Nutrition and Exercise
Over a five week period I have kept tabs on my nutrition and physical activity. The findings are definitely interesting. My daily vitamin appeared to be safe. I take 65 mg of Iron every other day, one Women’s Daily Multivitamin, and 1,000 mcg of Biotin. Biotin is taken for healthy skin, nails and hair growth. According to Fitday (2011), the recommended dosage for this nutrient is 35 mcg/day and it is suggested that more than 200 mcg are taken although there is no medical evidence at this regarding high toxicity levels. Since I am anemic I take an iron supplement, but Fitday (2011) states I should only be taking 15 mg a day. If I am to continue with this high dose of iron I can eventually have tachycardia, damage to my heart, central nervous system, liver and kidneys (Cherif et al., 2010). Now the big one, the multi vitamin, it appears I have the advised daily amount of 18 mg of iron from this one tablet, as well as the full daily dosage of many other vitamins excluding calcium, vitamin K and niacin.
Daily or a regular routine of physical activity is the best thing one can do for their body. It can assist with improving breathing, define muscle strength and tone, strengthen bone density, raise metabolism, assist with weight loss and reduce cancer risks (Cherif et al., 2010). I exercise, but not as much as I should. I do run but need to add more variety in my routine as well as increase my number of fitness days.
My worst dietary habits are my obsession with cupcakes, occasional wine coolers and pickles. Alcohol has many about the same amount of calories that are found in sodas, there is no nutritional value, and contains empty calories (LeSuer, 2012). Cupcakes to include frosting, contain too much sugar, high in saturated fats, and are a high calorie snack. Pickles is contains huge sodium amounts. To balance out my bad habits I do have several good habits. My diet contains lots of vegetables, fruit and fish. All three obtain healthy antioxidants, minerals and vitamins my body needs to make up for the vitamins lacking in my daily multivitamins.
Calcium is the main nutrient I am lacking. Due to my lactose deficit, my dairy intake is insufficient. The main way I get calcium is through my green vegetables and soy milk. I need calcium so I can maintain my bone density and not have osteoporosis when I get older. My short term goal is to take calcium supplements until I can balance my diet to involve more calcium from a variety of foods for a term diet change. Carbohydrates are another problem. I would like to reduce my disproportionate intake. Bread, pasta and my winter favorite cream of wheat will be modified by eating them less during the week. Largely by making a change to substitute high carbohydrates for lower carbohydrates I hope I will be able to maintain this nutritional lifestyle for a lengthy time. I also need to increase my protein. I do not eat red meat or pork and I rely on seafood because its quick, but I do not eat it every day. For my long term goal I will include poultry more often and intermittently with seafood. Another long term goal is to cut back significantly with cupcakes. Moderation is the key, so I will start off by having no more than two to three cupcakes a month versus a couple every week. My iron supplement will be cut back until I can get to a physician and have a CBC drawn to check my anemic status.
Exercising is not a big problem, but I am going to include weight lifting for muscle strengthening. My short term goal is to sign up for a Zumba class. I want to add variety to fitness regime, but not detour what is require for my Air Force physical training requirements. Over time I would like to increase my fitness days from two to three days to a solid four days a week since that is what my schedule can afford.
Modifications to my nutritional and fitness regimes have been going well. I still take the calcium supplements as I have increased my calcium by drinking Special K breakfast Essentials, improved my yogurt intake, and added a variety of green veggies like broccoli, greens and lettuce. My protein has increased immensely with my fondness for Boca products. I am receiving a sufficient protein intake with the soy from these products. Poultry is now a main staple in my diet. I have found a variety of ways to make it quick and taste good. Carbohydrates was the most difficult to modify in my diet. With work I was able to switch to brown rice, introduce legumes and eat bread thins an alternative to thick bread slices. Pickles on the other hand have been a weakness and I still indulge, but drink a lot of water. Alcohol has been cut back to one to two every other week.
I am currently signed up at the Y taking Zumba classes. It is fun; I definitely will continue this class as long as my schedule permits. Although I have not been able to continuously run for a solid four days, I definitely made it three days a week. I also run with light weights.
In conclusion, I found that my vitamin supplement use is a little excessive. My fitness is well maintained. I am on a good start with the introduction of soy products. Cupcakes have been successfully cut back after looking at the nutritional fact panel. I feel this had been a beneficial exercise. If I had not completed this food journal, I may not have taken a look at the way I eat and make the changes necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

References
Aron, R., Cherif, A., Hanna, B., Hornick, B., Jedlicka, D., & Verma, S., (2010). Nutrients Involved in Energy Metabolism And Blood Health. In Nutrition Health and Wellness: An Applied Approach (pp 422). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solution.
Aron, R., Cherif, A., Hanna, B., Hornick, B., Jedlicka, D., & Verma, S., (2010). Benefits of Regular Physical Activity. In Nutrition Health and Wellness: An Applied Approach (pp 486-487). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solution
FITDAY, (2011). Understanding Nutrition for Women. Retrieved from http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/for-women/
LeSuer, A, M., (2012). Are alcohol beverages taking a toll on your diet? In Healthy Living. Retrieved from http://shine.yahoo.com/alcoholic-beverages-taking-toll-diet- 234300588.html