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Nutrition And Nutrition

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Introduction
Nutrition allows the body to take in the fuel it needs and to maintain homeostasis in order to grow and live. In her book on maintaining a healthy dance lifestyle, Gigi Berardi asserts that nutrition “is critical to good performance and to a long dancing career because food is the main source of fuel for muscles, body fluid replacement, and the other nutrients needed for fitness and health. An inadequate diet may trigger injuries and prolong rehabilitation” (2004, p. 161). Particularly for dancers, who are highly specialized athletes, nutrition can help or harm dance performance. In this paper, I will analyze my own eating habits, introduce the science behind nutrition, look at the components of a balanced diet, and amend my own eating habits for a healthier focus on nutrition in the future.
Results and Analysis of Personal Food Journal
After looking over my seven-day food journal, I found that most of my meals and snacks contain healthy macromolecules. I generally eat an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables. Personally, I love fruit, so I make a point to eat it at least twice a day. I enjoy salads and vegetables, but I often grow tired of the options on campus. Although I do not drink milk plain, I usually have low or nonfat milk with tea. I eat Greek yogurt a few times a week, and I try to choose brands with low sugar content. Sometimes, I add cheese to sandwiches or I eat it for a snack, and I pick low-fat types. I always choose whole wheat or brown rice when I have the option. Since I do not eat meat, I must make sure I get complete proteins from eggs, beans and rice, tofu, and fish. Chia seeds, plain nuts, and nut butters make an appearance in my diet almost every day as a source of healthy fat and protein. I eat granola bars between dance classes, but I pick brands with few ingredients, like Larabar which is made of dates, dried fruit, and nuts.
When I go too long without food or I become hungry, I instinctively reach for sugary carbohydrates. During my food journal period, these carbohydrates consisted of sugary tea drinks, muffins, cookies, and crackers. Unhealthy fats appeared in my portion sizes of nuts and in my consumption of ice cream. After the first day, I realized I did not

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