Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
Nutrition Objective
The objective of a healthy diet is to improve health by providing palatable and nutritious
foods while enhancing your nutrition education and provide nutritional building blocks to
optimum health.
How Does My Diet Affect My Health?
What you eat can greatly affect your health and well-being. All the good things that you
associate with health – enhanced appearance, optimal weight, great vitality, and restoration
of normal function, positive moods, and a deep feeling of well-being can be attained by
eating a healthy diet. Scientific studies have shown time and again that choosing healthy
foods can reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
Healthy foods can also help you maintain a healthy weight. According to the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute, close to 100 million Americans are overweight or obese. Being
obese or overweight substantially increases the risk of morbidity from several conditions,
including heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea,
and several types of cancer.
So what type of diet is best for disease prevention and to maintain a healthy weight? The
best diet is one that you can stick with for life. A healthy diet is a lifestyle, not a fad that is
dangerous or difficult to maintain.
Abundant evidence suggests that the most healthful diets set aside animal products and
also reduce fats in general, while including large amounts of vegetables and fruits.
Eliminating meat and dairy products from your diet is a powerful step in disease prevention.
These products are typically high in saturated fat and cholesterol and completely devoid of
fiber. They have also been specifically linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancers.
Eating a low-fat, plant-based diet rich in whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables is the
best way to prevent disease and increase chances of survival.
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Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
Diet and Nutrition Goals
Personal goal setting of health goals will bring outstanding results to your health as well as
to other areas of your life. When applied appropriately, personal goal setting is a process
that enables you to clarify your goal or goals with intent.
When setting goals make sure they are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
When you don't have a specific goal, it's difficult to keep track your progress to see how far
you've come. Keep in mind that you can have a variety of goals you set for your diet. Before
you start your nutrition program take a moment and ask yourself these questions:
1. What do I want to accomplish with this diet/program?
2. Is my goal realistic and attainable?
3. Do I know how to reach my goal?
4. Do I have a timeline for reaching my goal?
5. How will I reward myself when I get there?
Here are some goals to consider and use:
Weight Loss goals: specify realistic and reasonable weight loss by time periods, i.e., lose
1-3 pounds a week until reaching your set point weight.
Food goals: Eating healthier foods preferably whole foods, such as whole grains,
vegetables, and fruits.
Improve any chronic health issues, like diabetes, heart disease, etc.
Exercise goals: Improve your activity level with exercise whether it be a brisk walk daily,
yoga, running, or weight / resistant training.
Find a support system: do you have the support of those who influence your life?
Goal Setting Your Healthy Eating Plan for Success
Start with clarity about what you're doing!
Why you are setting nutrition goals?
What are the barriers to achieving your nutrition goals?
How are going to overcome these barriers?
Who can help you achieve your healthy eating goal?
You can learn more about how to gain such clarity about goal setting your healthy eating
plans by accessing this 5 part goals settings guidance and using goal setting worksheet
(attached).
Here are just a few examples of typical challenges or barriers you might likely encounter
when goal setting your healthy eating plan. It is crucial that you identify those that are
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Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
unique to you and, which you perceive could get in the way of you achieving your healthy
eating goal.
Time constraints because you work long hours
Your tendency to eat junk foods or convenience foods
You do not consider your cooking skills adequate
Your diet restricts certain foods - e.g. you're a vegetarian
You have limited knowledge on diet and nutrition
By clearly identifying the challenges you will most likely encounter; you're better placed to
find solutions when approaching your nutrition goal setting and your healthy eating plans.
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Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
Health Goal Setting Worksheet
The following activity goal setting exercise will help you get this level of clarity and enable
you to prioritize your values.
Please take some time now to consider what is important to you in life at this particular
time. For instance, when you think about your health, what are the things you value most
highly?
List 10 things you consider to be of personal value in relation to your overall health. To get
you started, here are some personal values and the core health areas to which each belong.
Use this list and/or add some other values not listed and rank them in order of priority
(placing a number in the second column) - for example, supposing 'beauty' is the last value
on your list of 10. Is this where it belongs - in 10th place or do you value it much higher in,
say, and 1st place? Simply rewrite your values until you are satisfied with them in their
order of importance. Your top value should be 1 and so on.
Personal Value Rank
Good health (Physical)
Emotional and mental well-being (Mental)
Healthy eating (Food Nutrition)
Exercise (Physical)
Inner beauty (Beauty Health)
body image (Beauty Health)
Peace of mind (Mental Health)
Skin care (Beauty Health)
Rest/Sleep (Physical & Mental Health)
Happiness (Mental Health)
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Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
My Health and Nutrition Goals Name: ________________
What do you want to achieve with health and nutrition? Name your goals below:
What specific health issue or issues would you like to improve, being as specific as possible:
What other areas would you like to improve emotionally or physically, i.e., stress
management, sleep, eating habits, being as specific as possible:
Set a deadline(s) for the completion of each goal:
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Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
Tell why you want to achieve your goals:
List the obstacles or constraints in your way, and how you plan to overcome them:
Recognize three qualities you have which will help you reach your goals:
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
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Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle
Health Objective Assessment
Suggested Health and Nutrition Resources:
Suggested reading, reference books, DVDs:
The China Study – T. Colin Campbell, PhD
The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook – John and Mary McDougall
The Engine 2 Diet – Rip Esselstyn
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease – Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.
The Food Revolution – John Robbins
Food and Healing – Annmarie Colbin
The McDougall Program – 12 Days to Dynamic Health – John D. McDougall, M.D.
Whitewash: The Disturbing Truth about Cow’s Milk and Your Health – Joseph Keon
Forks over Knives DVD - Documentary about plant-based nutrition and its effect on chronic
diseases featuring T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. Available at
www.forksoverkives or at Amazon.com
Recommended websites about health and nutrition from experts:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/ - John McDougall, M.D.
http://www.vegsource.com/ - Health and nutrition information, and Forums.
http://tcolincampbell.org/ - T. Colin Campbell, PhD
www.compassionatecooks.com – Great vegetarian recipes.
http://www.pcrm.org/ - Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)
http://wellnessforum.com/ - Pam Popper, N.D., Health and nutrition information and
resources.
www.cancerdecisions.com - Ralph W. Moss, PhD
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