California State University Channel Islands

Dietary Analysis

Stacy Rivera

Health 300 - Nutrition, Exercise, Wellness

Thursday - 12:00 PM

03/11/2020
 I tracked my diet from March 2, 2020 through March 8, 2020 and based on my weight

and personal goals I was allotted 1,270 calories a day. According to my results, my net average

was 1,108 calories. Initially I felt that 1,270 calories was very low and I thought I’d easily

surpass the goal but I was surprised to see that with the exception of Tuesday and Friday I was

actually under the goal. It’s important to mention that I do intermittent fasting and I skip

breakfast and only have 2 meals a day with one snack in between the meals therefore I think this

is attributed to the lower amount of calories. However, I never find myself feeling hungry during

the day so I was not concerned about being under the calorie goal. My protein and carbohydrates

were also below the goal as the app suggested 64 grams of protein and 159 grams of

carbohydrates and I averaged 44 grams of protein and 129 grams of carbohydrates. I believe the

lower amounts of protein is because I follow a vegetarian diet. I’ve been a vegetarian for 10

years and I do my best to get protein from eggs, beans, and vegetables but I was surprised to see

that I’m still below the goal. According to the Nutrition Almanac, “Protein is one of the most

important elements for the maintenance of good health and vitality and is of primary importance

in the growth and development of all body components” (Kirschmann 18). He continues to

explain the issues that come with protein deficiency by stating, “Protein deficiency may result in

lack of vigor and stamina, mental depression, weakness, and poor resistance to infection”

(Kirschmann 20). Luckily, I don’t have any issues with low energy or weakness. I have a hard

time incorporating vegetables that are high in protein such as broccoli, asparagus, and brussel

sprouts because I have IBS-C and cruciferous vegetables aggravate my stomach. Fiber is an

especially important component in my diet due to the IBS-C as I usually only have 1-2 bowel

movements a week. I was pleased to see that I averaged almost 20 grams of fiber and my goal

was 25 grams. However, I now see that I should find a way to add a little bit more of fiber.
 The rest of my statistics were within the range of my goal including Vitamin A, Vitamin

C, and Calcium. My vitamin C and calcium slightly surpassed the goal by 3-4%. The statistics

that were below my goal were potassium and iron by quite a bit. I am anemic and I didn’t realize

how low my iron intake is therefore I will start taking an iron supplement to help get my iron

intake to ideal levels. My cholesterol goal was 300 grams and I averaged 101 grams and my

sodium goal was 2300 mg and my average was 1,611 mg. High levels of cholesterol can play a

role in high blood pressure, risk of heart attack, hypertension and more. However, contrary to

what many believe our body does need HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol for healthy

liver function in the production of bile. The cholesterol we should avoid is LDL (low-density

lipoprotein) cholesterol also known as “bad cholesterol”. According to our text, Nutrition Now,

“It can be oxidized into reactive LDL particles that make it more likely to enter plaque and

contribute to inflammation and plaque buildup” (Brown 19-4). Foods that are high in LDL

cholesterol are fried foods, processed meats, and desserts. My sugar intake goal was 48 grams

and I averaged 51 grams. I have quite a sweet tooth and I love sugar whether it’s in the form of a

healthy fruit or a not so healthy dessert therefore I have to keep an eye on my sugar intake.

I surpassed my goal for fat intake by 9 grams and the fat that I consumed the most was

saturated fat. My saturated fat goal was 14 grams and I averaged exactly 14 grams. The app

didn’t allot me any polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat so I was in the negative for both but

only by 4-9 grams. I was surprised that my saturated fat intake was so high as MedlinePlus

states the following regarding saturated fats, “Foods with a lot of saturated fats are animal

products, such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats”. Since I follow a

vegetarian diet and I try to avoid dairy due to my IBS-C I didn’t think I would have higher levels

of saturated fat.
 The foods that I consumed during the week included salad, “turkey” veggie burgers, fruit,

nuts, small amounts of cheese, smoothies, quinoa, avocado, protein bars, eggs, and my cheat

days included pasta and pizza, which did not make my stomach happy at all. I do eat food from

all five food groups on a regular basis but my main food groups are vegetables and fruits. I avoid

dairy as much as I can because it causes me bloating, stomach cramps, and sharp pains, but I

always fail on cheat days. I can improve my grain intake by eating oatmeal and brown rice,

which are both healthy options. Although quinoa is a seed rather than a grain many include

quinoa as part of the grain family and I will continue to eat quinoa as it also serves as a protein

and fiber source. Additionally, much of the food I consume is on the healthier side but it’s not

prepared fresh. One of the goals I’m going to set for myself is to eat more freshly made meals

rather than packaged salads and protein bars. Due to my dietary issues and IBS-C I’m hesitant to

try new foods because I’m worried I will get a flare up but I can make an effort to try one new

food once a week. Our textbook states, “Adequate diets include a wide variety of foods that

together provide sufficient levels of calories and essential nutrients'' (Brown 6-3). I don’t do a

great job at including a wide variety of foods in my diet so by introducing one new food a week I

can monitor how that new food affected me and whether there were any negative symptoms.

Although the nutrition report didn’t include water intake I noticed that I’m not drinking as much

water as I should be. I drink water consistently during the day but as soon as I leave work I

hardly drink any water and the weekends are even worse. According to the book, Happy Healthy

Gut, “Water is vital for forming the foundation for blood, urine, digestive juices, and

perspiration” (Browne 127). The author continues to explain that our bodies are not capable of

storing water for long therefore it’s essential that we replenish our supply regularly.
 I consider myself a generally healthy eater but this assignment showed me hard facts and

showed me that I can make small changes to improve my diet which will in turn improve my

overall health.
 Works Cited

Browne, J. (2016). Happy healthy gut: the plant-based diet solution to curing Ibs and other

Brown, J. E. (2017). Nutrition Now (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

chronic digestive disorders. New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing.

Dietary fats explained: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000104.htm

Kirschmann, J. D. (2007). Nutrition Almanac (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.