Eat to Perform

Menu Planning is so fun!! As the second component of a case study project I was to create a meal plan for a triathlete. I love cooking, food science, and learning new cooking techniques so I was able to combine them all together for this project. Being that this was a part two of a two part project, it was nice to see my work over an entire semester come together into one cohesive guide to give to an actual patient looking to make changes in her life. The best part about being an aspiring dietitian is seeing your work go to someone who really wants to make changes in their life. It makes your work invaluable and incredibly rewarding.

Because of my passion for cooking and food, this was an area that I felt confident in and was excited to contribute my skills to. Beginning this project was slightly overwhelming because I had never made a meal plan for someone before that was so intensive. It required careful calculations in order to make the meal planning process efficient and stream lined. When I initially started, I was creating meals and then adding them together in a sort of tetris-fashion. It wasn’t until I realized that I should calculate individual meals and create meals that fall within those parameters that it became a better flow of work. Once that process began, it was more enjoyable creating recipes and finding ingredients that would satisfy the tastes of my patient and her family. For all those trying meal planning for the first time, calculate macros per meal and go from there! MUCH easier.

Food can be something that brings families and communities together as they take the time to nourish themselves, which not only fills their bellies but also fills their hearts. Food is something that we all take in, but can differ in taste, smell, and texture depending on the culture and our own preferences. By taking the time to really enjoy the food, take in its beauty, taste, smell and feeling in addition to its nutrients, we can accomplish much more than pure caloric intake. This objective allowed me to connect with someone on this deeper level, giving them ideas and ways to enjoy the experience while also accomplishing goals that may seem impossible. All it takes is a little love, education and awareness in order to reach whatever goals you may have.I was incredibly proud to be a part of that and to help someone reach theirs.

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