Nutrition Analysis

Day 3 I made a pancake out of protein powder, banana, egg whites, and blueberries. This may be a main contributor to the high levels of protein I eat. I ate lots of low calorie vegetables this day and was at 1/3 of the calories I need. 

Over the last week I tracked my eating habits and charted the nutritional information from it. Based on my age, sex, weight and activity level I should be consuming approximately 2347 Calories each day to maintain my current weight and healthy body function. I am over the recommended dosage of protein, fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and the excess will simply come out in my urine. I do not need to worry about being over the dosage. Vitamin A, on the other hand, is a fat soluble vitamin and can be toxic in excess; however, Vitamin A is toxic at one dose of 1,375,000 IU or 220,000 IU each day for over six months, so this is no worry either. Vitamin A is often found in vegetables and my main source was carrots. The fiber also is not a big trouble with being over on. The elevated amounts of fiber may cause diarrhea, or abdominal bloating or pain. I do not experience this probably because I have been eating this way for years and the bacterial population in my gut has adapted to the higher amounts of cellulose. Fiber is found in many fruits and vegetables and keeps the digestive system moving regularly and can help clean it. Caution should be taken when suddenly elevating fiber levels since the gut bacteria is not yet adapted to breaking down so much cellulose. The protein intake should be reduced since I am not building muscle in intense exercise. This can be done by eating less egg whites and meat. I ate tri-tip one day and that had 15 grams of protein in the 2 oz I ate. This will further lower my calorie count, which I can make up for by eating vegetables.

Day 5 I ate when I was hungry and was able to eat more calories. My fat levels were higher this day because of the sweets and the sausage I ate. 

Day 4 I discovered that watermelon is a generally high calorie food with very little nutrients (except Vit. A)

Day 2 I ate a slice of Multi-grain bread. This is high in carbohydrates and high in calories per piece. Processed foods should be avoided due to ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup put in them.  

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A and egg whites are high in protein. The chopsticks allow me to eat my food slower and more mindfully. This gives my leptin time to tell me to stop when I am full instead of overeating and feeling sick and overfilled later. 

The protein pancake I made on Day 3. The blueberries give it a nice taste to it and antioxidants. 

I was deficient in calories, fat, iron, sodium, and potassium.  I ate 55% less calories than I needed. This is accounting for rapid weight loss. I am losing about 1 pound every 2-3 days. I can increase my calories by making smoothies out of fruits and vegetables. This will make me feel like I am eating less, but I am still getting my calories in. The fruits and vegetables will not increase my protein intake significantly. I can eat more avocados too. These are high in fat and calorie dense. Adding healthy oils, like olive oil to my meals can also add calories and fat to my diet. To combat my iron deficiency I can add more beans, dried fruit, or leafy greens to my diet. The lack of iron in my diet can lead to anemia because my red blood cells need the iron to function properly. If I get to low on iron levels I can experience fatigue. My sodium intake is below the recommended daily value, but there is no minimum value stated on any nutritional daily value charts. Sodium can have very harmful effects if too much is consumed. My low levels of potassium could cause a problem. I am very far below the necessary amount. I can consume a salt replacement that uses potassium instead of sodium. I will still get sufficient sodium from my meals, but I can also get enough potassium.

Day 1 was my highest caloric intake day and I met the most nutrients required.