1. Energy Balance: I hypothesized that I would maintain a positive state of energy balance.

My results revealed that I did not maintain a positive state of energy balance. My DRI for calories was 2979 calories per day and my actual average caloric intake was very close at 2987 calories for the two days. The reason that my energy balance was not positive was because of the amount of calories I expended. My average expenditure for the two days was 3350 calories. These numbers equal a caloric deficit of -364 calories per day and over the two days gives a total negative energy balance. My theoretical weight change was -0.104 pounds over the two days. I do a workout in the morning 5 days a week. I generally do a run of at least 2 miles depending on the day. After my run I do about 30 minutes of moderate weight lifting activities. I do these activities to maintain health and it makes me feel good. I think these are great activities that help support my over all health and wellbeing. I was surprised with my energy balance results. I thought that I would really maintain a positive energy balance. I would like to put on a little more muscle mass gradually and I thought that my diet would be conducive in achieving these results. To achieve the results I am looking for I need to increase my weight lifting weight that I am currently using to greater than 60 percent of my one rep max and I need to increase my caloric intake to maintain a positive balance so I can build muscle and not loose weight. 2. Protein: I hypothesized that my intake of protein would be adequate and in range. I consumed 112.5g average of protein over the two days, which equals 450 calories. Most of this protein came from animal sources. My average protein intake hit 194% of my DRI with my DRI being 58.06g per day. My overall percent of calories from protein was 15% so I was with in the range of the AMDR at 10-35% of total calories. Analyzing my results and looking over my sources of protein has informed me of how I do not use protein complementation. As I mentioned previously most of my protein sources were from animal sources, mainly meat, cheese, milk, and eggs. This diet has serious health implications because each of these sources is high in saturated fat. This puts me at greater risk of heart disease, obesity, and cancer. To improve my health and limit my chances of disease I need to implement protein complementation into my protein selection. Examples of things I can eat are; rice and beans, whole wheat bread with peanut butter, and leafy greens with nuts and seeds. These choices will give me the protein I need but limit the amount of animal protein I am consuming. In summary, even though I am in the adequate range for protein according to AMDR I need to adjust my sources of protein to improve my overall health. 3. Carbohydrates: I hypothesized that my total carbohydrate level was adequate and in range, that my intake of sugar would be excessive and my intake of fiber would be inadequate. The results of my two days of tracking have revealed that my total carbohydrate level was barely adequate at 334.5g, which equals 45% of total calories consumed. My

DRI for Carbohydrates was 326-471g. Even though I was with in range of the AMDR and DRI I feel like with my activity level I need to consume a greater percentage of carbohydrates to support the energy level I want. As I further break down my carbohydrate data I did not meet my DRI for fiber. To meet my DRI for fiber I needed to consume 41.8g and I only consumed 29.92g for a total of 72.5%. My sugar intake was 26.5% exceeding the AMDR of less than 25% of total calories. I took a closer look at the foods I consumed to find where my source of carbohydrates was mainly coming from. I determined that two of my sources that are a good source of carbohydrates were oatmeal and whole wheat bread. The two greatest contributors though of my carbohydrates were from chocolate chip cookies and ice cream. These are not good sources and I should limit the quantity of these items I have in my diet. I can replace some of these items with more vegetables and whole grains to boost my fiber and carbs in general and to lower my simple sugars. I did meet my AMDR and DRI but I think I have some work to do in consuming better sources of carbohydrates and limiting my simple sugars. 4. Fat: I hypothesized that my total fat, fatty acid, and cholesterol intake would be with in healthy limits. Upon further analysis of my data over the course of the two days I determined that I was not with in healthy limits in most of these areas. My results do not support my hypothesis. My total fat exceeded the AMDR of 10-35% at 42% total fat. My saturated fat intake was 17% well over the recommended less than 7%. I did stay below the recommended daily percentage for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats at 14% and 6% respectively. The daily recommendation for monounsaturated fat is less than or equal to 20% and less than or equal to 10% for polyunsaturated fatty acids. My gram intake of EFAs were 16.37g of linoleic acid, which equates to 96% of the DRI, and my intake of linolenic acid was 2.64g, which equates to 165% of the DRI. I am doing pretty well in this area but could stand to increase my consumption of linoleic acid. I can do this by adding an additional tablespoon of sunflower seeds to my salads or using them as a snack in the middle of the day. Finally my cholesterol intake was way to high. I consumed 974mg of cholesterol when the recommendation is less than 300mg per day. I can reduce this number drastically by consuming only the egg whites in my hardboiled eggs that I have for breakfast in the morning. I know that most of the cholesterol I had in the two days came from the egg yolks. If I keep my high cholesterol, high saturated fat trend up I am at a greater risk for heart disease, obesity, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. 5. Vitamins: I hypothesized that my diet would be adequate in the essential vitamins. For the most part my hypothesis was correct. The following vitamins were all adequate values for the two days, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and vitamin A. My results do not support my original hypothesis because I was not adequate in all my essential vitamins. I was excessive in my consumption of folate. I consumed 1827ug of folate when the DRI is 400ug per day. The upper intake levels for folate are 1000ug per day and I exceeded that by 827ug. I have found that my number one contributor to my folate

toxicity was from the cereal Capn crunch. I consumed nearly the upper intake level by itself with one of my serving sizes of the cereal. According to the textbook in module 5, the toxicity level of folate is not well characterized in humans(pg. 246) despite this information there is an UL for folate for a reason and I can minimize my folate consumption by watching my portions size of cereals. I was inadequate in my consumption of vitamin D. I consumed 12.23ug on average and the DRI is 15ug per day according to appendix A in the textbook. If I maintain a low level of vitamin D I can be at risk of osteomalacia, which is a softening of the bones in adults. Being that foods are not the most abundant source of vitamin D and the food sources that have the most vitamin D seem to also be high in fat. I can increase my vitamin D intake through sun exposure. Instead of sitting inside and studying I can take 15-20 minute intervals and read outside to get some more vitamin D. this will prevent me from more fat consumption but also boost my vitamin D intake. I was deficient in my vitamin E intake. I consumed 8.52mg per day for a total of 57% of the DRI, which is 15mg per day. Vitamin Es main function is an antioxidant, which will help with circulatory and heart health, and I can increase my vitamin E levels by eating more seeds, nuts, plant oils, and vegetables. 6. Minerals: I hypothesized that my diet would be adequate in the essential minerals. Similarly to my vitamin intake I was adequate for the most part. I achieved or exceeded the DRI for the following minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. My results do not support my original hypothesis because I was not adequate in all my minerals. I was inadequate in only one mineral and that was potassium. I consumed 4124mg on average and the DRI is 4700mg. my percent value was 88% of the DRI. Food sources that I can include in my diet are fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Increasing in these foods and ultimately potassium will prevent cardiac arrhythmias, muscle weakness, and glucose intolerance. I was excessive in my salt consumption over the two-day average. I consume 4182mg of sodium. The DRI for sodium is 1500mg per day putting my percent of DRI at 279%. This is a major concern. This can lead to increased blood pressure, which puts me at greater risk of heart attack and stroke. According to what I consumed some major contributors to my sodium intake were packaged lunchmeat, little smokies, and cereal. Salt is a major source of sodium. I never add salt to my food with a shaker; I am not a big fan of adding salt to anything. This is a good thing because my salt intake is way to high. I need to ensure I read the labels of packaged foods to limit the amount of sodium I am getting through these sources. 7. Fluid intake: I hypothesized that my fluid intake would be adequate. My fluid intake for the two days was an average of 4.15L compared to the DRI at 3.7L per day. My percent of DRI was 112%. My results support my hypothesis. This was not surprising to me as I have a habit of carrying around a Nalgene bottle with me everywhere I go and I am constantly sipping on water through the day. I feel like I am consistent in staying in good water balance from day to day. I run in the morning 5 days a week so this also

spurs me on to be vigilant that I replace the water I lose in sweat. I generally do not drink anything but water and milk. I generally avoid soda and sports drinks. I will have an occasional sports drink if I have engaged in very strenuous exercise that has lasted over an hour. 8. My Plate, Grains: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for grains. My need was 10 ounces with half whole grains. My average intake was 5.8 ounces, 58% of my goal. I did not meet my recommended intake amount of grains. I did eat whole wheat bread and oatmeal, which is where a majority of my grains came from, but not nearly enough. I can increase my grain consumption by eating a slice of whole grain bread ate each meal and having a larger portion of oats in the morning for breakfast. I can also choose to eat brown rice, wild rice, and cereals instead of potatoes or white rice to get the grains I need. These foods will help boost my carbs and give me more immediate energy and improve my overall health by giving me more B vitamins and fiber. I also will have the added benefit of reducing my chances of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, constipation, and obesity. 9. MyPlate, Vegetables: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for vegetables. My need was 4 cups of vegetables per day. My intake average for the two days was 1 cup per day, a poor 25% of my goal. My results do not support my hypothesis. My portion sizes of vegetables did not follow the MyPlate recommendation of making half my plate fruits and vegetables. I can improve my vegetable intake by following this simple guideline. Vegetables that I can incorporate in my diet to improve my vegetable intake are broccoli, spinach, pumpkin, more dried beans, and cucumbers. These foods have great health benefits such as reducing heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, obesity, bone loss, and much more. On top of that vegetables also provide many nutrients such as vitamins A, and C, and carbohydrates, and fiber. The latter two of which I am both trying to boost. I can see the added benefit my health will have upon implementing more vegetables in my diet. 10. MyPlate, Fruit: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for fruit. My need per day of fruit was 2.5 cups. My average intake was 2.5 cups achieving 99.6% of my goal. If rounding, my results support my hypothesis. I consumed several whole fresh fruits during each day to meet my goal. I can continue to achieve these results by eating more of a variety of fruits as to not get burned out of eating the same thing. By having a variety of fruits, like frozen, canned, and dried, in the house I also will not run into the problem of running out or having fresh fruit spoil. Fruits provide many health benefits similar to vegetables, such as, reduced heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Fruits are also high in potassium, a mineral I need more of, fiber, and carbohydrates, and low in fat, sodium, and calories. I barley made my goal for fruits

would suggest to me I need to watch my intake closely because I can probably dip below the recommended level fairly easily. 11. MyPlate, Dairy: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for dairy. My need was 3 cups per day. My average intake was 4.4 cups per day. My results do not support my hypothesis because I exceeded my recommended value. My main sources of dairy were milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. Upon further evaluation of these dairy choices I have located a few great contributors to my fat intake in my diet. I drink 2% milk. I can still get the dairy I need but limit the fat by drinking skim milk. My ice cream portions are much too large, so I can reduce that, along with choosing an ice cream that is low fat. Dairy products reduce low bone mass through out life and also provide calcium, vitamin D, and protein. 12. MyPlate, Protein: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for protein. My need was 7 ounces per day. My average intake over the two days was 13 ounces reaching 185% of my daily recommendation. My results would indicate that I exceeded my original hypothesis. My results would reflect instead of the normal 0.8g/Kg of body weight I ate a little more than 1.5g/Kg. I did put myself down as active on my profile and I do run 5 times a week and do moderate weight lifting each day as well. According to MyPlate at the 0.8G/Kg my diet is in excess of protein. This can be harmful to my health and in the long run promote obesity, heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. Lower intake of carbohydrates and high intake of proteins is also not healthy. I am right on the cusp of to low carbohydrate intake coupled with to high protein can cause metabolic acidosis. Also high protein diets can cause dehydration, calcium and zinc loss, and reduced liver function. My main sources of protein were from meat. A variety of protein sources would also serve me well in my overall health. Getting protein from beans, vegetables, and fish are great sources of protein with out the saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which I need less of. Protein is loaded with many nutrients such as vitamin B, E, iron, zinc, and magnesium. 13. MyPlate, Oils: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for oils. My need for oil was recommended around 10 teaspoons of oil per day. According to what I ate and using the MyPlate guide in appendix C I averaged around 6.5 teaspoons of oil per day. These results do not support my hypothesis. Oils provide vitamin E, mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oils also promote heart health. My gram intake of EFAs were 16.37g of linoleic acid, which equates to 96% of the DRI, and my intake of linolenic acid was 2.64g, which equates to 165% of the DRI. I was excessive in linolenic acid and deficient in linoleic acid. I think I can improve in this area by limiting my salad dressings and by consuming a variety of nuts and seeds. Peanuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, and peanut butter are good sources of

oils that I can incorporate into my daily diet. When I want a snack, instead of reaching for the fatty foods, I can turn to nuts and seeds by making them more readily available. 14. MyPlate, empty calories: I hypothesized that I would meet the MyPlate food guidance system recommendations for empty calories. My empty calorie recommendation was 512 calories. My actual consumption was 1102 empty calories average over the two days. I exceeded my recommendation by over 100%. My results do not support my hypothesis. My empty calories mainly came from cookies, ice cream, chips, milk, and cheese. I was more dissatisfied with myself with these results than any other from the two days. Solid fats, and sugar promote obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. I ate several of the items, as listed, from the solid fat and added sugar list with no hesitation. I need to use better discretion with what eat regarding my empty calories. Food items that are marked fat free, low fat, or have no added sugar are be the foods I should be looking for to lower my excessive empty calorie intake. I think vegetables and grains would be a good choice for me considering my low intake of these areas already. This would lower my empty calories and increase my calories in those needed areas.