record
ASSIGNMENT # 1
Many of us have an idea about how and what we eat, now we will learn much more!
In Assignment 1, you will track your diet so you can analyze it in future assignments.
For Best Results:
Write up your Diet Record in Word or a similar program. SAVE! A back up of all assignments is always a good idea.
What to do:
Write down everything you eat and drink (including water, coffee, alcohol and other beverages) for one day.
Keep track of a typical day. Avoid days you are sick or unusually busy or holiday days. It will not give an accurate reflection of what you are doing.
Remember, it is just one day. What works best is if you keep your record with you at all times and write everything down as it is consumed so nothing is forgotten. You can use your phone, sticky notes – it doesn’t matter. If you use one of the diet tracking apps - that's great but I still want you to write up your diet yourself for this assignment. Do not cut and paste from a report.
Include the following information in your diet record:
The name and description of each food or beverage item you consumed (example: “low-fat Tom’s vanilla ice cream”);
Your portion size (how much you actually ate) (example: “3/4 cup”, etc.).
Your preparation method (example: mushrooms “fried in 1 tablespoon of olive oil”);
The brand name, if applicable (example: “Taco Time” chicken burrito);
One of the hardest parts of recording your diet is figuring out how much you consumed of each item (i.e. the "portion size"). Use the tips for estimating portion sizes listed at the bottom of the screen.
Other information to record or gather:
Include the date and what type of day it is for you (work day, school day, weekend day, etc.)
Include your emotions felt before/during each meal - Happy, tired, bored, sad, etc.
At the end of the day's record, list any supplements you consumed, and in what doses. (This is for future reference – you will comment on your supplement intake, if applicable, later in Assignment 4.) Common supplements include vitamins, minerals, protein powder, fish oil capsules, etc. If you don't consume any supplements, that's totally fine but please be sure to SAY SO IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
Include any physical activities you took part in each day. If none, state NONE.
Where possible, save or record information from food labels or menus. This information may help you later in future assignments.
Please Note: For this assignment, you are not using the MyDietAnalysis program. (Instead, you are simply writing down what you eat and drink, and submitting that information to me.) Please wait to start using the MyDietAnalysis program until after you turn in this assignment and receive feedback from me.
Example of a diet record entry and format for the beginning of one day:
Sunday, September 8 Weekend Day
Walked at a fast pace for 20 mins.
NO supplements consumed today
Breakfast – Feeling excited about the day
1 cup Dannon fat free blueberry yogurt
¼ cup Northern Gold Honey Almond granola
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1 Tbsp ground flax seeds
4 oz. Orange juice with Calcium
12 oz. Decaf Coffee
1 tsp. raw sugar
2 Tbsp. half and half
If you have questions while you're working on this assignment, please ask through email me privately through the 'Inbox' in the lower left of the Canvas screen.
PORTION SIZE TOOLS
Tips for Estimating How Much You Eat and Drink (the "portion size")
From Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
Rules of Thumb(Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site. from Kraft Foods
Web MD interactive Portion Size Plate (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.) Links to an external site.
Here are some additional portion estimators:
margarine and butter 1 teaspoon = the size of a trimmed finger nail, or 1 die (dice)
1 tablespoon = from tip of trimmed thumbnail to the 1st knuckle
cooked meat, fish, poultry 3 oz. = the size and thickness of a deck of cards, a checkbook, a cassette tape, or the palm of a woman's hand
cooked rice or pasta 1 cup = the size of a baseball, or a woman's clenched fist
bagel “medium” = size of a hockey puck
baked potato “small” = the size of a computer mouse
raw vegetables 1 cup = the size of a baseball, or a woman's clenched fist
cooked vegetables ½ cup = the size of a baseball cut in half
fruit (whole, round) “medium” = the size of a baseball
fruit (chopped) ½ cup = size of a baseball cut in half
fruit (dried), nuts, candies 1/4 cup = size of a golf ball, or a small pile in the palm of a woman's hand
soda pop (in a can) 1 standard can = 12 oz. = 1.5 cups
beer (in a bottle or can) 1 standard bottle or can = 12 oz.
wine (at a restaurant) 1 standard serving = 5 oz.
cheese (cubed) 1 oz. = the size of four dice, or the length of a thumb
cheese (individually wrapped single slices, or string cheese) 1 oz. (most often)
peanut butter 2 tablespoons = the size of a ping pong ball or golf ball
candy bar fun size = 0.7 oz.; standard size = 1.5 - 2 oz.; king size = 2.5 - 3 oz.
pretzels, crackers 1 oz. = 1 rounded handful
chips regular sized (small) bag = 1 oz.; big-grab = 1.7 oz.
Conversions: 1 fluid cup (in weight) = 8 ounces (oz) = 237 milliliter (ml) 1 quart = 0.95 liter (L) 1 cup (in volume) = 16 tablespoons (Tbs) 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons (tsp) 1 ounce = 28.35 grams = about 2 tablespoons 1 teaspoon = 4.7 grams (approximately) 1 tablespoon = 14 grams (apron.)
Source: American Dietetic Association, food labels, and the Baylor College web site