My Overall Diet
Does it meet my body's nutritional requirements?
About Me
I am a 14 year old female. My height is 5 feet 2 inches. I weigh approximately 119 pounds which is a normal weight for my age and height. My BMI or Body Mass Index is 21.8. I have a BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) of 1399.99. My results from the Total Daily Energy Expenditure as a person who does light exercises is I should consume 1,778 calories per day.
What does a normal diet look like for a 14 year old?
According to livestrong.com, the average 14 year old girl should consume 1,800 calories per day, but a 14 year old boy needs to consume 2,200 calories each day. Also, the recommendation from the USDA states that, half of every 14 year old's meal should consist of fruits and vegetables.
Unsaturated Fat vs. Saturated Fat
Everyone nutrition label has unsaturated and saturated fat listed on them. What's the difference between the two? Saturated fat would be considered the bad type of fat. Most of the time, it's found in meat and junk foods. As stated by cholesterol.about.com, a high amount of consumption in saturated fat will not only make you gain weight, but also increase your cholesterol levels. However, unsaturated fat is the good type of fat. Unsaturated fats have two forms: polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat. They are both commonly found in vegetables, nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, or oils. Next time, make sure to observe the nutrition labels and go for something more in unsaturated fat, than saturated fat.
Protein
As reported by webmd.com, protein is an important factor to our bodies. It is found throughout the body like, in muscle, bone, skin, or even hair. It is recommended that, teen girls need two daily servings of protein. Protein is built by building blocks referred to as amino acids. Meat from animals deliver the amino acids that our body needs, while vegetables or fruits lack the amino acid. Although, protein is very necessary to our development and growth, there are still cons when consuming too much of it. Meat is the main source of protein and it's also high in saturated fat which can lead to risks for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Carbohydrates
There are two distinct types of carbohydrates, simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are basically sugars that are often found in food such as cookies, cereal, or juice. They are quickly digested, giving off a burst of energy for only short length of time. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are slowly digested and high in fiber. According to healthline.com, they pack more nutrients than simple carbohydrates. They are mainly found in food like broccoli, beans, and grains.
Is My Overall Diet Healthy Compared to the Normal Diet?
What do I think about my diet?
Honestly, my overall diet does not provide a healthy balance to meet my body’s nutritional requirements because too many simple carbohydrates and not enough calories are consumed on a daily basis.
Food Diary Table
Recently, I did a food diary to observe whether my eating habits for a week were healthy or not. It appears that my calories were extremely lower than the average amount. My carbohydrates intake were actually higher than the recommended grams. I ate more calories on school days than I did over the weekend.
Average Chart
If you compare the average chart to my daily food diary average, you'll notice the large differences for calories as well as carbohydrates on certain days.
Bar Graph
This is a bar graph of the recommended diet compared to my diet. I chose Day 4 because it had an average amount of each nutrition compared to the other days.