How to Eat Less and Photograph More

Table of Contents

The psychological side of overeating

I had a lovely nutritionist in Miami who helped me lose weight and change how I related to food. She worked with me on the psychological side of overeating, anxious eating, and mindless eating.

During the first few months, she gave me a set menu that I could vary slightly, and I had to keep a journal of everything I ate. The daily journal helped me eat less.

I loved writing down what I ate, but I hated reading it because I could see where and when I was splurging -I cringed when I read my food diary and understood my problem areas.

The cringing led me on a new path, and I decided to create a photo journal of my meals. After some time, I started styling my food, and I saw food as something fun and not a menace.

Food became color, textures, shapes, and things to look at and love instead of something I didn’t pay attention to but felt I needed so much.

Food, photography, and eating less

I learned that veggies and fruits are much prettier photographically than potatoes, meats, and cheeses.

The latter isn’t very colorful, and it needs the veggies and herbs to look more appetizing. I focused on learning how to cook the colorful dishes, and with time, they became the more significant part of my plate because they are so beautiful!

Food photo journaling helped me eat less because I cooked more veggies and focused on colorful plating to accompany my meats.

This is just a food chat!

I’m not making any suggestions; I am only sharing my experience.

Right now, I am going through another bout of anxious eating. It could be due to this new style of pandemic living that is driving me up the wall, or it could be due to other things.

I want to eat less and have changed how I eat. I am creating a written and photo food journal. 

Eat less but eat well in the morning

Eat less in the morning: advocado, eggs, parsley salad dish, everything looks fresh and tasty, gray dish

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I love to eat eggs in the morning.

I do change things around. Sometimes, I eat rolled oats, but those never photograph well!

I drink protein smoothies on some mornings and have yet to make a mouth-watering photo of a smoothie.

The smoothie photo will probably be all about the details, such as mint leaves, a few blueberries around the glass, or using a champagne flute to make that smoothie look pretty. I look forward to the smoothing photo challenge.

Lunch and dinner

table setting with yellow and white table cloth, salad, fish, glasses and dressing bowl. Eat less and create lovely table settings

I love these meals because they allow me to work with texture and color.

Lettuces, tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers make any dull-colored meat look beautiful. I look at many food photos for inspiration, and then I create my own versions of the dishes.

Do you see how I am talking about food?  Before, I would dream about snacks, and I would pile food on my food mindlessly, and now it’s about something else. All this planning for colors and textures has changed how I eat and slow down the actual meal times.

Desserts

sliced oranges, blueberries and rasberry

Yes, to desserts when on a diet! I’ll eat lots of fruits and search for different ways to make low-calorie but tasty desserts.

Join my food photo challenge! Tag me on Instagram @50andrising, and let’s share our images.

Let me know if photographing food has also helped you slow down your meals and eat healthier and more colorful dishes! 

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Updated June 8, 2024

Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist

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4 Responses

    1. Hi Thelma, sorry for the late reply! I use the Sony ZV1 and my iPhone.
      I think that the secret is to photograph under a good light- I use day light.

      The settings on the camera vary. If I want everything to be reasonably sharp I photograph with an F8- most of my food photos are pretty sharp. I only use the shallow depth of field if the background is ugly or if I’m photographing a drink.

  1. Great tips! I really need to start to keep a food diary again. Love the pic of your poached egg and avocado!

    1. Hi Lara, apologies for the late reply!
      The food diary helps me so much- That photo had to be done a few times because the egg yolk wasn’t spreading out in a delicious-looking way!

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