Nutrition

Lynn Schiller

April 28, 2019

Nutrition, Exercise and Weight Control Analysis

In October 2017, I was fast-approaching the age of 48. Nutrition, exercise and weight control had not been the focus of my life since I was 35. I was in anincredibly sad state. I was the heaviest I had ever been in my life and I really needed to change my habits. I was raised to be a workaholic and to put everyone else first before myself . . . and I succeeded. Everyone and everything was far more important than my own basic needs and wants. It really worked out well for my career as a paralegal, but not so great for my waistline and overall health. That is when I made a drastic change and joined Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping. Farrell’s is franchise kickboxing gym that also offers weight training and some nutrition support. I started the initial 10-week program and never looked back. Since that time, I continue to work out six days a week at 5 a.m. While I’veembraced the gym and my new family of friends, I feel like I’ve succeeded in about 20% of the equation – the exercise portion. I don’t feel as successful with my eating habits. I’ve loss approximately 25 pounds since October 2017, but have I have another 50 to go. Better nutrition is the answer and actually 80% of the equation.

In November 2018, I turned 49. I renewed my determination to lead a healthier life. I also decided to conquer my only regret in life and that was to earn my bachelor’s degree. I’ve been working as a paralegal in primarily the same law firm since 1990. I’ve devoted my life to my work and it was time to give myself something. So after a series of deaths of close friends and co-workers, I started at NHCC in January 2019. This nutrition class was my priority as I really wanted to learn the foundation of what my body needs to live a healthy life and to finally get rid of some of my bad eating habits.

While I’ve made some improvements in my nutrition over the past year, I still have a long way to go. My biggest improvement leading up to this project has been swapping out soda for water and tea. I’ve done really well in focusing on that switch, but the rest really needs some help. So, when this project came along, I was happy to report to my fellow gym friends that I was finally going to set up the matrix and log everything. The support and encouragement I’ve received has been overwhelming. It’s really nice to have people in your corner rooting for you.

I’m a single person with no children. I truly love staying busy with my full-time career as a paralegal, being a part-time student (taking three classes this semester), and working a part-time job at Athleta. I literally have very little time to get it all in, much less perform any type of meal prep, and it shows on my Excel spreadsheet. I’ve never really put any thought or energy into meal prep and that is going change. My goal (by the time I turn 50 in November) is to already have nutrition and performing meal prep as much of my life as going to the gym every morning at 5 am. In an effort to make that goal, I’ve signed up to do the Rugged Maniac 5k + obstacle race in September. Below is my analysis of my 7-day food journal and the changes I plan to make to reach my goals.[Attached is my Excel spreadsheet which includes tabs for the Master list (food, exercise and water spreadsheet), and additional tabs for Exercise & Calories, Water Intake and Carbs, Protein and Fat.]

Calories. My average caloric intake was 1300 per day. My minimum caloric goal will initially be 1500 per day for the next three months and then I’d like it to increase it to 2000 per day starting in August due to the increase in training and mileage. The substance of these calories will include healthy proteins, fat and fiber while watching my sodium intake.

Carbohydrates.My average carbohydrate intake per day was 152 g. The DRI for this category is 45 – 65% of your caloric intake or 130 g for a 1500-calorie diet.Since I’m only eating an average of 1300 per day, my carbohydrate intake is high. Looking back over my 7-day intake, it appears I’m getting higher intake on the days I’m eating the frozen foods. The changes I plan to make in this category is to stop eating those quick meals I grab when I’m on the run and don’t set time aside to properly prep my meals. Another item that was high in carbs was the wheat bagel from Bruegger’s. I don’t think this is problem since I typically grab a bagel once a week with my friend and co-worker. Since I’m not having this more than once a week, I think this can be worked in to my overall plan.

Protein. My average protein intake per day was75 g per day. The DRI for this category is 0.36 grams per pound or 46 g per day for a sedentary woman. This amount also depends on many factors including age, activity level, muscle mass and weight goals. I’ve read a number of articles about protein intake and some indicate the ideal number for weight loss if 30% of your caloric intake. For me, this would mean a goal of 112 g per day. I knew my protein would be low, but I was pleasantly surprised that the average was 75 g. My goal for protein is to increase this to a goal of 100g per day. That would be a huge success for me as I typically don’t eat much meat. My protein intake will focus on eggs, almonds, chicken breast, cottage cheese, yogurt and milk.

Fat.My average fat intake per day was 47 g. The DRI for this category is 20 – 35% of your total caloric intakeor 33 to 58 g per day for a 1500-calorie diet.I’m actually surprised to see that my fat intake isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. However, my current average calorie intake is 1300 with a goal of 1500 per day. I need to keep an eye on this with my tracking and make sure I stay within that range. I will also keep track of limiting saturated fat intake and include more monounsaturated fats in my diet.

Fiber.My average fiber intake per day was 23 g per day. The DRI for this category is 25% of my caloric intake or approximately 28 to 33g per day for a 1500-calorie diet. Aside from the fact that my average calorie intake is 1300 per day, it appears I got into the appropriate range two days out of seven. Looking at those two days, beans were clearly the cause of the increased fiber. The changes I plan to make include adding more berries, pears, beans, avocado and peas. I chose these items because I know I’ll eat them, unlike broccoli.

Sodium.Sodium is an essential mineral and nutrient. My average sodium intake per day was 2955 mg. The DRI for sodium is 1500 mg per day. Looking back over my daily charting, I exceeded 1500 mg every day! Holy moly. The highest days were over the weekend when I was at my parent’s home for the Easter holiday. When looking at the other days, it appears the highest sodium days included the days where I ate frozen Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine meals. The obvious changes I plan to make to my sodium intake is to cut out thefrozen meals and plan for lower sodium options which include more fresh vegetables and lean protein for lunch.

Vitamins & Minerals.I also tracked Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium and Iron. The DRIs or RDAs for women are as follows: Vit. A: 700 mcg; Vit. C: 75 mg; Calcium: 1000 mg; Potassium: 1600-2000mg; and Iron: 17-18.9 mg. My average intakes, respectively, were as follows: 768 mcg [700], 66.9 mg [75], 488 [1000], 565 mg [1600-2000] and 12 [17-18.9]. Besides Vitamin A, I fall short in every other vitamin and mineral. In the past year, I’ve been hit and miss with taking vitamin supplements. However, with the overall goals I have listed in this project included ongoing tracking and meal prep, I expect to be getting all of the vitmins and minerals I need through healthy and well-balanced eating. By doing do, I won’t need to take supplements.

Water. My water intake varied depending on the activity performed each day. On kickboxing days, I would take in more water at 101.4 ounces. During the weekend, I would take in much less. Although exact requirements are not set, women should take in approximately 91 ounces of total water from all beverages and foods each day. My goal for water is to take in a minimum of 91 ounces per day, which is approximately 23.4 hours more on my lowest days of 67.6. I typically drink bottled water when I’m at home. At work I drink filtered water. Since reading the chapter of water, I’m going to start filling my gym water bottle with tap water. This will help me get fluoride and it will also help reduce the amount of plastic bottles I contribute to overall waste.

As the information listed above reflects, I am not eating a well-balanced diet and I fall short in many most categories and I’m high in sodium intake. Many changes need to be made and will ultimately be changed with the goals I have set for myself. With as much exercising as I do, my body simply needs more of the right kind of fuel. My metabolism will greatly benefit from these changes.

Although I’m extremely happy and proud of the changes I’ve made to my exercise routine since I started working out at Farrell’s six days per week, I will be making one adjustment. With some courage and the support of my gym friends, as mentioned above, I signed up for the Rugged Maniac which will be held on September 14, 2019 at Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls. The race includes a 5k run and 26 obstacles. So, I’ll be adding running and obstacle course training to my schedule over the summer. I’m look forward to the challenge and I’m proud of myself for pushing my boundaries.

I’m also proud of myself for making the decision to go back to school at my age and taking this class, which was my biggest motivator. I’m so glad this class provided me with the education and answers I needed to make additional changes in my life. My nutrition has never been a priority and I don’t think it’s too late to start now. I really look forward to focus on this aspect of my life and I know it’s the basis of leading a healthy life which allow me to live the active lifestyle I want as I age past 50. My gym family includes many like-minded people, including a 72-year old woman who is the biggest role model to me. This family will help me with accountability and will continue to provide positive support.

My 5 objectives include the following:

1. Meal Prep. I will designate Sunday mornings to grocery shop for the week and do my meal prep. The challenge will be to get some variety in my meals as I tend to fall back on eating frozen packaged meals or at times, eat at a drive-thru, or not eat at all. By going to the grocery store weekly, I will be able to purchase fresh protein and produce in smaller quantities. This will allow for more variety.

2. Daily Food Journal . I will continue to monitor my daily food intake by logging it into the Excel spreadsheet I created for this class. This will allow me to monitor and tweak my intake to ensure that I’m getting enough of the right kinds of foods, vitamins and minerals. The spreadsheet will also assist me in my food prep. I can plan out the meals I’m having throughout the week and disburse the food accordingly into the food groups I need for each day.

3. Walk/Run Program . I will start a run/walk program so that I am ready to participate in the Rugged Maniac course in September. I will start this as soon as the semester ends. It will be good for me to get outside and get back to jogging/running as I stopped doing this type of exercise when I turned 35. (And then I gained a bunch of weight.) I will be adding a column to my Excel spreadsheet for weight tracking.

4. Weekly Weigh-ins .I will start weighing myself on Sunday mornings only. I will log this is my journal. While I look forward to losing excess weight, it will be a daily focus as I know the weight will come off when I continue to exercise and have balanced nutrition. This will also help my overall mental health since I tend to get down on myself knowing how much I’m overweight. My gym family is a great source of support and they will keep me in check.

5. Meditation & Gratitude. With turning 50 at the end of this year, I feel like I’ll be embarking on a whole new era of my life. I will be adding a column to my Excel spreadsheet for mediation. I need to take time every morning to reflect and be grateful for what I’ve learned in my past, where I’m at in the present, and look forward to what my future holds. Returning to school at this point in my life has been a great decision. Even when I reach my goal of getting my bachelor’s degree, I may set a new goal of getting my next degree.

Lynn, thank you for teaching such a great class. I will recommend it to my gym family at Farrell’s. In fact, one of my gym-mates has already taken it. He is 59 and has made major strides in reducing weight and improving his heart health. The information provided in this class is so necessary. As I’ve mentioned in some of my weekly assignments, the chapters lined up incredibly well with my Biology class. In addition, I wrote many of my College Writing I papers on health topics including excess sugar and childhood obesity. Leading a healthy life is a major goal of mine and I’m surrounding myself with things that matter most. Healthy exercise, nutrition and a healthy mind.