Personal Nutrition Journal Entry

This assignment is an opportunity for self-reflection and goal setting. You’ve studied what the experts recommend, and examined critically some of the wealth of information about what foods are “good” for you. Now it’s time to see how your current diet stacks up against those recommendations. As a college student who may also be working full or part-time, you face daily challenges getting the foods you know are “good” for you: lack of access to cooking facilities, lack of time, lack of funds to buy foods that are considered “healthy”. Think of all the factors that influence your food choices, too, such as family traditions and culture, activity level, or food allergies. After you’ve analyzed your current diet and taken into account the barriers you face, what can you change that would help you achieve a healthier nutritional intake?

If you feel your dietary habits are well established and healthy and don’t require any change, say so. However, your Journal entry should support and actually explain how you reached this conclusion. Your discussion should show me that you have given thoughtful consideration to the principles of good nutrition that we have studied so far in this course and that you have engaged in critical thinking about your current diet and alcohol intake.

• At the top of the Journal page, write your name and the three days for which you generated your reports.
• Write your journal entry as a discussion directly on the page. Do NOT attach it as a document. Your discussion should show your understanding of the reports, within the context of the Dietary Guidelines you studied in Weeks 1 and 2.
• Answer the following questions when you analyze the data in your reports:
  1. First, say a few words about the days you tracked. Were they typical of your usual daily diet? If not, why?
  2. Does the total number of calories you took income close to meeting the energy requirements generated from your profile in AnalyzeMyDiet? Was your total energy intake significantly over or under? Any ideas why?
  3. Did the percentage of each of the three macronutrients fall within the range recommended in the Dietary Guidelines? (Make sure that in your discussion you show you understand the concept of “proportionality” for the three energy-giving nutrients.)
  4. How does your intake of vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein compare with the “ideal” portions on My Plate? (Be sure to include the comparative figures for each of the energy-giving nutrients and vitamins and minerals; explain if they differ significantly from the RDIs generated in AnalyzeMyDiet from your personal profile.)
  5. If you take any nutritional supplements on a regular basis, be sure to include that in your discussion.
  6. Important Privacy Notice: If you have been diagnosed with any condition related to digestive function (discussed in Chapter 3) you are not required to include that information unless you desire to do so. The same applies to information about alcohol intake. Although this is a private journal and will only be viewed by the instructor, keep in mind the fact that it might still be accessible by others.)
  7. Setting Smart Goals for the semester. This is the most important part of your discussion since it reflects your understanding and critical analysis of the reports. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. – the simpler and more specific the better. Make your goals action-oriented, with specific things you can do and, if possible, a time frame by which you want to get them done. It is usually best to limit your goals to two or three.