My Plate Diet Analysis and Summaries

My Plate Diet Analysis and Summaries

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My Plate Diet Analysis and Summaries

Food Groups and Calories Summary

My food groups and calories report showed that I surpassed the recommended servings of dark green vegetables as I ate two and a half cups as opposed to one and a half cups. This is because I had servings of broccoli, spinach and lettuce over the three days that the report covered. I failed to consume the recommended amounts of other foods in the category including beans and peas, starchy and red and orange vegetables. During the three days that the report covered, I did not eat any legumes or starchy vegetables. I had servings of carrots and tomatoes through salads that I ate during the period, however, my consumption fell under the recommended amount for red vegetables. I need to increase my consumption of vegetables, except for the dark green kind, because they increase the amount of vitamins A, C, K and E in my body (Understanding Nutrition pg. 42).

The report showed that I did not consume the right amount of seafood. I had servings of cooked salmon on the first and last days of the period that amounted to four and a half ounces, much less than the recommended eight. I will need to increase my intake of seafood because they are a source of fatty acids and nutrients such as iron, magnesium and potassium (Understanding Nutrition pg. 43). This will mean eating more servings of salmon and products such as tuna. Similarly, my consumption of whole grain fell below the target of more than three ounces. During the period, I had several servings of whole grains that included bread, breakfast cereal, white rice, waffles and popcorn, all of which amounted to approximately one and a half ounces. I also consumed three teaspoons of oil over the three days through a fruit salad that I had during the period. This was less than the recommended 6 teaspoons. Lastly, I also failed to consume enough dairy products as I only had two and a quarter cups. Over the three days, I had several servings of yogurt and milk that failed to meet my target of three cups. I will need to increase my intake of foods like milks and yogurt because they provide me with calcium that helps me maintain my body weight (Understanding Nutrition pg. 385).

Nutrients Summary

My total caloric intake over the three days was 1591 calories, which came short of my target of 2000. This means that I will have to increase the amount of food that I consume in a day to account for this shortage. I also failed to meet my targets for specific nutrients, vitamins and minerals. For the main nutrient groups such as proteins, carbohydrates and total fat, my intake met the targets that I had set as I fell within the targeted range. However, my consumption of saturated fats surpassed the target as the nutrients accounted for more than ten percent of my caloric intake. The report also showed that I had deficiencies in linoleic acid. At the end of the period, I came four grams short of my target. I need to rectify this problem by eating more vegetable oils because linoleic acid is an important nutrient used by the body to produce other fatty acids (Understanding Nutrition pg. 145).

Other shortages in my diet came from some minerals and vitamins. My diet was short on the minerals potassium and Iron as both fell short of the targets that I set. Foods such as fruits and vegetables can provide a person with potassium, while iron comes from grains. Protein foods such as seafood can also provide a person with both minerals. Iron is an important nutrient because it helps transport oxygen in the body (Understanding Nutrition pg. 407). Conversely, potassium is important for the proper function of cells and organs in the body (Understanding Nutrition pg. 374). A deficiency in these minerals could cause complications such as anemia for iron and muscular weakness for potassium (Understanding Nutrition pg. 384). To increase the amount of iron and potassium in my diet I need to increase the servings of fruit, grains and protein foods that I eat. This means eating more salmon, apples, white rice and bread (Understanding Nutrition pg. 43). My diet was also short on the vitamins E and D. The body uses vitamin E to protect its tissues from the damage caused by free radicals and vitamin D to enhance its absorption of minerals such as zinc and iron. I need to increase my intake of vitamins D and E by consuming more servings of fruit and vegetables within my diet (Understanding Nutrition pg. 43). This will ensure that I do not develop diseases such as rickets (Understanding Nutrition pg. 341).

Physical Activity Summary

My physical activity report for two days shows that I had four hundred and twenty MIEs. I achieved this by engaging in vigorous exercising activity for long durations. On the first day, I cycled for two hours at vigorous intensity and this accounted for two hundred and forty MIEs. The muscle-strengthening exercise also helped me burn 1,168 calories. On the next day, I went running for ninety minutes, burning nine hundred and thirty four calories through the exercise that also helped me strengthen my leg muscles. The four hundred and twenty MIEs that I clocked over the two days more than doubled my original target of one hundred and fifty.

Having achieved the physical activity targets that I set for myself, I now plan to focus on specific muscles in my body such as my biceps, abdominal muscles and back muscles. By regularly engaging in physical exercises such as swimming and jogging, I will burn most of the calories that I consume and make sure that I maintain my weight at a healthy level. Consumption of dairy products can also help me maintain my weight because of the calcium that they contain (Understanding Nutrition pg. 385). My inclusion of muscle-strengthening exercises such as weight lifting into my routine is based on Whitney and Rolfes claims that young people should engage in such activities on a regular basis (Understanding Nutrition pg. 558).

Work Cited:

Whitney, Ellie and Sharon Rady Rolfes. Understanding Nutrition. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.