality into consideration before deciding to track your intake.

You also shouldn't feel like you have to track every meal forever.

Even tracking for a short period can help assess your current intake, help you get back on track, determine why your weight change stalled, or see trends in your eating habits that could be impacting your progress.

Feel like you want to track your intake but you're worried about getting stressed or overwhelmed by the process? I have a few ideas for you! All of these can be just as beneficial as tracking everything you consume.

Don't want to track at all? That's a-okay! Take a deep breath, release any guilt or negative feelings you have about tracking, and move forward. You can always circle back here if you're ever curious about giving it a try!

Quick Note: We will go into more detailed guides on tracking your intake later in the course. This is just meant as a general overview for those of you who are considering tracking already. No worries if you aren't ready or aren't comfortable tracking yet! You can hold off for a few more weeks and just focus on using the Plate Method for now!