Personal Diet Analysis

Dates Analyzed: Monday, June 13, 2022, Tuesday, June 14, 2022, and Saturday, June 18,2022.

This is a diet analysis report regarding me for the dates 06/12, 06/13, and 06/18/22. I am
a 19-year-old female weighing 180.2 pounds. My BMI is 28.2 indicating that I am in the
overweight category for adults with my height. However, I find that the BMI is inaccurate when
measuring a fat to muscle ratio. My daily activities are generally very active and include 2-3
hours of exercise. I run 30 minutes to an hour a day (6mph) on the treadmill or outside, do the
stair master for 10 minutes (level 5), 3 days a week, and weightlift 1-2 hours a day for strength
training and muscle toning. I usually take one active rest day a week where I will incline walk on
the treadmill, burning up to 500 calories. I am also an assistant in a hair salon where I am on my
feet 5 hours a day, 4 days a week washing client’s hair and cleaning the salon. Around the house,
I do dishes, clean the floors, and other household chores that include moderate activity. I am very
dedicated to maintaining a healthy body and feeling good in my own skin. My overall goal is to
cut 20 pounds of fat and turn it into lean muscle. I would like to increase my strength and
improve my diet too. I suffer from chronic gastrointestinal diseases and have been actively trying
to repair my digestive system. I have cut out all fried foods, fast food, and sweet treats. I am
watching my carb intake and increasing my protein and vegetable intake, while counting my
calories to ensure I am providing my body with enough food for healthy living. My one weak
spot is coffee, I love coffee. I have decided that decreasing the amount of coffee I drink in one
day will be beneficial for me. I now will allow myself 12 ounces of black coffee with 2
tablespoons of vanilla creamer. I’ve noticed in my own life when I stop allowing myself all
foods and drinks, I enjoy, my days are worse, and I am unhappy. The key is to allow yourself
some treats in moderation.

While analyzing my dietary intake and overall physical activity over these three days I came
across quite a few surprising details. On average, I consume 1,100 - 1,500 calories per day
(47.557% of DRI) and burn roughly 1,100 calories per day. I consumed 136.656% of my protein
goal, 52.221% of my carbohydrates goal, and 59.838% of my fat goal. To start seeing progress in
my fitness journey, I need to increase my protein intake and prepare healthy sources of
carbohydrates in my diet. After comparing my intake versus the DRI report, I found that I
consumed less than the suggested amount for a lot of vital nutrients, for example, I only
consumed 43.401% of the omega-6 fatty acid suggested amount. I am in the process of losing
weight and cutting my calories back to see progress. I have begun to increase my protein and
vegetables and slowly decrease my carbohydrates, replacing them with nutritional carbs for
energy. I noticed that decreasing my carb intake, I have felt less energized when performing
physical activity. I am now researching healthy substitutes for pasta and rice, which I like to
enjoy with dinner.

The next table outlines my Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), along with my own intakes for the
dates 06/13-14 and 06/18.
DRI Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
06/13/2022 06/14/2022 06/18/2022
Energy
Value Value Value Value
Kilocalories 2757.0 kcal 1501.442 kcal 1256.287 kcal 1175.671 kcal
Protein 65.32 g 103.448 g 85.862 g 78.481 g
Carbohydrates 310.16-448.01 g 186.097 g 140.663 g 159.142 g
Fat 61.27-107.22 g 38.753 g 42.532 g 28.702 g
Fat
Value Value Value Value
Saturated fat < 30.6 g 13.886 g 13.032 g 11.014 g
Monounsaturated X 9.011 g 9.601 g 3.121 g
fat
Polyunsaturated X 8.271 g 16.244 g 4.634 g
fat
Trans Fatty Acid X 0.00 g 0.019 g 0.00 g
Cholesterol <X 205.383 mg 133.635 mg 133.092
Essential Fatty Acids
Value Value Value Value
Omega-6 12.00 g 4.021 g 10.896 g 0.708 g
Linoleic Acid
Omega-3 1.10 g 0.481 g 1.602 g .298 g
Linoleic Acid
Carbohydrates
Value Value Value Value
Dietary fiber 25.0 g 15.392 g 25.435 g 25.236 g
Sugar X 52.85 g 29.689 g 60.75 g
Other
Value Value Value Value
Water 2700.00 g 6368.752 g 6525.003 g 3580.462 g
Alcohol X 0.00 g 0.00 g 0.00 g
Vitamins
Value Value Value Value
Thiamin 1.10 mg 1.597 mg 0.732 mg 1.394 mg
Riboflavin 1.10 mg 1.277 mg 1.009 mg 1.369 mg
Niacin 14.00 mg 46.998 mg 23.595 mg 33.811 mg
Vitamin B6 1.30 mg 1.688 mg 1.789 mg 1.516 mg
Vitamin B12 2.40 mcg 0.578 mcg 0.962 mcg 0.289 mcg
Folate 400.00 mcg 573.344 mcg 454.853 mcg 707.222 mcg
Vitamin C 75.00 mg 208.014 mg 261.385 mg 308.642 mg
Vitamin D 15.00 mcg 0.464 mcg 0.846 mcg 0.085 mcg
Vitamin A (RAE) 700.00 mcg 323.306 mcg 381.632 mcg 1354.243 mcg
Vitamin A (IU) 2333.00 IU 4821.26 IU 7145.493 IU 27510.001 IU
Vitamin K 90.00 mcg 376.71 mcg 626.863 mcg 583.723 mcg
Alpha-tocopherol 15.00 mg 56.30 mg 10.486 mg 58.736 mg
Minerals
Value Value Value Value
 Calcium 1000.00 mg 582.865 mg 586.796 mg 580.612 mg
Iron 18.00 mg 12.635 mg 10.964 mg 11.939 mg
Magnesium 310.00 mg 186.325 mg 223.069 mg 151.382 mg
Potassium 2600.00 mg 1834.822 mg 2175.538 mg 2196.954 mg
Zinc 8.00 mg 11.389 mg 4.478 mg 10.446 mg
Sodium 1500.00 mg 2172.522 1534.252 mg 1282.631 mg
X= no daily recommendation

Analysis
I consider myself to have an active lifestyle, as I was a rower for seven years prior to entering
college. I was always placed on an extremely strict diet to maintain a lean and toned figure. This
led to bad habits and caused me to believe that carbs were bad for you. I still watch my carbs and
am careful with what I put into my body. I try to focus more on the quality of what I am
consuming over the calories. One of my staples in my diet is chicken and broccoli for a dinner or
lunch meal. This meal provides me with a large amount of protein (46.35 g) and vegetables (3.5
cups), few carbohydrates (34.45) as well as a significantly small portion of omega-6 fatty acids
(0.59 g). I suffer from a chronic stomach illness; therefore, my doctors have told me to limit all
fats and acid-based foods from my diet as it creates irritation along my stomach lining. This meal
I prepare for myself each week is safe from stomach irritation. However, an alternate meal that
would provide me with more energy and essential nutrients would consist of chicken, rice, and
an assortment of vegetables including broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, and asparagus. I will
compare the two meals in the tables below.

Chicken and Broccoli Meal Chicken, Rice, and Veggie

Meal
Calories (kcal) 320.7 430.6
Protein (g) 46.35 40.44
Omega-6 (g) 0.59 0.8
Carbohydrates (g) 34.45 59.46
Iron (mg) 4.81 4.78
Calcium (mg) 225.28 120.78
Zinc (mg) 2.65 2.63
Fiber (g) 19.3 10

I do not lack in the protein department. I consumed 136.656% of the suggested protein intake,
which is good for someone like myself who is trying to lose fat and build muscle. Everyone has
different fitness goals, and consuming high amounts of protein is essential to my overall goal.
That being said, I am lacking some vital nutrients in my diet when analyzing the 3-day period,
specifically, omega-6 fatty acids and carbohydrates. To ensure I am meeting my nutrient
requirements to live a healthy lifestyle, increasing my essential fatty acids intake and
carbohydrates would be beneficial to feeling energized throughout the day.
One item that was recorded daily was Zero Sugar French Vanilla Delight Coffee Creamer. 1 tbs
of this creamer is 20 kcal, has 0 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fat. Although, this creamer has
no sugar, it can taste artificial. I am severely allergic to all nuts and coconuts, so my options for
substituting creamer for milk is at a minimum. Instead, I can try using skim milk as a
replacement. Skim milk is loaded with essential nutrients; one serving of skim milk is 8 oz,
contains a good source of protein (8.7 g), adequate amount of carbs (12.3 g), healthy dose of
calcium (349 mg), low in calories (80 kcal), 419 mg of potassium, only 5 mg of cholesterol, and
0 grams of fat making it a healthy alternative to other creamers or whole milk.

Although during my analysis I consumed a lot of broccoli, integrating other vegetables into my
diet such as different leafy greens or good sources of orange vegetables would benefit my
nutritional levels. This was only a 3-day diet analysis; thus, I do eat spinach wraps with spinach
tortillas, extra spinach, grilled chicken, and ranch for some lunches throughout the week. I also
like to enjoy carrots and hummus as an afternoon snack or even as a lunch meal. On days where I
choose to have a spinach wrap, my calcium levels are probably more in line with the suggested
amount. When looking at my vitamin levels, I was within a healthy range for most of the
vitamins and minerals listed including Vitamins B6, A (RAE), Thiamin, Riboflavin, Iron,
Potassium, Zinc, and Sodium. However, the DRI report showed that I should intake 2333 IU of
Vitamin A daily, and my 3-day analysis averaged 13,158.918 IU of Vitamin A per day or
564.034%. This abundance of Vitamin A comes from the large portions of broccoli I had over
those three days. Integrating a variety of fruits and vegetables will help to even out this
abnormality. I was insufficient for Vitamin B12 (25%), D (3%), and Calcium (58%). I consumed
an abundance of Niacin (248%), Folate (144%), Vitamin C (345%), K(587%), and E (278%).

While evaluating my DRI report versus my 3-day average, it also showed that I am intaking
60.299% of the recommended amount of magnesium (DRI- 310.00 mg, actual- 186.926 mg). A
way I could integrate this into my diet is by consuming low-fat milk or yogurt. I do enjoy having
yogurt bowls with a variety of fruits and granola mixed in on some days. On these particular
days I ended up having very little yogurt and fruit, making my level lower than normal. Another
great way to increase magnesium levels is by eating nuts or dried beans. Since I am allergic to all
nuts, I am unable to partake in that and will have to try lentils or soybeans.

As someone who is trying to lose weight in a healthy way, while limiting sugar and fats I should
try making protein shakes that include healthy sugars such as fruits and include 15-30 grams of
protein. I could use that as a replacement for breakfast since the blueberry bagel is not providing
much nutritional value for me. I like to get protein smoothies at Wawa or Planet Smoothie, but I
have never tried them at home. I will show a list of essential nutrients that a protein smoothie
could provide for me instead of a bagel.

Kilocalories Protein Carbohydrates Magnesium Sugar

Protein Fruit 439.4 kcal 27.64 g 75.02 g 121.52 mg 58.11 g
Smoothie

This breakfast alternative fills my body with a great source of protein, healthy sugars to provide
me with energy throughout the day, will help balance magnesium levels, and boost carbohydrate
intake. This smoothie is made up of 1 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1 cup of frozen unsweetened
strawberries, ½ of a regular banana, ½ cup of frozen, sweetened pineapple, and one scoop of
EAS 100% WHEY PROTEIN Powder, Vanilla, Dry. I am excited to try this combination and see
how my energy is throughout the day while weightlifting and doing cardio.
Conducting this diet analysis expanded my knowledge about my own nutrition. I also feel more
educated on what are essential nutrients and of those nutrients, which ones I need to consume
more of or less of. I was able to see how many calories, on average, I consume a day versus the
number of calories I am burning from weightlifting and performing various cardio activities. I
am prepared to continue my fitness journey and fill my body with healthy nutrients to live a
healthy lifestyle.