Emily's Diet: 8 Pounds in 1 Week but Long-Term Risk of CHD - Case Study

Introduction

As evident from Emily's diet plan, she lost 8 pounds in one week, so the diet works but for a short time. But it's not appropriate for the long term because it could put her at risk of nutrition deficiencies. Lack of dietary fiber may cause inadequate nutrition and a lack of non-starchy vegetables such as spinach and kales.

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A possible health complication Emily is putting herself into is possible coronary heart disease due to lack of non-starchy vegetables (Khawandanah, & Tewfik, 2016). Another risk is diabetes due to her diet, which may not meet the recommended daily fiber intake.

Diet Plan and Nutrient Balance

In Emily's diet, she is missing carbohydrates. The recommended daily fiber intake is missing, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats like avocado (Khawandanah, & Tewfik, 2016). For Emily to achieve a better nutrient balance, she needs to include fresh fruits like apples and oranges in her diet. Include fresh vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and lastly, nuts and lean proteins in her daily calories.

Energy Needs

Emily's current energy need basing on her age, height weight, and gender is 1518kcal per day (Sabounchi, Rahmandad, & Ammerman, 2013). For her to lose about 1 pound per week, Emily needs to cut not below 500 calories a day (Sabounchi et al., 2013). With 500 calories a day, she will cut around 3500 calories a week, which equates to 1 pound.

SMART Goal (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely)

If Emily wants to use SMART to make a healthy lifestyle, she first needs to understand the principle of SMART goals. She needs a clear, highly-specific endpoint. If she aims to lose weight and is it for a short period or an extended period, if the aim is for a long period, then she needs to register for gym sessions. Secondly, she needs to measure her weight once every two weeks. She needs to be able to check in with herself in a measurable way to keep her in track to motivate her as she sees the progress while she continues to improve. The third is by setting an attainable goal, for example, losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, which is healthy and also achievable rather than setting a goal that would keep her health at risk. Fourth is making sure that her aim is relevant, and because previously, she had shown signs of health risks like rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and fatigue, setting this goal is related to her course. Lastly, her goal should be time-bound, with her age and responsibilities as a mother; I would give her six months mark so that she could work towards that date.

Recommendations

Considering her rapid breathing and heartbeat, I would recommend a brisk walk for her coupled with climbing stairs, then biking sometimes, and numerous physical yard works like gardening, and digging.

References

Khawandanah, J., & Tewfik, I. (2016). Fad diets: Lifestyle promises and health challenges. Journal of Food Research, 5(6), 80. Retrieved from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/d420/46557810136fa0764363353cca9efcd10b59.

Sabounchi, N. S., Rahmandad, H., & Ammerman, A. (2013). Best-fitting prediction equations for basal metabolic rate: informing obesity interventions in diverse populations. International journal of obesity, 37(10), 1364-1370. Retrieved from: https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2012218/