It's so easy to get into the habit of relying on restaurants, fast food, cafeterias, vending machines, and grab-and-go foods and beverages because they are not only convenient, but they taste good.
Our fast-paced society causes many of us to not even think about the types of foods and beverages we are consuming. Now is the perfect time to start tracking what we eat. By inputting our foods into a calculated system, we can learn which foods and beverages may be setting us over our limits and preventing us from achieving personal health and wellness goals.
There are a variety of free websites available to help us track calories and help us learn healthier food and beverage options. With the help of http://myfitnesspal.com I was able to input my personal information and experiment with various meal options.
The 3 example daily meals I chose are listed below and range from "not-so-good" to "best" when comparing food and beverage selections to my personal goals and nutritional needs. As you compare each example, write down any differences you observe.
Meal Selections Example #1: Not-So-Good
Breakfast: 760 Calories; 35g Fat; 22g Protein; 1,610mg Sodium; 4g Fiber
- McDonalds Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuit
- McDonalds Hashbrown
- McDonalds Orange Juice 12 oz.
- Papa John's - 2 slices pepperoni pizza
- Papa John's - 2 breadsticks
- Pepsi 12 oz.
- Chipotle - Tortilla with white rice, steak, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce
- Chipotle - Chips
- Chipotle - Iced Tea (half sweet, half unsweet) 16 oz.
- Doritos - 1 package
- Minute Maid - Lemonade, 12 oz.
29g Fiber
My Goal: 1,850 Calories; 62g Fat; 93g Protein; 2,300 mg Sodium;
25-30g Fiber
Remaining: -1,925 Calories; -91g Fat; -19g Protein; -4,138 mg Sodium
Meal Selections Example #2: Better
Breakfast: 400 Calories; 9g Fat; 22g Protein; 870mg Sodium; 6g Fiber
- McDonalds - Yogurt & Fruit Parfait
- McDonalds - Eggwhite Delight Mcmuffin
- Dasani - Bottled Water, 20 oz.
- Papa John's - Garden Salad with Low Calorie Italian Salad Dressing
- Papa John's - 2 slices Garden Fresh Pizza
- Aquafina - Bottled Water, 20 oz.
- Chipotle - Tortilla with cilantro lime brown rice, lettuce, pinto beans
- Chipotle - Kid's Chips
- Aquafina - Bottled Water, 20 oz.
- Lay's - Baked Ruffles Chips, 1 package
- Aquafina - Bottled Water, 20 oz.
30g Fiber
My Goal: 1,850 Calories; 62g Fat; 93g Protein; 2,300 mg Sodium;
25-30g Fiber
Remaining: 60 Calories; -1g Fat; 32g Protein; -1,580mg Sodium
Meal Selections Example #3: Best
Breakfast: 405 Calories; 16g Fat; 28g Protein; 534mg Sodium; 1g Fiber
- Omelet - 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, shredded cheese (1/3c.), onions, peppers, mushrooms
- Yogurt - Light, Strawberry
- Grapes - 1 cup
- Aquafina - Bottled Water, 20oz.
- Pizza - 1 slice with whole wheat crust, shredded mozzarella cheese
- Salad - Romaine lettuce (2 cup), shredded carrots, broccoli, and Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, 2 Tbsp.
- Aquafina - Bottled Water, 20 oz.
- Chicken Soft Tacos (2) - whole wheat tortillas, grilled chicken breast (8 oz.), brown rice (1 cup), shredded lettuce, Salsa (4 Tbsp.)
- Aquafina - Bottled Water, 20 oz.
- Apple - 1 large with skin
- Jiffy - Creamy Peanut Butter, 1 Tbsp.
30g Fiber
My Goal: 1,850 Calories; 62g Fat; 93g Protein; 2,300 mg Sodium;
25-30g Fiber
Remaining: 94 Calories; 18g Fat; -23g Protein; -258mg Sodium
There are some obvious and not-so-obvious differences when comparing the 3 examples of daily meal selections. Let's check out some of the comparisons:
Example #1: I am choosing mainly high fat and high calorie foods and I am significantly in the red with calories, fat, and sodium. If I continue to eat as I did in example #1, not only will I gain 18 pounds in 5 weeks, I will also be risking my cardiovascular health given the tremendous amounts of sodium I am consuming.
Example #2: By making healthier selections at the same restaurant locations as in example #1, I am able to stay under my calorie limit and my sodium intake is significantly improved. Surprisingly, my protein intake is under my goal range, however.
Example #3: If I take the time to prepare my meals at home, I will nearly meet my nutritional goals. In fact, I have almost 100 calories to spare for an evening glass of wine or a small portion of chocolate!
The bottom line is if we don't pay attention to the types of foods and beverages we consume, we may end up consuming more meals that are close to example #1.
Check out #myfitnesspal to ensure your current eating habits are supporting your health and wellness goals. I can personally say that I was surprised with my results!