Everyday Girl Guide to: Happiness (Nutritional Assessment)

There is no nutritional assessment on the UCR Wellness Group site, because it groups nutrition with physical.  While I acknowledge that the two are related, I like to keep nutrition separate.  There is so much to nutrition that I’d be doing it a disservice to lump it into a group.

There are a few nutritional assessments out there, but I’m going to just go with the basics I know:

• I do not drink enough water (or any liquid).  This affects everything from digestion to headaches to aging.  Bad choice.
• I do not eat enough vegetables, although I usually get enough fruit.
• I include caffeine and sugar in my diet far too often.
• There are too many processed foods in my diet.

So, with those things in mind, here are my goals:

Short-Term Goals (3 Months)

* Drink a minimum of 64 ounces of liquid (preferably water or plain tea) a day.  Since I’m active, it should be more, but 64 ounces is the minimum.  Dairy products and caffeinated products do not count toward this total; only 8 ounces of juice counts.

* Four servings of vegetables a day.  Yes, it should be five or more, but I can seem to manage two servings at lunch and dinner.  I don’t do well going beyond that.  I’m shooting for the moon before I shoot for Mars.

* Cut down caffeine to one 8-ounce cup a day.  Whatever it is, I can have one cup. This includes caffeinated teas.

Mid-Term Goals (1 Year)

* No more than one processed food a day.  At least one day a month completely unprocessed.

* Balance my nutritional needs with a variety of fruits, vegetables, dairy substitutes, proteins, and grains.  Probably cut out gluten entirely.

* One caffeinated drink per week, always before 2 p.m.

Long-Term Goals (5 Years +)

* Make my own food from scratch.  I’m capable; it just takes time and commitment.

* Plan my menus based on what’s in season and eat a variety largely based on that.  Only supplement with out-of-season as needed for variety and health.

* If I can’t grow it or buy it organic, learn to skip it.

The long-term goals look pretty lofty.  I’ll definitely be revisiting them.  But… it’s a start.