Brian EsserProf. JiaSept 21st 2016MacronutrientsFood Choice Project

Self-Assessment

There are all walks of life that one person can say that have an impact on their diet and eating habits. Each person has their own schedule that they follow each day and it varies from day to day, also each person comes from a different background that influences their choices. I have grown up within a family that believed home cooked meals should be held fairly often with the entire family. Now I did not eat a certain cultural diet but I was surrounded by home cooked meals every night throughout my childhood. Therefore, fruits, vegetables, poultry, meats, dairy and whole grains were combined in various different ways and served to me each night. This may be one of the beneficial biggest factors in my life that have come to influence my diet. Many people have grown up not knowing how to prepare a home cooked meal which limits there healthy choices dramatically. Because if you are not preparing your own meals you are most likely not consuming fresh whole some foods. My family instilled the idea that fresh home cooked meals were the way to do eat and I still practice that habit today. It sometimes can be difficult because of school and work complications I do not always have time to cook a meal but luckily I set aside my Sundays to prepare meals for the week. Thus, I can grab my food and go when I need to because I am a very active busy person, I rarely waste time. Also, meats were in abundance within my childhood home, many red meats like sirloin, filet mignon, beef, flanks etc. These habits have stuck with me because they are familiar to me so I tend to eat a meat product and a vegetable product with almost every meal. The consumption of meats can be somewhat dangerous as I can lead to hypertension and heart disease, my father has already developed hypertension so a try to work fish into my diet once or twice a week to reduce my consumption of red meats and thus my risk of heart disease. Next, when I was a child I developed a positive association with fruits, after winning football games we were given oranges and bananas to replenish us. Thus, I associated a positive feeling when consuming fruits because of the sensation of winning helped me to stay true to my love for fruits today. This becomes a beneficial factor because instead of eating processed snacks filled with added sugars and chemicals I eat wholesome fruits instead. This actually helps me to uplift my day due to naturally reoccurring sugars and antioxidants. Consequently, I have much more of an attraction to sweet sugary foods then I do to fatty foods. I believe this to be because of my positive association to fruits. Although, I may not be always eating fruits, sometimes I crave sugary filled drinks and candies that are harmful to my diet. On days that I am feeling emotional this comes into play vastly because I crave the comfort of these sugar filled foods, I associate it with a good feeling so I reach for it when my emotions run high. It has been proven that sugar releases serotonin in the brain which is why many people eat sugar filled foods when feeling upset or emotional because they want to feel better. This is a flaw in my diet that I try to keep in check but it is not easy because so many foods are now loaded with sugar due to the change in the food industry. I can always try to implement more vegetables then fruits into my diet which also come with nutritional benefits such as more Vitamin A, K, and E which I may be lacking. When I am with friends it definitely effects my food choices and diet, social interactions tend to be one of the biggest factors that play a role in my food choices. This can be either a detriment or an uplifting

factor in my diet, it depends on who I am putting myself around and what I am doing that day. Many days it is good because I am spending time with my gym partner as we live together. So I tend to make good choices that will benefit my goals exercise wise. But there are also days when I am out with other friends that may want to make a trip to a fast food restaurant late at night and I tend to give in. So much of the social influence comes from who I spend most of my time with. Whether it consumer Trans fatty acids from fast foods or eat a home cooked meal that is fairly well balanced my social interaction plays a noticeable role. Finally, my knowledge of health and nutrition helps tremendously to propel me to towards healthy food choices. Generally, I know whether I am eating something wholesome and nutrient dense versus something lacking nutrients. This is my biggest benefit when it comes to my decision making on the foods I consume. I have counted my macros many times before and I seem to be pretty close to the recommended intake for my activity level and goals. I do tend to over consume sugar because so many foods today are loaded with simple sugars and added sugars from the food industry. But here I know that my knowledge is helping me to come closer to a good balanced diet. One can say that my food choices have stemmed from my families habits, but in reality my choices have be learned socially over the years. Obtaining knowledge about nutrition has helped me to differentiate between health choices and not healthy choices. I have learned many of the basis of my food choices from my family but as I have grown other factors outside of my family have come into play to influence my choices. For example, I have started a high carb, high protein intake diet to put on weight and increase my strength gains over the winter months. I’ve learned how to do this because of the knowledge that I have obtained and the people that I live with. Also, this habit was learned from my surroundings and experiences but my ability to perform the preparation for these foods was given to me by my families influence. Therefore, there are a wide spectrum of influences that have come to me over the years which have directed my food choices in certain directions. I believe that many of the pathways that have led me to my choices today are beneficial but the only pathway that I can say is detrimental is my craving for sugary foods. Otherwise, I eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, assorted proteins, and I keep my consumption of Trans fats and unsaturated fats to a minimum. I try not to take any supplements because from my routine visit from my physician I am healthy and my blood work comes back good. Now as I get older my diet will have more of an effect on my body but I do as well as I can to eat right now so I have an easier time later in life.

Commonly Preferred Diet(Assignment 3)

Meals/Snacks Day 1 Day 2 Day 3Breakfast: 9:00 Am 1 oz Bacon

3 Eggs½ cup Milk2 Slices White Bread2 Tbsp. Concord Jelly 1 Tbsp. Salted Butter1/3 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese12 oz Prepared Iced Tea

2 oz of Pork Roll2 Eggs1 Egg Bagel1 oz of American Cheese3 oz French Fries (15 Strips)2 Cups of Orange Juice12 oz water

3 Eggs½ cup of Green Peppers½ cup of milk2 tbsp salted butter2 slices white bread 12 oz of Whole Milk

Am Snack: 11:00 Am 1 Blueberry Muffin (134g Dunkin Donuts)

1 Jelly Donut (53g Dunkin Donuts)

2 Poptart Pastry (104g)

Lunch: 2:00 Pm 5 oz Kraft Mac and Cheese12 oz Pepsi Cola

2 slices white break4 oz roast beef2 oz tomato1 oz Romaine Lettuce2 oz Bacon16 oz Water

4 oz Tuna 2 slices of white bread1 cup of American Cheese1 tbsp salted butter

Pm Snack: 4:00 Pm 1 (92g) Pudding Cup6 oz Milk

4 oz pretzel sticks12 Apple Juice

1.5 oz Granola8 oz Pineapple juice

Dinner: 7:00 Pm 6 oz Salmon2 tbsp olive oil 5 oz mashed potato.25 oz minced garlic1/3 cup milkTsp salted butter12 oz Pepsi Cola

16 oz Tenderloin Steak2 oz A1 Steak sauce2 tbsp olive oil2.5 oz Asparagus Sautéed 5 oz Red wine

8 oz Chicken Breast2 cups white rice1 oz Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce2 Tbsp olive oil16 oz water

Bedtime Snack: 10:00 pm 1 Hersey’s Cholate Bar (34g)

5 Chips ahoy cookies (225g)

1 slice of Pizza 19g (Dominos)

Planned Healthy Diet (3,000 Calories Diet)

Meals/Snacks Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Breakfast: 9:30 Am 1 c lettuce

2 oz Turkey1 tbs light salad dressing1 oz white bread10 oz fortified Milk

1 c collard greens 2 oz Roast beef2 tbs light salad dressing1 oz white bread7 oz fortified milk

1 c Lettuce2 oz chicken2 tbs light salad dressing1 oz white bread7 oz fortified milk

Am Snack: 11:00 Am 1.25 c peaches 1.25c purple grapes 1.25 c BananasLunch: 2:00 Pm 2 oz brown eggs

3 oz Whole Grain Bread1 c lettuce 1 c tomatoes 16 oz water

2 oz brown eggs1 c lettuce1 c tomatoes3 oz Whole Grain Bread16 oz water

2 oz brown eggs 1 c collard greens1 c tomatoes3 oz whole grain bread16 oz water

Pm Snack: 4:00 Pm 3 oz whole grain bread1.25 c Strawberries

3 oz whole grain bread1.25 c oranges

3 oz whole grain bread1.25 c Kiwi

Dinner: 7:00 Pm 3 oz Flounder.5 oz olive oil1 c kale3 oz white rice16 oz water

3 oz Filet Mignon.5 oz olive oil1 c asparagus 3 oz white rice16 oz water

3 oz tofu.5 oz olive oil1 c broccoli 3 oz white rice16 oz water

Bedtime Snack: 10:00pm

76 Grams Protein Power (100% Whey Cyto Sport)12 oz 2% Reduced Fat Milk1 tsp peanut butter

76 Grams Protein Power (100% Whey Cyto Sport)12 oz 2% Reduced Fat Milk1 tsp peanut butter

76 Grams Protein Power (100% Whey Cyto Sport)12 oz 2% Reduced Fat Milk1 tsp peanut butter

Commonly Preferred Diet

Esserb3's Food Groups and Calories Report 10/04/16 - 10/06/16Your personal Calorie goal is 3200. Your plan amounts are based on meeting your nutrient needs.

Food Groups Target Average Eaten Status

Grains 10 ounce(s) 10 ounce(s) OK

Whole Grains ≥ 5 ounce(s) 0 ounce(s) Under

Refined Grains ≤ 5 ounce(s) 10 ounce(s) Over

Vegetables 4 cup(s) 1½ cup(s) Under

Dark Green 2½ cup(s)/week 0 cup(s) Under

Red & Orange 7½ cup(s)/week 1 cup(s) Under

Beans & Peas 3 cup(s)/week 0 cup(s) Under

Starchy 8 cup(s)/week 2¾ cup(s) Under

Other 7 cup(s)/week 1 cup(s) Under

Fruits 2½ cup(s) 1½ cup(s) Under

Whole Fruit No Specific Target 0 cup(s) No Specific Target

Fruit Juice No Specific Target 1½ cup(s) No Specific Target

Dairy 3 cup(s) 3 cup(s) OK

Milk & Yogurt No Specific Target 1½ cup(s) No Specific

Target

Cheese No Specific Target 1½ cup(s) No Specific Target

Protein Foods 7 ounce(s) 14½ ounce(s) Over

Seafood 10 ounce(s)/week 9 ounce(s) Under

Meat, Poultry & Eggs No Specific Target 11½ ounce(s) No Specific Target

Nuts, Seeds & Soy No Specific Target 0 ounce(s) No Specific Target

Oils 11 teaspoon 7 teaspoon Under

Limits Limit Average Eaten Status

Total Calories 3200 Calories 3347 Calories Over

Added Sugars < 320 Calories 342 Calories Over

Saturated Fat < 320 Calories 459 Calories Over

Alcohol * 36 Calories *

Esserb3's Nutrients Report 10/04/16 - 10/06/16Your personal Calorie goal is 3200. Your plan amounts are based on meeting your nutrient needs.

Nutrients Target Average Eaten Status

Total Calories 3200 Calories 3347 Calories Over

Protein (g)*** 56 g 170 g OK

Protein (% Calories)*** 10 - 35% Calories 20% Calories OK

Carbohydrate (g)*** 130 g 354 g OK

Carbohydrate (% Calories)*** 45 - 65% Calories 42% Calories Under

Dietary Fiber 38 g 13 g Under

Total Sugars No Daily Target or Limit

155 g No Daily Target or Limit

Added Sugars < 80 g 85 g Over

Total Fat 20 - 35% Calories 36% Calories Over

Saturated Fat < 10% Calories 14% Calories Over

Polyunsaturated Fat No Daily Target or Limit

6% Calories No Daily Target or Limit

Monounsaturated Fat No Daily Target or Limit

14% Calories No Daily Target or Limit

Linoleic Acid (g)*** 17 g 18 g OK

Linoleic Acid (% Calories)*** 5 - 10% Calories 5% Calories OK

α-Linolenic Acid (% Calories)*** 0.6 - 1.2% Calories 0.6% Calories OK

α-Linolenic Acid (g)*** 1.6 g 2.1 g OK

Omega 3 - EPA No Daily Target or Limit

313 mg No Daily Target or Limit

Omega 3 - DHA No Daily Target or Limit

562 mg No Daily Target or Limit

Cholesterol < 300 mg 845 mg Over

Minerals Target Average Eaten Status

Calcium 1000 mg 1336 mg OK

Potassium 4700 mg 4301 mg Under

Sodium** < 2300 mg 5901 mg Over

Copper 900 µg 1649 µg OK

Iron 8 mg 21 mg OK

Magnesium 400 mg 371 mg Under

Phosphorus 700 mg 2648 mg OK

Selenium 55 µg 260 µg OK

Zinc 11 mg 17 mg OK

Vitamins Target Average Eaten Status

Vitamin A 900 µg RAE 862 µg RAE Under

Vitamin B6 1.3 mg 4.2 mg OK

Vitamin B12 2.4 µg 7.7 µg OK

Vitamin C 90 mg 150 mg OK

Vitamin D 15 µg 14 µg Under

Vitamin E 15 mg AT 11 mg AT Under

Vitamin K 120 µg 74 µg Under

Folate 400 µg DFE 795 µg DFE OK

Thiamin 1.2 mg 3.7 mg OK

Riboflavin 1.3 mg 3.5 mg OK

Niacin 16 mg 47 mg OK

Choline 550 mg 835 mg OK

Healthy Planned Diet

Esserb3's Food Groups and Calories Report 10/07/16 - 10/09/16Your personal Calorie goal is 3200. Your plan amounts are based on meeting your nutrient needs.

Food Groups Target Average Eaten Status

Grains 10 ounce(s) 6½ ounce(s) Under

Whole Grains ≥ 5 ounce(s) 2 ounce(s) Under

Refined Grains ≤ 5 ounce(s) 5 ounce(s) OK

Vegetables 4 cup(s) 3¼ cup(s) Under

Dark Green 2½ cup(s)/week 2¾ cup(s) OK

Red & Orange 7½ cup(s)/week 1½ cup(s) Under

Beans & Peas 3 cup(s)/week 0 cup(s) Under

Starchy 8 cup(s)/week 0 cup(s) Under

Other 7 cup(s)/week ½ cup(s) Under

Fruits 2½ cup(s) 2 cup(s) Under

Whole Fruit No Specific Target 2 cup(s) No Specific Target

Fruit Juice No Specific Target 0 cup(s) No Specific Target

Dairy 3 cup(s) 4 cup(s) Over

Milk & Yogurt No Specific Target 2½ cup(s) No Specific Target

Cheese No Specific Target 0 cup(s) No Specific Target

Protein Foods 7 ounce(s) 5½ ounce(s) Under

Seafood 10 ounce(s)/week 1½ ounce(s) Under

Meat, Poultry & Eggs No Specific Target 3½ ounce(s) No Specific Target

Nuts, Seeds & Soy No Specific Target 1 ounce(s) No Specific Target

Oils 11 teaspoon 5 teaspoon Under

Limits Limit Average Eaten Status

Total Calories 3200 Calories 1773 Calories Under

Added Sugars < 320 Calories 30 Calories OK

Saturated Fat < 320 Calories 135 Calories OK

Esserb3's Nutrients Report 10/07/16 - 10/09/16Your personal Calorie goal is 3200. Your plan amounts are based on meeting your nutrient needs.

Nutrients Target Average Eaten Status

Total Calories 3200 Calories 1773 Calories Under

Protein (g)*** 56 g 125 g OK

Protein (% Calories)*** 10 - 35% Calories 28% Calories OK

Carbohydrate (g)*** 130 g 213 g OK

Carbohydrate (% Calories)*** 45 - 65% Calories 48% Calories OK

Dietary Fiber 38 g 26 g Under

Total Sugars No Daily Target or Limit

87 g No Daily Target or Limit

Added Sugars < 80 g 7 g OK

Total Fat 20 - 35% Calories 26% Calories OK

Saturated Fat < 10% Calories 8% Calories OK

Polyunsaturated Fat No Daily Target or Limit

5% Calories No Daily Target or Limit

Monounsaturated Fat No Daily Target or Limit

10% Calories No Daily Target or Limit

Linoleic Acid (g)*** 17 g 9 g Under

Linoleic Acid (% Calories)*** 5 - 10% Calories 5% Calories OK

α-Linolenic Acid (% Calories)*** 0.6 - 1.2% Calories 0.6% Calories OK

α-Linolenic Acid (g)*** 1.6 g 1.1 g Under

Omega 3 - EPA No Daily Target or Limit

34 mg No Daily Target or Limit

Omega 3 - DHA No Daily Target or Limit

75 mg No Daily Target or Limit

Cholesterol < 300 mg 472 mg Over

Minerals Target Average Eaten Status

Calcium 1000 mg 1751 mg OK

Potassium 4700 mg 3979 mg Under

Sodium** < 2300 mg 2104 mg OK

Copper 900 µg 1999 µg OK

Iron 8 mg 12 mg OK

Magnesium 400 mg 454 mg OK

Phosphorus 700 mg 1879 mg OK

Selenium 55 µg 132 µg OK

Zinc 11 mg 14 mg OK

Vitamins Target Average Eaten Status

Vitamin A 900 µg RAE 1586 µg RAE OK

Vitamin B6 1.3 mg 2.8 mg OK

Vitamin B12 2.4 µg 5.9 µg OK

Vitamin C 90 mg 246 mg OK

Vitamin D 15 µg 10 µg Under

Vitamin E 15 mg AT 11 mg AT Under

Vitamin K 120 µg 980 µg OK

Folate 400 µg DFE 818 µg DFE OK

Thiamin 1.2 mg 1.8 mg OK

Riboflavin 1.3 mg 2.7 mg OK

Niacin 16 mg 25 mg OK

Choline 550 mg 516 mg Under

Food Groups Comparison

Food Groups Suggested Amounts by DG 2015

3 days Commonly Preferred diet

3 days Planned Healthy diet

Grain 10 oz 10 oz Good 6 ½ oz UnderWhole Grains Greater or = 5 0oz 2oz Refined Grains Less or = 5 10oz 5ozVegetables 4 Cups 1 ½ cup Under 3 ½ cup UnderDark Greens 2 ½ C wk 0 C 2 ¾ CRed & Orange 7 ½ C wk 1 C 1 ½ CBeans & Peas 3 C wk 0 C 0 CStarchy 8 C wk 2 ¾ C 0 COther 7 C wk 1 C ½ CFruits 2 ½ cups 1 ½ cup Under 2 cups UnderWhole Fruit No Target 0 C 2 CFruit Juice No Target 1 ½ C 0 CDairy 3 cups 3 cups Good 4 cups OverMilk & Yogurt No Target 1 ½ C 2 ½ CCheese No Target 1 ½ C 0 CProtein 7 oz 14 ½ oz Over 5 ½ oz UnderSeafood 10 oz wk 9oz 1 ½oz Poultry, Meat, Eggs No Target 11 ½ oz 3 ½ozSeeds, Soy, Nuts No Target 0oz 10oz Oils 11 teaspoons 7 teaspoon Under 5 teaspoon UnderTotal Calories 3,200 347 calories Over 1,227 UnderAdded Sugar <320 kCal 342 30 kCalSaturated Fat <320 kCal 459 135 kCalAlcohol * 36 *Discretionary Calories Average +374 kcal -347 kcal +1,227 kcal

Nutrition Reports ComparisonNutrient Groups Target DRI Commonly Preferred

DietPlanned Healthy Diet

Total Calories 3,200 3,347 1,773Protein 56g 170g 125gProtein %kcal 10-35% 20% 28%Carb 130g 354g 213gCarb % kcal 45-65% 42% 48%Lipids % kcal 20-35% 36% 26%Fiber 38g 13g 26gTotal Sugar No Target 155g 87gAdded Sugar <80g 85g 7gTotal Fat 20-35% 36% 26%Saturated Fat <10% 14% 8%Polyunsaturated Fat No Target 6% 5%Monounsaturated Fat No Target 14% 10%

Linoleic Acid 17g 18g 9g Linoleic Acid %kcal 5-10% 5% 5%a-Linoleic Acid 1.6g 2.1g 1.1 a-Linoleic Acid %kcal .6%-1.2% .6% .6%Omega-3 EPA No Target 313mg 34mgOmega-3 DHA No Target 562mg 75mgCholesterol <300mg 865mg 472mgMineralsCalcium 1000mg 1336mg 1751mgPotassium 4700mg 4301mg 3979mgSodium <2300mg 5901mg 2014mgCopper 900ug 164ug 1999 ugIron 8mg 21mg 12mgMagnesium 400mg 371mg 454mgPhosphorus 700mg 2648mg 1874mgSelenium 550ug 260ug 132ug Zinc 11mg 17mg 14mgVitamins Vitamin A 900ug 862ug 1586ugVitamin B6 1.3mg 4.2mg 2.8mgVitamin B12 2.4ug 7.7ug 59ugVitamin C 90mg 150mg 245mgVitamin D 15ug 14ug 10ugVitamin K 110ug 74ug 98ugVitamin E 15mg 11mg 11mgFolate 400ug 795ug 818ugThiamin 1.2g 3.7g 1.8gRiboflavin 1.3g 3.5g 2.7gNiacin 16mg 47mg 25mg Choline 550mg 855mg 516mg

Analysis:

In regards to specific nutrient intake comparison I had a target calorie total of 3,200 kcal, I went slightly over this goal within the commonly preferred diet at 3,347 kcal and 1,773 kcal during the healthy diet. I felt very famished on the healthy diet as my calorie intake was well under what I was used too. My protein intake for both diets was well over the recommended 56g each day at 170g during the common diet and 125g during the healthy diet. This recommended protein intake I believe to be severely under scored as the super tracker did not account accurately for my level of activity. Personally I feel as if my protein intake is too low as I am trying to reach a certain weight gain of 15 pounds. My target carbs seem to according to the recommended diet are both very high at 354g and 213g well over the recommended 130g. This recommended intake to seem very low as I ate 83g over the recommended amount and my calorie intake for that diet was 1,200 kcal under the recommended daily value. My fiber intake is recommended at 38g, I had eaten 15g during the common diet and 26g during the healthy diet. I can say that during the common diet I could definitely see some GI distress and blockage during the diet, I would make less frequent trips to the bathroom but during the healthy diet I felt more at ease with my bowel movements. This is clearly due to the amount of fiber I ate in each diet and also the amount of water that I drank in each diet. I drank more sugary drinks in the common diet and much more water each day during the healthy diet which made a noticeable difference in how my bowel moved. I had many more added sugars in my common diet reaching 85g of the 80g or less that is recommended. The contribution to this was clearly the many sugary drinks that I ate consistently. With the healthy diet in mind I had only 7g of added sugars, the total amounts of sugar that I ate in eat diet were significantly lower also, 155g compared to 87g in the healthy diet. Over time this would make a noticeable difference in my health and appearance. My omega 6 fatty acids were nearly their goals in percentage for each diet but came close in raw intake within the planned healthy diet a-linoleic was .5 grams from intake. I was much closer to reaching my goal for Linoleic within the common diet then I was in the healthy diet though. Although, my percentage intake in regards to my calories were there they did not meet the raw consumption needs. However my omega 3 intake for each diet were drastically different, I consumed 313mg of EPA and 562mg of DHA within the common diet. There is no intake requirement for the intake of Omega 3 but the amounts could possibly make a difference heart health the long run as well as other bodily functions, because within the healthy diet I consumed 34mg of EPA and 75mg of DHA. Both of my diets reached well of the <300mg consumption of cholesterol the DG recommends. Although, when comparing the two diets the common diet almost doubles the intake compared to the healthy diet which is 475mg. Here we can see the why so many Americans have coronary heart disease and high cholesterol. The minerals in each diet were relatively met in each diet, met, but not within proper means. The common diet over reached its calcium by 336mg, sodium by 3601mg, iron by 13mg, phosphorus by 1948mg, and zinc by 17mg. The planned healthy diet was not much better in it mineral consumption which over arched calcium by 751mg, copper by 1099ug, magnesium by 54mg, phosphorus by 1174mg, and zinc by 3mg. As

you can see both diets over consumed on multiple areas and also tended to under consume in others. They were relatively similar in their mineral consumption, therefore, I conclude that because of the lack of variety in both diets this was the result of that lacking. I believe that with a change in the foods from day to day each diet will have contribute much more accurately to the correct mineral intake. Next, my vitamin A consumption within the common diet was 862ug compared to 1586ug in the healthy diet with the recommended amount being 900ug. This increase was due to the amount of red and orange vegetables that were eaten in the healthy diet. Vitamin B12 was drastically over consumed in the healthy diet at 59ug with a recommended 2.4ug. This was due to the amount of animal meats that were consumed in the diet. B12 was over consumed in the common diet by 5.3ug which is not nearly as much as the healthy diet. This was adversely due to the lack of animal meats that were in the common diet. Vitamins D, K, and E were all under consumed while Vitamin C was over consumed vastly in both diets. Also, in the common diet Folate, Riboflavin, Choline, Niacin, and Thiamine were all over consumed. The same can be said for the healthy diet with the exception of Choline. During the two different diets I kept my eating as strict as possible when it came to the amounts of each type of food I was eating. There was some good contrast within both diets that I could target easily. The commonly preferred diet I felt as if I was satisfied in the moment, my satiety was good, but soon after with some of the things I would eat I felt sluggish and tired almost. Getting up early for class was not easy because of my diet, I just felt overall tired and sick feeling. I did not feel the same as usual because I had changed my original diet and started eating things that were less nutrient dense. Thus, the donuts, muffins, pop tarts and candy between my meals where no satisfying my nutrient needs. Choose my plate explains nutrient dense foods as “wholesome foods with little or no saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars”(Choosemyplate, 2016) My common diet was full of foods high in saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars. Therefore, I had these adverse reactions throughout my day because of the lack of nutritious foods I was consuming. With the planned healthy diet I had a few complications but I did not have the adverse reactions that I had with the common diet. I felt generally better on this diet, I was fuller and had more energy throughout my day. The only issue I had with this diet was that I did not meet my calorie needs. This led me to get hungry more often between meals, I would crave a snack but for the sake of the experience I did not eat. Consequently, I complete about two hours of vigorous exercise each day and the lack of calories significantly brought down my performance. Lastly, I can say that if I ate the correct amounts of food and met my caloric intake needs then there is no doubt that I would have had no issue with my satiety and appetite. My nutrient intake following the planned healthy diet was much better than the intake of the common diet. The variety of foods that I have eaten bring my intake of each nutrient closer to its recommended intake, especially that of added sugars, fats, and sodium compared to the common diet. The total fat consumption in common diet was 36% compared to 26%, the total sugars were 155g with 85g being added sugar compared to 87g and 7g being added. Finally, the consumption of sodium within the common diet was 5901mg well over the 2,300mg limit, compared to 2104mg within the planned healthy diet. These are the key areas of over consumption when it comes to the American preferred

diet. According to the American Society of Nutrition “Intakes of saturated fat, and to a lesser extent Trans fats, are important determinants of LDL cholesterol, which is a causal risk factor for CHD.”(Clarke, 2009) High LDL runs on my family, therefore, eating a common diet puts me at an even higher risk of disease. Also, this common diet contributes highly to death due to heart disease in America. From experiencing this diet I can see why from my own feeling of wellness to the numbers on the charts that our common diet is one of the biggest modern day killers. The consumption of the different diets and the key consumption of fats, sodium and sugars play affect the emotions differently. For me on the commonly preferred diet I felt as if I was unmotivated to get anything done. I wanted to lay down and take a nap most of the days, this diet also brought my mood down. I did not want to do anything that I normally do throughout my day. I struggled to get to the gym, school work was not up to par, and I was a bore to my friends. This is nothing that I did not believe would happen on this diet. When following the planned healthy diet I was somewhat lethargic because of the lack of calorie intake but my overall mood was good. I had a good motivation to get things done, I was getting quality school work done, and I was social. I can see the difference when it comes to what you put into your body, how it affect the chemical composition and then after your mood. This was due to the difference in empty calories that I was consuming verses the amount of nutrient dense calories I was eating. There was a study done by the Association of UK Dietitians to measure energy outputs and nutrient intake of kids 11-14 years old. Here they measured their energy consumed and the nutrients they took in and compared those who at nutrient dense foods verses empty calories. Thus, they found that those who ate high amounts of empty calories had lower levels of vitamin D and protein. This suggests that because I ate many products higher in fats, sodium and sugars my nutrient intake was down. Therefore, my body could not perform and operate adequately, which resulted in my lethargic state.(Rugg-Gunn, 2008) If I had the correct calorie intake when eating the healthy there is no doubt that I believe I would have met many more of the nutrient marks that I was under in, but also my energy level would have greatly improved. My current diet is a mix of both the planned healthy diet and commonly preferred diet. I have days where I eat a good wholesome breakfast, but I snack on a muffin or donut. Also, am lacking in my vegetable intake, I sometimes go a few days without eating any vegetables. Next, to make matters worse the calories that would be taken up by vegetables are filled in with usually starchy grains. My experience with these diets has effect my thoughts of how I eat and what I should be eating. I intend to shape my diet more towards the healthy diet because I felt good during those few days. With my current diet I feel moderate, not bad but not good. Thus, I want to get my motivation and mood more towards how I felt during the healthy diet and then focus on meeting the intake requirements. I believe with the experience of the two separate diets and planning of my own. I can use this as a trial run which will help me to tweak my eating habits and add in more variety of foods that will help me to keep a more nutritious diet in the long run. The biggest factors that will come into play when it comes to sugar intake is to reduce the amount of soda that I drink each week. I am not a big soda drinker to begin with, but there are times that I do have it, as we can see from the commonly preferred diet it adds tremendously to the added sugar intake. After that, I know my

vegetable intake is low which I intend to add more leafy greens into my diet at dinner and lunch times. This will help me get the right fiber intake also which will naturally clear my system of impurities, and also by making this choice I will reduce the amount of simple carbs that I consume. Therefore, I can conclude that with the knowledge that I have I can make a few simple changes in my diet that will go a long way. Also, with the use of Super tracker I will be able to see where my diet has certain flaws and what needs to be changed along the way. With the breakdown of the Macro and Micronutrients of each diet we can see significant dips in the scale. Thus, I see that although the diets consist of such drastically different food choices. But the vitamins and minerals consumed in each diet tell a story that the choices made within each diet were either overly nutrient dense or not nutrient dense at all. I contribute this fact to the lack of variety in each diet that was planned. Many of the same meals with slight variations were made for both of the diets which lead to this imbalance of nutrients. In regards to the macronutrients the biggest differences that care recorded are the amount of calories, fats (especially saturated), and added sugars that are taken in by the two diets. The amount of fats and calories taken in by the common diet are what I believe to be the cause of the lethargic lazy state that I was in during that time. But almost the same can be said for the healthy diet, I was starved of about 1,300 calories that I was used to eating. Therefore, my satiety suffered and so did my mood, I was not completely unmotivated but I was zapped of energy stores that I would normally have and operate on. Thus, my performance in the gym was lacking and also not very surprisingly my attention span suffered within the classroom because of my lack of carbohydrate consumption. My mood took a downfall with each diet of the lacking or overarching areas of eat diet. Also, as for the breakdown of the vitamins and minerals, many overconsumptions of and also under consumptions to place which chemically added to my mood being off during the diets. Thus, the under consumed micronutrients named added to the lacking of my emotional stature. The journal of Clinical Nutrition says “It was concluded that malnutrition, as analyzed by a multivariate logistic regression model, is an independent risk factor impacting on higher complications and increased mortality” (Corriea, 2007) Granted this is the idea on mortality rate, but if we dull that down slightly it reflects the physical stature of people. And thus, gives an explanation for my mood and lack of energy when eating the common diet. Also, the overconsumed micronutrients added to my GI distress during the common diet. My body needed to filter all of the extra nutrients with little fiber and not much water. This led to and overall almost sick feeling because I was technically poisoning my body with too many nutrients that were not getting filtered out at the time.

Works cited

U. (2016, January 8). Nutrient Density. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://www.choosemyplate.gov/nutrition-nutrient-density

Clarke, R. (2010, June 9). Saturated Fats and Hearts Disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92(2), 459-460. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2010.29692

Rugg-gunn, A. J. (2008, June 28). Empty calories? Nutrient intake in relation to sugar intake in English adolescents. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics,4(2), 101-111. doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.1991.tb00084.x

Correia, I. T. (2007, April 23). The impact of malnutrition on morbidity, mortality, length of hospital stay and costs evaluated through a multivariate model analysis. Clinical Nutrition, 22(3), 235-239. doi:10.1016/S0261-5614(02)00215-7