Monitoring food intake proves useful for all ages

Kristin's Kitchen
Monday, 20 April 2009
Source: theapp.appstate.edu


Do people actually want or aim to write down every single thing that enters their mouth?

What a pain!

You see those people on tight diets like Weight Watchers, counting every single calorie, refusing to eat that one little extra morsel because it will push them over their “point” limit.

Now, for some that might be necessary if serious weight gain is in order. However, I’m not asking anyone to work that hard.

But what would you say if I told you writing it all down for a short time isn’t crazy?

I did it.

I actually wrote down every single thing, from gum to liquids to any food, I consumed for two weekdays and one weekend day. Along with food, I recorded my activity for the same three 24-hour periods, from 12 a.m. to 12 a.m.

But I didn’t edit my habits. I just ate and exercised normally.

Sure, it was slightly inconvenient. I found myself rolling my eyes every time I had to pull out that chart and scribble down exactly what I consumed in the midst of chewing.

And because I can barely even grab my bag and brush my teeth before rushing out the door in the morning, my high-strung brain could barely recall what I did all day.

But I forced myself to come home and replay the events of the day in specific increments. Talk about determined.

I then proceeded to spend hours in the lab and library typing in all this information into a program called ESHA Food Processor so a computer could tell me if I was healthy or not.

Ok, so I’ll admit it. I had to…for class.

Despite the time consumption, I discovered last evening it was well worth it.

This little program was able to tell me the exact amounts of nutrients I was receiving and whether they met or didn’t meet my recommendations. Plus, it was able to estimate my caloric expenditure in conjunction with caloric intake, telling me if I was in energy equilibrium.

This might sound worthless to some, but I discovered I was in positive energy balance during those three days, meaning I was taking in more than I was putting out.

Continuing with these same habits would surely threaten weight gain.

My sodium intake was also high, forcing me to investigate foods that contained more than 250 milligrams per serving and address them in my project. I uncovered canned black and kidney beans are very high in salt, in addition to Italian salad dressing and barbeque sauce, common foods in my diet.

Not to mention, I was able to see exactly what I need in terms of calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates for my height, body weight and age. Even though the Food Guide Pyramid says the average female needs around 2,000 calories daily, I needed much more than that based on my activity level.

So, what’s it to anyone else what I learned?

A lack of important vitamins and minerals can lead to long-term bodily injury, and a health assessment like this might help explain weird or unexpected symptoms that appear out of nowhere.

It’s not obsessive; it’s preventative and eye opening.

Sometimes, you never know how much your health is at risk until something bad happens.

I think we’ve all heard stories where young adults, way too young to die, start experiencing weird symptoms and end up in the hospital. It often turns out their condition could have easily been prevented with healthy food and exercise choices.

It’s almost like some kind of freak accident.

We’re all still young, but reaching a point in life where chronic disease is a possibility and where our food and exercise choices affect our lives to a more significant degree. We’re not children anymore, and our bodies need those critical vitamins to maintain health as we age.

Think about the last 20 to 25 years, about how many times you skipped a workout or ate the fries instead of the baked potato or the burger instead of the salad.

I’m not expecting many will do this, but I strongly suggest taking the time for three days to learn something important about the state of your health.

Many of us can’t make time for something of this nature, especially if it isn’t required. But if you’re remotely interested in the health aspect of your current lifestyle, consider it.

I know it allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief knowing my nutrient intakes were within my needs, in addition to showing me what I need to work on to improve health.

And ok, I’ll admit it. I need to cut back on my grains and breads a bit. They’re my weakness.

Do you ever wonder what you’re getting too much or not enough of and don’t want to actually measure it all out?

It just takes three days. That’s it.

No one should have to spend his whole life worrying about every morsel, but it’s good to get a check-up and know where you stand.

It’s short-term hassle with the potential for valuable results.