A Simple Diet Pattern for Peak Nutrition

Posted in Miscellaneous, Health and Fitness on September 19, 2012 by Chance W.

Although maintaining healthy body weight is essentially about calories in versus calories out, the demands of training for and carrying out tactical police work require a more precise and balanced diet than can be achieved with a simple calorie check. Nutrition that supports peak physical performance comes from a balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and dairy or dairy substitutes.

Over the past few decades, diet planning has evolved beyond the four food groups and even beyond the food guide pyramid. In 2010, the USDA adopted a plate to illustrate the ideal proportion in which each category of food should be eaten. However, tactical police officers and other athletes using a specific calorie count can use a calorie-level template for simple and accurate diet planning.

Calorie Distribution
In the latest release of Dietary Recommendations for Americans, the USDA provided helpful information about exactly how much of each type of food an adult needs in order to ensure optimal nutrition. In the table below, its easy to see how simple it is to plan a well-balanced diet based on caloric intake. Know Your Number: Determining Metabolic Needs contains more information about how to establish the right calorie level based on metabolism and physical activity. Calories Fruit 1,600 1 cups 2 cups 5 ozeq 5 ozeq 3 cups 1,800 1 cups 2 cups 6 ozeq 5 ozeq 3 cups 2,000 2 cups 2 cups 6 oz-eq 5 ozeq 3 cups 2,200 2 cups 2,400 2 cups 2,600 2 cups 3 cups 9 oz-eq 6 ozeq 3 cups 2,800 2 cups 3 cups 10 ozeq 7 oz-eq 3 cups 3,000 2 cups 4 cups 10 ozeq 7 oz-eq 3 cups 3,200 2 cups 4 cups 10 ozeq 7 oz-eq 3 cups

Vegetables

3 cups

3 cups

Grains Protein foods Dairy

7 oz-eq

8 oz-eq 6 ozeq 3 cups

6 oz-eq 3 cups

Oil Maximum Calories from Saturated Fat

22 g

24 g

27 g

29 g

31 g

34 g

36 g

44 g

51 g

121 (8%)

161 (9%)

258 (13%)

266 (12%)

330 (14%)

362 (14%)

395 (14%)

459 (15%)

596 (19%)

Grains, 1 ounce-equivalent is: 1 one-ounce slice bread; 1 ounce uncooked pasta or rice; cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal; 1 tortilla (6" diameter); 1 pancake (5" diameter); 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal (about 1 cup cereal flakes). Vegetables and fruits, 1 cup equivalent is: 1 cup raw or cooked vegetable or fruit; cup dried vegetable or fruit; 1 cup vegetable or fruit juice; 2 cups leafy salad greens. Protein foods, 1 ounce-equivalent is: 1 ounce lean meat, poultry, seafood; 1 egg; 1 Tbsp peanut butter; ounce nuts or seeds. Also, cup cooked beans or peas may also be counted as 1 ounce-equivalent. Dairy, 1 cup equivalent is: 1 cup milk, fortified soy beverage, or yogurt; 1 ounces natural cheese (e.g., cheddar); 2 ounces of processed cheese (e.g., American).

Adapted from Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010[1]

Special Consideration for Protein

As mentioned in How Much Protein Do Your Really Need? there are two basic methods for calculating the protein portion of a diet: either as a percentage of total calories or as a number of grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The USDA patterns depicted above are based on about 20 percent of calories from protein. However, individuals who calculate their protein needs as higher because of their heavy workout schedule can still enjoy the relative simplicity of planning a diet using the table by adjusting for the higher protein requirements. To make the adjustment, active individuals should multiply the number of grams of protein they require by four to calculate the number of calories from protein. For example, 150 grams of protein multiplied by 4 equals 600 calories from protein. Next, divide the number of protein calories by the number of total calories to calculate the percentage of calories from protein. For example, in a 2,400-calorie diet, 150 grams of protein makes up 25 percent of total calories because 600 divided by 2,400 equals 0.25. Because 150 grams of protein contributes more than 20 percent of calories, eating the additional protein on top of the full diet pattern for the 2,400-calorie level could result in roughly an additional 120 calories per day. That doesnt sound like much, but if it is in excess of what is necessary, it could result in an undesired weight gain of 12 pounds per year. Instead of eating the extra protein as extra calories, a better alternative is to select a lower calorie plan in the diet pattern table and add the additional protein to that pattern. Instead of the 2,400-calorie level, select the 2,200-calorie level, which leaves room for up to 200 calories (50 grams) of extra protein.

Implementation

Keep a three-day record of what you eat and compare it to the USDA pattern to look for weaknesses. Cut back in areas where you may be overdoing it (e.g. too much saturated fat) and add servings in areas where you arent meeting recommendations (e.g. not enough fruit and vegetables). Keep refined sugars like soda and coffee sweeteners to no more than 10 percent of total caloric intake after all, they dont have a place in the diet pattern and they either displace nutrient-rich foods or add excess calories to your diet.

[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; 2010; 79; http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/dietaryguidelines2010.pdf

ABOUT CHANCE W.
Chance W. is an experienced fitness contributor with over 10 years experience. She holds a BS in Dietetics, as well as ACE and NHE certifications and has been published over 450 times.