My Dietary Intake, Eating & Physical Activity Patterns

My pattern of eating resembles a classic diet-plan from a nutrition textbook, splashed with the occasional familial Last Supper. I have bolded and CAPPED the points to look for in your own diet when doing an analysis. Check it out:

The WHAT is a Mediterranean-style diet. The WHEN is every morning, noon and evening with some snacks in between, especially on a physically active day. HOW OFTEN is every three-four hours, for the most part. I take a cocktail of SUPPLEMENTS by Usana Nutritionals: a “Health Pak” of six pills in the morning and six at night, which claim to be a mixture of vitamins (both water and fat soluble) and minerals, plus antioxidants, herbs and an omega-3 fish oil tablet. I have refrained from taking this “package of health” as often as I used to and cut down to two-three packs per week. What’s more, I didn’t even have to wear the patch!

I’m pretty strict with my diet. I’m on a tight schedule of eating during the WEEK. Over the WEEKENDS, I’m still vigilant; however, here and there I enter myself into a slimy contest from Nickelodeon’s Double Dare. Typically, it begins with an innocent invite from a friend for brunch and turns into a Popover masquerade with Little Miss Muffin sans curds and whey. Although the quantity of food is rarely excessive, it’s accurate to say that the contents of my meals vary from week to weekend.

I believe I am receiving ADEQUATE NUTRITION on most days of the week. Sometimes, my kcal energy is too low and other days it is too high, depending upon the occasion. I eat more during special events, holidays and whenever I am in the presence of “My Big Fat Jewish Family.” If I were to guess which nutrients I were receiving too much of, it would be vitamin A and E (I eat lots of tocopherols and carotenoids). I don’t think I am getting enough calcium, magnesium and D.

I EXERCISE five days per week, two days off (one of which I walk a good deal or run around doing errands). The physical activity consists of five cardiovascular workouts that range from 30-60 minutes in duration. Two of the five days per week incorporate weight training. I am no longer on a split routine, instead, focusing more on total body exercises. One of the five days also incorporates a Pilates class.

My ESTIMATES are as follows: (1) My caloric range is vast… I can get as low as 1300 and as high as 2000 or more. My average would have to be a 1600 caloric intake on most days of the week; (2) total fat: 30%, sat fat 8%, protein 40%, CHO 30%; (3) 275 mg cholesterol (egg plus any animal product I consume thereafter); (4) 600mg dietary Ca, if even; (5) 30-40g of fiber; (6) 7,500 IU Vit A; and (7) I spend 30-60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity most if not all days of the week. When I am pushing, I estimate that I am burning 100 calories per 10-minute block.

I surmise that, as compared to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, I am not getting as much of my calories from CHO (carbohydrate) sources. The USDA would scold me for my low level of Calcium, but they’d make me their poster-child for physical activity. Additionally, they would laud my 5-9 fruits and veggies per day, my high fiber intake and the low level of junk present in my diet, of course, barring my Nickelodeon events ☺