Dear diary ...

Byline: 20Below News Team / The Register-Guard

We asked three of our 20Below staff members to keep a food diary for two weeks. Below is a description of their own eating habits; a menu for a typical day; and an opinion of their eating habits by dietitian Loretta Plaa, who examined their diaries.

LeBrie Rich, Blue Mountain, Sophomore

Habits: I didn't realize I ate so many of the same foods until I wrote it all down. I think I eat pretty healthy, though I probably don't get enough food variety. I drink about a gallon of water a day, but I don't drink soda and I don't eat any fast food. I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat any meat from grocery stores (so I might as well be). I eat the fish my Dad catches.

Typical Day: Whole bagel with cream cheese and raspberry jam, fruit grain bar, orange, banana, four vegetarian tacos (soy meat) with Cheddar cheese and iceberg lettuce, piece of Laffy Taffy, apple, fried tofu, piece of celery, two pieces of garlic bread, two servings of split pea soup, ginger tea, cranberry juice.

Expert word: The good: The best diary of the three, in terms of variety, "grazing" responsibly, using healthy alternatives and avoiding junk food.

The bad: Slightly lacks calcium and veggies.

Suggestions: Add vegetables. Aim for about three to five 1/2 -cup (cooked) servings a day.

Tiphini Tomchak, Willamette High, Junior

Habits: The only way I can excuse my horrible eating habits is to explain that I'm young and unemployed. Some day, I'll have a job and will buy all the healthy, expensive food, but for now, I rely on the cheap "fillingness" of junk food. Honestly, I like tofu and I'm one of the few people I know who actually likes Gardenburgers. I'll eat healthier one day - but just not now.

Typical Day: Bowl of Cream of Wheat cereal, cran-cherry juice, sliced pickled beets, granola bar, packet of fruit snacks, juice, half of a large frosted gingersnap, hot dog.

Expert word: The good: She consistently eats a substantial breakfast.

The bad: Needs routine (no meal skipping!) and diet is high in processed foods. Calorie bunching raises chance of storing fat and leads to hunger later.

Suggestions: Exchange processed foods for whole grains, veggies and fruits. Needs calcium and less sugar.

Jodi Thiel, Cottage Grove, Senior

Habits: I'm a very conscientious eater and careful about what I put into my body. But I know there is room for improvement. The three main meals of the day are fairly balanced and healthy, but snacking can get me into trouble. Also, I often find myself indulging in one of my biggest vices: caffeine. Like I said, there's still some room for improvement.

Typical Day: Multigrain Cheerios with 1/4 cup of yogurt, spinach and cheese calzone, one cup of corned beef and cabbage, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, apple, two pieces of whole-wheat bread, chips with salsa, water.

Expert word: The good: A routine with breakfast, and for the most part, three meals a day.

The bad: Her diet is full of refined carbohydrates (starches), and needs more vitamin D and calcium.

Suggestions: Add variety among food groups. Avoid processed fruit juices and starches and aim for more leafy greens, real fruit and whole grains.

CAPTION(S):

The good: She consistently eats a substantial breakfast. The bad: Needs routine (no meal skipping!) and diet is high in processed foods. Calorie bunching raises chance of storing fat and leads to hunger later. Suggestions: Exchange processed foods for whole grains, veggies and fruits. Needs calcium and less sugar. The good: A routine with breakfast, and for the most part, three meals a day. The bad: Her diet is full of refined carbohydrates (starches), and needs more vitamin D and calcium. Suggestions: Add variety among food groups. Avoid processed fruit juices and starches and aim for more leafy greens, real fruit and whole grains. The subjects LeBrie Rich Blue Mountain Sophomore Tiphini Tomchak Willamette High Junior Jodi Thiel Cottage Grove Senior Their habits I didn't realize I ate so many of the same foods until I wrote it all down. I think I eat pretty healthy, though I probably don't get enough food variety. I drink about a gallon of water a day, but I don't drink soda and I don't eat any fast food. I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't eat any meat from grocery stores (so I might as well be). I eat the fish my Dad catches. The only way I can excuse my horrible eating habits is to explain that I'm young and unemployed. Some day, I'll have a job and will buy all the healthy, expensive food, but for now, I rely on the cheap "fillingness" of junk food. Honestly, I like tofu and I'm one of the few people I know who actually likes Gardenburgers. I'll eat healthier one day - but just not now. I'm a very conscientious eater and careful about what I put into my body. But I know there is room for improvement. The three main meals of the day are fairly balanced and healthy, but snacking can get me into trouble. Also, I often find myself indulging in one of my biggest vices: caffeine. Like I said, there's still some room for improvement. A typical day Whole bagel with cream cheese and raspberry jam, fruit grain bar, orange, banana, four vegetarian tacos (soy meat) with Cheddar cheese and iceberg lettuce, piece of Laffy Taffy, apple, fried tofu, piece of celery, two pieces of garlic bread, two servings of split pea soup, ginger tea, cranberry juice. Bowl of Cream of Wheat cereal, cran-cherry juice, sliced pickled beets, granola bar, packet of fruit snacks, juice, half of a large frosted gingersnap, hot dog. Multigrain Cheerios with 1/4 cup of yogurt, spinach and cheese calzone, one cup of corned beef and cabbage, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, apple, two pieces of whole-wheat bread, chips with salsa, water. The expert word The good: The best diary of the three, in terms of variety, "grazing" responsibly, using healthy alternatives and avoiding junk food. The bad: Slightly lacks calcium and veggies. Suggestions: Add vegetables. Aim for about three to five 1/2 -cup (cooked) servings a day. The good: She consistently eats a substantial breakfast. The bad: Needs routine (no meal skipping!) and diet is high in processed foods. Calorie bunching raises chance of storing fat and leads to hunger later. Suggestions: Exchange processed foods for whole grains, veggies and fruits. Needs calcium and less sugar. The good: A routine with breakfast, and for the most part, three meals a day. The bad: Her diet is full of refined carbohydrates (starches), and needs more vitamin D and calcium. Suggestions: Add variety among food groups. Avoid processed fruit juices and starches and aim for more leafy greens, real fruit and whole grains.