102
Part One Food Habits: A Lifestyle Choice
supplied by each food in the appropriate
columns of your chart.
After you have fi lled in all the infor-
mation for each food, total the amounts
in all the nutrient columns. Compare
these totals to the RDAs and AIs.
As you complete your chart,
remember to think about amounts.
Compare the amount of each food you
consumed to the amount listed in the
table. If your amount differs, you will
have to adjust the nutrient amounts
you list in your chart. For instance, the
amount listed in the table for milk is
1 cup. If you drank 1½ cups, you will
have to multiply the quantity of each
nutrient listed for milk by 1½ .
You can also use the “Food Tracker”
to help analyze your diet. Does your
food diary show you are getting the
recommended daily amounts from
each food group? The different groups
are good sources of different nutrients.
Eating the recommended amounts
from each group every day will help
you get all the nutrients you need.
Plan Menus Using
Food Planner
Your diet analysis may show you
are eating too much from some of the
food groups and not enough of others.
Planning a daily menu using the “Food
Planner” at
ChooseMyPlate.gov
can help
you correct such problems. Following
this pattern will help you get the balance
of nutrients you need. The plan guides
you in selecting foods low in saturated
fats, cholesterol, and added sugar, and
rich in fi ber and nutrients as needed for
good health.
Eating right may be easier and tastier
than you think.
ChooseMyPlate.gov
is
fl exible enough for anyone to use. It can
suit different family lifestyles, ethnic
backgrounds, and religious beliefs. It
can accommodate all your favorite foods.
in common serving sizes. You can enter
data into the computer about the foods
you ate. The program can then tell you
such information as the calorie and
nutrient values of those foods. You can
make a detailed printout showing how
your daily nutrient values compare to
the RDAs and AIs. This comparison will
show you which nutrient needs you have
and have not met.
If you do not have access to diet
analysis software, you can analyze your
diet yourself. Make a chart with columns
for the foods you ate, calories, and all the
major nutrients. List the foods recorded
in your food diary in the fi rst column.
Look up each food in a food composition
table such as the USDA’s Nutritive Value
of Foods. Write the amounts of nutrients
Kiara enrolled in a physical conditioning class
for her physical education elective this semester.
However, she is finding that she tires easily, is weaker
than her peers, and has little stamina. One day, the
class instructor was discussing the importance of
nutrition for optimal health and performance. Kiara
really isn’t sure how good or bad her eating habits
are, but she is pretty sure she could do better. Kiara
is determined to improve her overall health—she just
doesn’t know where to start.
Case Review
1. What steps could Kiara take to achieve her goal
of improving her overall health?
2. What resources might be helpful to Kiara during
this process?
3. Do you think Kiara will succeed? Why?
Case Study: Change for
the Better