My Nutrition Goals

I have struggled with nutrition throughout my whole life, as I am sure many people have. I still struggle with maintaining a healthy diet. I have been very educated for the last 5 years on nutrition and fitness and it is a huge part of my life now. I do not always eat the right foods, in fact my weakness is sweets and as most of us can relate, simple sugars are very addicting. I have gone through many tries to get off of sugar, however it is in so many foods and I have a very hard time giving up my favorite foods. In addition I love salt on my foods and like to put a little too much butter on certain foods.

In contrast with my nutritional weaknesses I have many nutritional strengths. I do not like fried foods; in fact I despise fried foods. I love vegetables and get excited about going to a restaurant that has a massive selection of veggie dishes. I can easily go without eating meat and would rather have plant based proteins such as beans and grains. If I do have meat I prefer lean meats like ground turkey instead of ground beef, salmon, and chicken. I rarely have red meat and never have fried meats.

            After identifying my strengths and weaknesses in my diet I have been able to develop a diet modification plan for myself. I am at a weight, despite being very physically active, where I should loose around 10lbs. In this case I need to eat a diet that consists of 1500 calories. My plan is to eat breakfast in the morning, which I almost never do. My daily breakfast plan will consist of a variety of egg whites, veggies, fruits, oatmeal, nuts, nut butters or whole grain bread. I plan to have a healthy snack two hours after my breakfast and lunch, which will consist of healthy nuts and fruit or veggies. My lunches will consist of sandwiches made with whole grain bread, lean meat, avocado, and veggies or salads with lean cheeses and light healthy fat dressings such as olive oil and vinegar. For dinner I plan to eat dinners with beans, quinoa, fish, lean meats, and more veggies. I also plan to reduce the amount of salt I add to my food and decrease the amount of butter I use on foods. I plan to let myself have a sweet treat each day but in a small portion. In my best nutritional stages I would have one piece of dark chocolate after dinner. I hope to follow through with this nutrition plan by using my husband to keep me accountable and incorporating this plan into the meals I make for my family. Nutrition is a choice, whether we choose to eat nutritious foods or foods that do not do us any good we must realize the benefits of a nutritious diet to ensure a long healthy life.