Personalized Nutrition and Exercise Plan

Personalized Nutrition and Exercise Plan

One of the marvels of the modern world is the fact that we can anticipate health problems and take steps to mitigate or even prevent them altogether. Scientific and nutrition research has identified the optimal diet and exercise regimes for persons of different age groups, genders, and conditions. While it is unfortunate that some conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, are the result of a family history with these conditions, other factors can be controlled. A person anticipating these diseases can for example choose to modify his or her lifestyle in order to minimize or prevent their effects. The problem to be targeted is a combination of diabetes and high blood pressure as a result of family history. In anticipating the possibility of developing these conditions, it is possible to create nutrition and exercise goals in order to mitigate or prevent them altogether.

Many authors make recommendations for specific nutritional and exercise goals, particularly in diseases that are often directly related to diet. The patient in question is a female, 35 years old, with a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure. In anticipating the possibility of developing these diseases herself, she has made a commitment to modifying her lifestyle and dietary habits in order to mitigate or prevent the conditions. As such, she has created four goals for herself, resulting from research and consultation with health professionals.

The first goal is losing weight. Although not fat by any standard, the patient is slightly overweight, and has made it her goal to lose 10 pounds within a maximum of two months. In order to reach this goal, she has set both exercise and dietary goals for herself. According to Delahanty & McCulloch (2008), blood glucose levels can be controlled by eating a consistent number of calories per day. The patient has employed the help of a nutritionist to recommend specific foods for this purpose. Wanting to lose weight in a healthy way, the patient's dietary plan includes fewer calories than she is used to consuming, while also providing her with sufficient nutrition to maintain her energy levels per day. If she does develop diabetes and insulin therapy becomes necessary, it is possible that the patient may experience some weight gain. Delahanty & McCulloch (2008) recommend a reduction of daily calorie intake by 250 to 300, concomitantly with an improvement in blood glucose levels. In addition, it is also recommended that physical activity be increased.

This is the second goal. Being in a profession that involves a large amount of passive time in front of a computer, the patient has neglected her exercise regime for most of the last five years. Being committed to her health in a more targeted way, she has decided to change this. The recommended level of exercise for a woman in her mid-thirties is about 30 minutes per day for at least five days per week. In order to reach this goal, the patient has consulted with her local gym. It has been recommended that she start with 30 minutes of exercise for three days per week. She will then gradually build up to five days, and possibly more per week.

Exercise is not only beneficial for weight control in diabetic patients, but also for high blood pressure. According to the Connection-Fitness Web site (2007), body fat is associated with high blood pressure. Reducing the former by means of exercise, the latter is lowered. The lower-calorie diet mentioned earlier will also be helpful in this.

The third goal is to follow a diet that focuses specifically on reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes. Once the weight loss goal has been reached, the diet will be modified to include this goal as well. A lower intake of protein and fat is already included. In addition, carbohydrate consistency, as noted by Delahanty & McCulloch (2008), will receive specific attention. The patient will balance her daily diet with vegetables, fruits, dairy products and sugars. These provide energy without driving glucose levels unacceptably high. A dietitian can help with carbohydrate counting.

The fourth goal is a reduction in alcohol intake. Kenny & Kenny (2007) are very specific about the amount of alcohol recommended per day, particularly for persons who are diabetic or in danger of developing the disease. The authors recommend that the patient, a women of 35 years, should drink no more than 14 units (where one unite is half a pint of beer or two thirds of a small glass of wine) of alcohol per week or three units in a given day. Ideally, 1-2 units per day are recommended. While the patient does not drink during the week, she does tend to drink somewhat excessively over weekends. Her goal is to reduce her alcohol intake gradually towards only one or two units per day on weekends, while maintaining her non-drinking habit during the week. To reach this goal, the patient has enlisted the help of her friends. Specifically, she will reduce her exposure to alcohol by at first reducing her times at pubs and parties. She has asked her friends to help her by holding parties at their homes or in restaurants rather than in pubs and other high-alcohol venues.

The patient has taken several actions to reach each of her four goals. She has enlisted the help of both professionals and her friends, made lists of her short- and long-term goals, and taken personal action like joining a gym, avoiding pubs, and replacing the unhealthy foods in her home with a healthier selection. All four goals represent fairly radical changes for her, and setbacks could be a problem.

The greatest areas of concern is maintaining the exercise regime and the reduction of alcohol intake. In order to maintain the first goal, it is recommended that the patient also enlist the help of friends. Many find exercising with a friend more pleasant than attempting the regime themselves. This has both psychological and social benefits. Indeed, exercising with a friend over weekends can also supplement the new low-alcohol lifestyle. Friends also serve as a motivating factor in maintaining the exercise regime. When setbacks in this regime then occur, the patient can ask her friends to help her maintain a mindset that is conducive to regaining her momentum and motivation.

In terms of her lowered alcohol intake, the patient may experience a setback when being tempted to drink too much during a dinner or a party with friends. Here also she can rely on her friends for support. She can for example identify one or two friends as close companions to help her find and maintain a habit of lower alcohol consumption over the weekends.

In terms of dietary changes, it is recommended that the patient ensures that the majority of foods available in her home are healthy and low in calories. She should also maintain a list of food intake for each day, which she can then consult whenever she feels like eating.