Two-Day Food Journal Analysis

Individuals do not realize the amount of food they consume on an average day until keeping a daily food journal. The two-day food journal gave me keen insight into the number of calories and nutrients I was providing my body. After evaluating my results, I concluded there are several things I could do in the future to improve my daily eating habits to benefit my overall health. Throughout the two days, my nutritional caloric intake revealed how different types of foods have a different effect on my body. My overall calorie, fiber, sodium, and cholesterol intakes were not too alarming, however, my fat and sugar intakes caught my attention. As far as my total calorie intake, I managed to consume 206 calories over the 1650-calorie goal recommendation on day one, and day …show more content…
Fat is an essential nutrient and an important long-term energy source that our body needs to function properly, therefore I need to monitor and watch my fat intake more closely. In other words, I need to limit my saturated fat intake to 10 percent or less of total calories, avoid trans fats from processed foods and consume two servings of seafood per week to provide healthy amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. As for sugar consumption, I need to follow the new dietary guidelines and decrease the amount of added sugar in my diet to 5 to 10 percent of total calories consumed each day to reduce my risk of excess calorie consumption and weight gain. Additionally, I plan to increase my fiber in my diet since fiber helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, aids in achieving a healthy weight, and plays a vital role in digestive and heart health. Furthermore, I need to consume the required 20 to 35 grams of fiber-rich fresh or dried fruits and vegetables, plus select whole wheat and bran food options when