My Diet Analysis

So I decided to post my Nutrition Diet Analysis project and my thoughts and such about it because I found the results shocking and it was very much an eye opener for me. As I've said before Nutrition has got to be my favorite class so far....going into it I thought I knew alot about eating healthy and nutrition in general....but as the semester progresses I'm finding I still have alot to learn. It amazes me how far a little education can get you....especially when it comes to nutrition and health. So I hope this offers a little education....and at the very least a little motivation to get healthy and start eating right.

First a little background info----We started out this semester talking about the 2010 Dietary Guidelines that the USDA and HHS puts out every 5 years....which is basically a very boring, superhero long document that provides a scientific based approach to our diets. There are all these surveys, evidence based reviews, etc. compiled and edited and put into this report that policy makers, health professionals, and nutrition educators use in diet planning, health promotion and education for the general public.
New this year, the Dietary Guidelines address obesity....basically finding that most of our calories come from grain based desserts, yeast breads, chicken and chicken dishes, sodas, and pizza. They also cover Foods and Components that need to be reduced in our diets (based on the emergence of chronic illnesses and things of that nature)...included in that category were Sodium (shockingly we're only supposed to be consuming less than 1500mg of sodium per day--reduced from the upper limit of 2300mg in previous years)...and as always fats (saturated fats, transfats, and cholesterol). Also new to the Dietary Guidelines this year is a suggestion to substitute seafood for meat/poultry once a week, and an addition for increased vegetarian options. (which I found to be particularly interesting based on my attempt at vegetarianism and my desire for "Meatless Mondays" in my house)
Finally, the Dietary Guidelines implemented a new "food guidance system"---replacing the old Food Pyramid with the new MyPlate. I think this new image totally rocks and makes it soooo much easier to actually see what you're supposed to be eating and the amounts you're supposed to be eating them in (so much so that you can click on the image and it will take you to the choosemyplate website and you can do all sorts of fun stuff to educate yourself on what you should be eating...enjoy...and you're welcome)





Enough of that---So for our Diet Analysis project we had to record what we ate for 3 days, input our info into this program (Diet Analysis Plus), and it then analyzed the nutritional values and such of what we ate and kicked out a whole bunch of information. 
*(the first number is how much I should be intaking, the second number--that is in bold---is what I am taking in, and in parenthesis is the percent of my diet that is being consumed by that component in reference to the first number that I should be taking in)*

Energy

Kilocalories 2113 kcal 1,210.68 kcal (57%)

Protein 40.64 g 61.17 g (151%)

Carbohydrate 236.0 - 341.0g 173.94 g

Fat, Total 46.0 - 81.0g 57.54 g

Saturated Fat < 21g 14.32 g (68%)

Monounsaturated Fat * 13.52 g

Polyunsaturated Fat * 6.69 g

Trans Fatty Acid * 0.04 g

Cholesterol < 300 mg 227.59 mg (76%)

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-6 Linoleic 12g 2.85 g (24%)

Omega-3 Linolenic 1.1g 0.17 g (15%)

Carbohydrates

Dietary Fiber, Total 25g 10.06 g (40%)

Sugar, Total * 62.7 g

Other

Water 2.7 L 2.06 L (76%)

Alcohol * 0 g

Vitamins

Thiamin 1.1 mg 0.85 mg (77%)

Riboflavin 1.1 mg 1.18 mg (108%)

Niacin 14 mg 17.45 mg (125%)

Vitamin B6 1.3 mg 1.14 mg (87%)

Vitamin B12 2.4 μg 2.01 μg (84%)

Folate (DFE) 400 μg 163.02 μg (41%)

Vitamin C 75 mg 18.84 mg (25%)

Vitamin D (ug) 5 μg 1.64 μg (33%)

Vitamin A (RAE) 700 μg 376.02 μg (54%)

Vitamin A (IU) * 5,694.43 IU

alpha-tocopherol (Vit E) 15 mg 1.95 mg (13%)

Minerals

Calcium 1000 mg 552.55 mg (55%)

Iron 18 mg 9.14 mg (51%)

Magnesium 310 mg 118.22 mg (38%)

Potassium 4700 mg 1,261.33 mg (27%)

Zinc 8 mg 3.45 mg (43%)

Sodium 1500 mg 1,934.38 mg (129%)

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Now applying those numbers above to MyPlate--- this is what my intake should look like/does look like:

                       Goal             Actual        % Goal

Grains         7.0 oz. eq.    2.6 oz. eq.       37.3%

Vegetables 3.0 cup eq.   0.8 cup eq.      26.8%

Fruits          2.0 cup eq.   0.3 cup eq.      16.7%    

Dairy         3.0 cup eq.   1 cup eq.          33.2% 

Protein       6.0 oz. eq.    4.1 oz. eq.        68.2%

Empty       290.0 307.8                           106.1%

Calories     

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I know to the naked eye this could all look like a bunch of mumbo jumbo....but if you really read it....it speaks volumes! Before this little project....I would have considered myself a healthy person. I cook at home v.s. eating out....I try and incorporate fruits and veggies into my diet....I drink water over soda......but when you lay it all out and look at the numbers....I'm apparently living in a fantasy land. (and while this could be discouraging....I'm finding quite the opposite...it is definitely an eye opener and very motivational) I eat alot of empty calories, I need more fruits and veggies in my life, and with all the water I drink...I'm still not getting "enough."

So I'm going to try and incorporate more "healthy" meals into my life. By planning my meals around a vegetable option vs. a meat option. By eating dried fruits instead of those empty calorie snack packs. I'm going to try to buy more fruits and veggies to have available and ready to eat (Does this mean I'm not going to eat chips, and chicken wings, and unhealthy things from time to time....no) But I hope by adding more healthy things to my fridge and cabinets....it will keep me from reaching for those unhealthy things. My goal is to make small changes that will hopefully add up to bigger results.

I'm also in need of some serious exercise (not to lose weight per say but to be stronger...in mind, body, and spirit). I have vowed to walk the longer routes instead of taking short cuts (this includes parking farther away from the door just to take a few extra steps)....I now take the stairs at work vs. elevators....and I'm hoping that by making simple changes it will allow me to also make more difficult changes.

My goal in all of this: To encourage the ones I love to make changes with me! (Because I mean lets face it my life would be pretty tough without you guys and I'm planning on being around for awhile)

 

 

Fat

Testing round 1...

...crossing my fingers for good out comes!!
First tests of the semester are always tough....you're trying to figure out how professors make out their tests....you're not sure how to study exactly....and you really want to start strong (nothing sucks more than starting out with a super huge uphill battle ahead of you!)
Studying--I focused mostly on physiology....and so of course I feel like I did better on that test....it turns out nutrition is going to be tougher than I thought! The professor asked way more "application" type questions (I hate those...it seems like I always over think them). I'm just hoping for a solid starting point *fingers crossed*

Work has been kicking my butt (and that is an understatement). Ever since our "summer 10" people left its been short staffed central. I worked this past weekend (with one of the most incompetent Na's we have)...and with lots of heavy care patients....it was a MISERABLE weekend.( I'm hoping this weekend is easier....because I have a hard couple of weeks ahead and it would be nice to start out the marathon work/school stretch with some easiness) Unfortunately I'm on morning shift--which I hate-- and there is a home football game (and in case you didn't kno...the stadium is literally right across the street from the hospital....which should make for some interesting parking/traffic situations). Needless to say I'm nervous thinking about the work load...and the traffic. I'm also worried about my work/school schedule for the next few weeks....twice on the schedule I'm working on a day I also have class...and I'm totally not looking forward to going to class all morning and then going directly to work all night...I don't know where I'm going to find the strength to get through these tough days....but *fingers crossed* I find it somewhere inside of me...I have a feeling I'm going to have to dig deep.

On another note....it's fall here in Iowa! We had our first frost last night.......I wore my first hoodie of the season today.....and it feels fabulous! We've had window's open and I've planted some mums!!! While I'm not looking forward to winter....I'm definitely enjoying FALL! Hoping to go pick apples at a local orchard (yes we have those here...kinda weird) this weekend after work....and the 24th is Kalona's Fall Festival that we're planning on going to! Lots to look forward to!


Things on my To Do List:

• Diet Analysis for Nutrition (I hope to blog about once the project is done....it's been very interesting/informing and I can't wait to get the restlts!)
• Organizing my craft projects for winter!! (I want to have a "stock" of things to keep me busy during these cold winter months ahead!)