sports & exercise nutrition-signed

7/29/2019 Sports & Exercise Nutrition-Signed

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Sport & Exercise- Nutrition: The BasiesContentsIt-Sloihption:,4r

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Carbohydrates:

Protein:

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Food Composition Tables:

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John Williams


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IntroductionNutrition plays an import role in sports and exercise performance. For the competitiveathlete proper nutrition is just as important as their training in the pursuit of thatcompetitive edge. However, it isn't just the dedicated athlete that can benefit fromimproved nutritional intake. With ever increasing numbers of people joining theirlocal gym or fitness suit or taking up a new sport to loose fat, tone up or just improvetheir overall fitness the need for an accurate yet simple source of information onnutrition has never been greater.There are any number of general books on food and diet. On the whole these bookstend to concentrate on slimming with many outlining eating methods that are justimpossible to stick to in the long term. Fad diets or short-term solutions will onlyresult in short term weight loss and once nornal eating habits are resumed any weightlost will usually be regained.All nutritionists and doctors now agree that aslow and gradual re-education in eating

habits, combined with a sensible and regular exercise progftunme, is the only way toachieve permanent weight loss. There are also hundreds if not thousands of booksaimed at the competitive athlete, however those that do cover nutrition tend to blindthe reader with science, leaving them confused about just what and how they shouldbe eating. This book fills the gap; it is aimed at anyone who wants to get the most outof their sport or exercise sessions, it aims to dispel the myths surrounding sportsnutrition, presenting the scientifically proven facts about your bodies nutriti.lral needsin an understandable format, completely independent of any food supplementmanufacturers osponsorship' or'research grant' !

Can improved nutrition help?All to many sports people still believe that as long as they eat enough food to stopthemselves feeling hungry then they will be 'OK'. High protein, high carbohydratediets are recommended with little regard to the qualrty of what is being eaten. Forexample, many high protein foods can be high in fat content and a high carbohydrateintake is all to often achieved with large amounts of simple sugars or fatty snacks.


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Little if any thought is given to the complete nutritional package or how such a dietwill affect sporting performance. In addition, athletes and sports people arebombarded with advertising from food supplement companies proclaiming anazingresults from their latest powder or pill, claims that are frequent$ backed by 'scientificresearch' - is it any wonder there is so much confusion amongst sports people withregards to nutrition?For the recreational exerciser, just wishing to loose body-fat or tone and shape thingsare no better with TV adverfs for meal replacement drinks and snacks. It is all toocommon for diet books, diet clubs or so called diet guru's to advocate eating regimesthat are impossible to stick to in the long term. Only a slow and gradual change ineating habits will enswe long-term results.'iA good diet won't necessarily turn you into an Olympic Champion but a poor dietwill certainly prevent you from reaching your goals.Whatever your sport or past time there are a number of factors that need to beconsidered when planning your goals:

Your genoticsYour lifestyleThe type, quality and frequency ofyour training / exercisetHow much rest and relaxation you getYour nutritional intake

* Your training / exercise needs to be the correct type, quality andfrequency to achieve,(heresults you wcnt, be it improved sporting performance or weight loss / gain. )Of all these factors the only one that is outside your control is your genetic make up.Of course everyone is different, even two people of similar size, with similar activitylevels may require different energy intakes. As well as your activity level, your age,sex and metabolism will affect your energy needs. That's why it would be impossibleto prescribe a diet that would work for everyone. However, this book will give youthe information and guidance you need to develop a nutritional plan to suit yourneeds. :

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EnergyEnergy comes from the food and drink you consume. Your body converts this foodinto a form of energy that can be used by your body. There are four components ornutrients in the food you eat that are capable of supplying energyl

,/ Carbohydrates,/ Proteins,/ FatsEach of these can be broken down to provide a different amount of energy, which isnormally measured in kilocalories (kcal or calories). The metric equivalent beingkilojoules (KI)

CarbohydratesProteinsFats

One Gram Provides:4kcal (17 KJ)4kcal (17 KJ)9 kcal Gs KJ)

As you can see, fat is the most concentrated form of energy. However, in practicemost foods contain a mixture of these nutrients so the energy value depends on therelative amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat it contains.Although all three of these nutrients are capable of providing energy for your bodyonly carbohydrates and fats are important for sport and exercise. Protein is rarely usedfor energy production, except under very strenuous or prolonged activity when thecarbohydrate stored in your body has been depleted. The amounts of carbohydratesand fats your body will use during an activity depends on a number of factors:

'/ The type of activity./ The intensity of activity'/ The duration of the activity,/ Your current fitness levels

Generally speaking, the more intense the exercise the greater the proportion ofcarbohydrate you use. So during highly intense exercise such as sprinting, weight


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training or circuit training you will use predominantly carbohydrates. This type ofexercise is called anaerobic exercise. During less intense exercise such as jogging orwalking you will use a higher proportion of fat as fuel. However, it can take up to 15minutes to get into the 'fat burning zond and even then your body must have a supplyofcarbohydrates to be able to utilise fat stores as energy, fat is quite literally burnt inthe fire of buming carbohydrates, this type of exercise is called aerobic exercise.What does anaerobic and aerobic mean?Broadly speaking, exercise can be classified as either anaerobic (without oxygen) oraerobic (with oxygen).Any activity that requires short sharp bursts of energy, sprinting, weight training etc isplassified as anaerobic because it can be carried out without the need for additionaloxygen being supplied to the muscles. Your body can produce energy very quickly tofuel this type of activity, however it is avery inefficient way of energy production andcan only be sustained for about 90t seconds because of the build up of waste products(lactic acid). Once the build up of lactic acid reaches a level that interferes withnormal muscular activity you experience a burning sensation in the muscles beingworked arid you are forced to reduce the intensity of the activity or stop all together sothat fresh oxygen can reach the working muscles.* An initial all out burst can only be sustainedfor 6 - 10 seconds, however anaerobic activitycan continue for up b 9A seconds.If you rest just enough to be able to repeat the activity, as in weight training, circuittraining or speed endurance type training, yow activity can be classified aspredominantly anaerobic. The speed you recover will depend on your current fitnesslevels, your age, the intensity of the activity and how accustomed you are to thespecific movement you are doing.Because fuelling this type of activity is so inefficient energy supplies don't last verylong. Research has suggested that this type of intense activity can only be sustainedfor 45 - 60 minutes, depending on the length of rest periods.


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If, after the initial burst of activity (90 seponds or so) you slow down enough to allowfresh oxygen into the working muscles but continue working, your activity is thenclassified as aerobic. Examples of aerobic activity include walking, jogging;swimming or just about any activity that is sustained (without a break) for longer than1.5 -2 minutes. During aerobic activity energy is produced much more effrcientlyand can be kept up for much longer.There is still a great deal of confusion with regards aerobic exercise, even amongstpeople working in the fitness industry. It is still widely thought that if you areexercising aerobically you must be utilising fat stores as energy. This is not the case.Carbohydrates fuel the initial stage of aerobic activity, in fact aerobic aetivrty fuelledby carbohydrates can be sustained for over 2 hours, dependirrg on energy stores in themuscles. Your exercise needs to continue for 10 - 15 minutes, be continuous and of alow enough intensity to even start to utilise fat stores for energy production andideally should continue for at least 20 - 30 minutes without a break and even then, ifyou increase you intensity you will stop buming fat as energy. In addition, fat canonly be burnt ifthere is sufficient carbohydrates present - reason enough not to tryand follow a low earbohydrate diet, let alone one that advocates cutting them outcompletely*. It is widely accepted in the fitness industry that monitoring the heartrate (HR) is the best way to gauge your exercise intensity, with around 65 - 70o/o ofyour maximum HR being the most effective for fat burning. To calculate yourmaximum HR you should subtact your age fuom220. Thus: a 40 year old will have aperceived max HR of 180 beats per minute and should exercise with a HR of arognd117 - 126 beats per minute for 30 minutes to utilise fat deposits as an energy supply.* It has been proven time and time agairl that most of the weight lost during such a regime islean tissue (muscle) and water, which accounts for the large amomts of weight that can belost in the first few weeks of such a diet- Once carbohydrate stores are depleted you body witlstart to utilise proteins (in the form of anino acids) ss tm energy supply - resulting in evengreater loss oflean tissue. In addition, your brain requires a constant supply ofcarbohydrates to finction properly and you may find that yoar concentration levels drop andyou become increasingly iwitable on such s diet.Sports such as rugby, football and hockey require short bursts of very strenuousactivity (anaerobic) with recover periods of much less strenuous activity (aerobic).


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Training for such sports should mirror these requirements' Other sports such asweightlifting, sprinting and gymnastics, are predominantly anaerobic andtrainingshould be tailored tq meet these requirements: As you can'see' to get the most out ofany activity, be it top-lwel sport or exercising to loose excess fat it is important to eata diet high in carbohYdrates'


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CarbohydratesStrictly speaking, your body does not absorb carbohydrates in the form thatyou eatthem. Carbohydrates are made up of hundreds of sugar units linked together, the morelinks there are the more complex a carbohydrate is said to be. Before your body canabsorb the carbohydrates you eat it must break down all these links leaving theconstituent sugars to be absorbed into the body. The most common type of sugar isglucose*.* Other common sugars are fructose (fruit), sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar)The amount of time it takes to break down all the links and make the sugars availablefor your body to use is called the glycaemic index (GI). For example, bananas haverelatively few links and can be broken dorrm and made available for use very quicklyand are thus said to have a high GI, whereas, pasta has a much more complicatedchain of sugars to break down and has a much lower GI. Other factors that alter thespeed a food can be utilised include the amount of un-digestible bulk (roughage) itcontains and if it is eaten with other foodstuffs. For example, white bread has a highGI and brown bread has only a moderate GI but once you put butter on either the GI islowered because of the added fat. In addition, foodstuffs like grapes and oranges aretypically thought to have a high GI because they are fruit, however because of theroughage they contain, they have a low GI:The GlycaemicVery High GI

Rice lwttite;CornflakesParsnips (cooked)Potato (cooked I norskin)Carrots (cooked)Honey-

Index Of SomeBreadMost:chocolateShredded wheatWeetabixRaisinsBananas

Common FoodstuffsModerate GI Low GI

Pasta Most beansOats ApplesAll bran CherriesGrapes PlumsOranges Apricots ltesh;Crisps Peaches

MilkYoghurt


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Once absorbed into the blood your body uses these simple sugars to construct a morecomplex sugar called glycogen. Glycogen is then stored in your muscles and liver.When you exercise glycogen is broken down into glucose and then the glucose is usedto generate energy. This process only occurs in the muscles being used, for example,if you are exercising yow legs glycogen is only broken down in your legs. Once yourglycogen supplies run low you experience fatigue. At this point you are forced to stopall together, to allow glycogen supplies to be replaced or slow down enough to allowwaste products, such as lactic acid, to be removed and allow your body to startutilising fat stores to generate energy*. It should be clear then that the amount ofglycogen stored in your muscles will have a direct affect on the duration and intensityofyour exercise sessions. If you start exercising with low glycogen supplies you willfatigue very quickly, whereas if you start with 'full tanks' you will be quicker,stronger and be able to keep going longer.* Unfortunatelyfor the thousands ofpeopte who exercise to loose weight, unlike glycogenfatstores are not utilised at the point of contraction. What this means is that exercising your legsor abdominals (stomach muscles) will deplete glycogen supplies in your legs and abdominalsbut fat stores will be utilised in q much more general mcmner: it is impossible to .spotreducet.

Research has shown that your body will adapt to the type of training you do. If yourexercise sessions are predominantly anaerobic (such as weight training) your bodycan store more glycogen in musele tissue, if you eat correctly, allowing for muchmore powerfirl muscle contractions over time. Also, if you exercise in the fat bunringzone on a regular basis your body becomes much more efficient at using fat as anenergy supply, thus sparing glycogen and allowing you to burn fat for longer!If you don't re-fuel properly before your next exercise session you will fatigue muchsooner- Re-fuelling means eating enough carbohydrate rich foods to enable your bodyto replace glycogen stores. The amount of time it will take to re-fuel fully depends onthree factors: (1) How depleted yow glycogen stores are, which in tum will depend onthe intensity, duration and type of exercise you perform. (2) How soon you start to re-fuel after your exercise session. (3)The amount of carbohydrates you consume beforeyour next exercise session.

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(1) Your glycogen supplies will be more depleted ifyour sport or exercisesessions are of a high intensity or a long duration. In addition, anaerobicexercise tends to burn more glycogen than aerobic exercise (because it is aninefficient way of producing energy) and aerobic exercise above the fatburning zone burns more glycogen than the relatively mild exercise needed toburn fats as energy.

(2) It cantake up to two days for your muscle glycogen supplies to fully recoverfrom intense training sessions. For this reason, it is a good idea to altemateyour training sessions between high and low intensity. There are a number ofthings that can be done to 'speed up' tho refuelling process however:

a, Follow a Carbohydrate rich diet at all times. You should aim to get atIeast60Yo ofyour daily energy (calorie) intake from carbohydrates. Forexample, if you eat 3,500 calories per day, 2]00 of those should comefrom carbohydrates (that's about 525 grams per day).

b. Start re-fuelling as soon as possible after your sessionx. Research hasshown that your body will manufacture and store glycogen twice asquickly during the first two hours after exercise compared to any othertime. To take advantage of this you need to eat a high carbohydratesnack immediately after your session. You need to make sure theglycogen is available to your body within this two-hour slot though, soyour snack needs to be one with a high GI. The amount you need to eatwill vary but a carbohydrate snack of 50 grams (about 200 calories)wotrldn't be too much.

* It is a common misconception amongst 'power athletes' that you need toconsume protein immediately afier intense training sessions to help muscles;repair'. A misconceptionfuetled by manufacturers of weight gain and proteinsupplements. However, this is not the case. The first thing your body witl dofollowing exercise is replace glycogen stores; if you consume protein your bodywill convert this into glycogen (a long and energlt consuming process). You don'tneed to eat protein until about I - 2 hours after your training session!

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(3) The benefits of a diet rich in carbohydrates for anyone who participates insport or exercise should be clear. If yow diet is low in carbohydrates it willtake longer to replace glpogen stores in your muscles. This in furn means youwill have to either rest longer or exercise at a much lower intensity than youwouid otherwise be capable of - and you wilr still fatigue much quicker.rilhich foods are best?As already indicated, carbohydrates can be broadly classified as either simple (sugars)or complex (starches) depending on the number of sugar units it contains. Also, asalready indicated a simple carbohydrate is not necessarily one with a high GL

Complex Carbohydrates

Milk . Low* Low with skin, highttithout

Glycaemic lntlexHiehLowVery HighModerate

S'eod StuffRice lwnite;Potatoes*PastaBreadBeans

Glycaemic IndexVery HighLow - HighModerateHighLow

It is no wonder that confusion still rains with regards sports nutrition, surly if an appieis a simple sugar, made up of relatively few fructose links it will be absorbed quicklyand if rice has a high number of glucose lings then it must be a complex carbohydrateand will be absorbed slowly? Furthermore, alr sports people have experienced the'sugar high' and subsequent 'sugar low' that comes from eating cakes or biscuits -they must have a high GI?Apples are indeed a simple carbohydrate but their high fibre content hinderstheir absorption.White rice has a high number of sugar links and as such is classified as acomplex carbohydrate. However, they are easily broken down and thusabsorbed. In addition, rice is rarely eaten on its oprm and thus other foodstuffs

11.

Simple / Complex Carbohydrate Foods & Their Gf.Simpie C*rbohydrates

Food StuffBananasApplesHon*yBiscuits

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111.

lower its GL Brown rice on the other hand has a low GI because of its fibrecontent.

Although cakes, biscuits and chocolate have a high sugar content, the fatspresent lower their GI. However, once absorbed the available sugar is quicklyburnt (sugar high). If no other form source of carbohydrate has been consumedyour blood sugar level will drop just as quickly (sugar low). This can beavoided by eating a complex carbohydrate at the same time,Essentially, the GI of any foodstuffis calculated by how quickly the sugars itcontains are made available for glycogen construction in the body. The GIgiven is for an individual foodstuff, eaten on its own and on an emptystomach, once add another foodstuff the GI is altered.On the whole you should choose complex carbohydrate foods when planningyour daily intake, although fruit (and vegetables) should be consumed withoutrestriction because they contain other valuable nutrients such as vitamins andminerals as well as fibre, which is essential for a healthy digestive system.

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Carbohydrate Supplements and Carbohydrate LoadingStarchy and high fibre foods tend to be bulky and some people may find it hard to eatenough carbohydrates, particularly those with a very high-energy output.Carbohydrate supplements could be the answer. Carbohydrate supplements areusually based on glucose polymers, derived from cornstarch. They come in powderedform, which can be mixed with water or fruit juice and in ready-made drinks, whichmay also have added vitamins and minerals. Although you should always strive to getyour nutrition from a well balanced diet, carbohydrate supplementation may be usefuldtning long demanding events such as triathlon or when you have little time betweenevents such as judo. They can also be useful as a half time snack during rugby orfootball games, particularly for those who find it hard to eat food at this time and aspart of the carbohydrate loading phase of a diet aimed at a specific event, such asweightlifting, bodybuilding, cycling races or long distance running.The aim of carbohydrate loading is to increase muscle glycogen stores above normal.It was developed in the 1960's and originally consisted of a three day depletion phase


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where carbohydrates in the diet were kept to a minimum and taining was kept.at ahigh intensity in order to deplete glycogen stores. This was followed by a three dayloading phase, where carbohydrates were increased above what would normally beconsumed and training intensity would be reduced. The theory behind this was thatthe muscles would over compensate by storing extra glycogen after the depletionphase.

However, as research into athletic perfortnance and nufrition has becorne moresophisticated, it has been proven that equally good results could be obtaitred bysimply tapering offtaining dudng the final week before an event and increasingcarbohydrate consumption.

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ProteinProtein makes up part of every cell of every structure inyow body and about seventyfive percent of the dry weight of your muscles is protein. Protein is also needed tomake thousands of different enzymes as well as hormones and other'structures such ashair and nails. Because cells in your body are constantly being rgpaired or replacedyou need a regular supply of protein.As with carbohydrates, protein needs to broken down into its constituent parts beforeit can be absorbed. In the case of protein this is a micronulrient called amino acids.Once in your body the amino acids are used to construct the particular protein yourbody needs at that time*. Although there are literally thousands of different proteinsin your body they are all made up of varying combinations of these amino acids.* Amino ocids sre not storedfor later use, excess dietary protein is converted tofat andstored in the body's fat deposits.There are 20 amino acids, (although some research has suggested there may be 2l).Of these your body can construct 12 onits own, if it needs to, these are called the non-essential amino acids. The other 8 or essential amino acids must be supplied in yourdiet.

Amino Acids Form Part of Every Celt in Your BodyEssential Amino Aeids Non-Essential Amino Acids

IsoleucineLeucineLysineMethioninePhenylalanineTlu'eonine

TryptophanValine

GlutarnineGlycineHistidine*ProlineSerineTyrosinc

AsparagineArginnineAspartic acidCVsteineGlutamic acidAlanine

*Histidine is essential for children but not for adults.

Most foodstuffs contain some protein, however those foods that contain all theessential amino acids in the approximate proportions that your body needs are said to


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have a high biological value (BV). Egg white has the highest BV at over 95olo. otherhigh BV foods are mostly from anirnal products such as fish, meat, milk and otherdairy produce. Other foods, mainly of plant origin such as cereals, nuts, and pulsescan have a high protein content but they have a low BV. If there is a deficiency ofone amino acid this will limit the absorption and utilisation of the others- Forexample, cereals have a high methionine content but are short of lysine, this makesthe protein in wheat (pasta, bread' breakfast cereals) unusable in the body' However'if eaten with beans, (beans on toasQ which lack methionine but are high in lysine youcomplete the amino acid chain and thus have a high BV food.

other Food combinations That compliment Each otherPouide (corea$ & 'MilkPeiauut butter (nuts) & Bread (cereal)Lentilss,up Q es),,,&,.'Erad,icereal) 'How Much Protein Should You Eat?For a person with normal activity levels as liffle as 0-5 - 0-7 5 grams of protein perkilo of bodyweight would be plenty, less if you lead a sedentary life style' However,research has suggested that exercise increases the rate of protein turnover in the bodyand therefore the protein requirement. The size of the increase will depend on thetype, frequency, duration and intensity of your exercise. Experts suggest an intake of1 .0 - 1 .5 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight for the majority of activities with up6 2.A grams per kilo of bodyweight for strength and power based sports such asweightlifting, sprinting, rugby and throwing events or ifyou are involved in a strengthtraining phase for other sPorts.Because excess protein, over and above your bodies immediate requirements will bestored as fat you need to eat your protein in manageable amounts, no more than 30 -40 grams in one sittirtg is recommended.

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The Protein RequirementLife Style:

SedentaryNomralAefi tlbvlsi'-'', tt,Aetive in Exercise i Most Sportsrn*'otv,edin $Iffil}$ , :Spo-lts,01S,,tr,$ .Trairring'

For a 75 kg PersonProtein Requirement

(,gyamsper dasi:As liule as 30g3'8';569.,'. '75 - 1129Upto 1509

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.1; * 2' :',,;1tta,N,:::;,2 - 4 (Meals):UP.IO 5" : 64r*al9 r'.,

Research has also suggested that there is no added benefit in corsuming more than2"0gperkg of bodyweight in either muscle gains or increased strength and in fact anintake of around l.Tgperkg ofbodyweight is adequate in most cases. In addition,eating too much protein can place extra strain on the liver and kidneys and causeexcessive excretion of calcium.Proteins derived from animal products are considered by many people to be high fat :foods. This is not necessarily the case. Whilst it is true that foodstuffs like cheese,high fat yoghurts and some meats can have a high fat iontent, on the whole it is thesauces and dressings that are added that increase the fat percentage of a meal. Skincan easily be removed from chicken and turkey, fat canbe trimmed from red meat andpork and even'full fat'milk is only 4Yofat.


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Vitamins & MineralsVitamins are substances that the body needs in tiny amounts for norrnal growth,health, metabolism and physical well-being. Some are involved in the manufacture ofhormones and many are essential for enzyme function. Our bodies cannotmanufacture vitamins (with the exception of vitamin D which can be manufacturedwhen we are exposed to sunlight) and must be supplied in our diet.Minerals are organic elements that have many regulatory and structural roles in thebody. Some are important skuctural components of bones and teeth, whilst ofhers areinvolved with balancing fluid levels in our bodies, nerve function, enzyme secretion,red blood cell formation and muscle contraction.

Vitamins, Function & SourcesName FunctionVitamin A o Essential for normal colour

visionr Promotes healthy skin andmucous membranes (liningsof the mouth, nose, breathingpassages and intestines)

Vitamin C

Sourceso Orange and green

vegetables and fruit (occursas carotene which the bodyconverts to vitamin A). Liver and meat. Eggs. Whole milk and cheeseo Oily fishFresh fruit, especiallycitrus fruitsVegetables, espeeiall"l' darkgreen leafu vegetables,tornatoes and'peppers

Aids growt[ and repair ofbody cellsNeeded,for,collagqnfonnatiqn {in con$ective ,tissues) and tissue repairPrornotes health bloodvessels, gums and teethHelps promote haemoglobinand red blood cell production

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Name :Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitar$in Bl(Thiamin)

Pure vegetalle oilsWheatgermWholerneal bread andcerealsEgg yokeNutsSunflower seeds

Functiono Controls absorption of

calcium from the intestine. Helps regulate boneformation

Sourceso Sunlighto Fish oils. Eggsr Vitamin fortified foods

Vitamin B2(Rihoflavin)

Acts as an antioxidantFromotes normal growth anddevelopment

Forms a co-enryme essentialfor conversion ofcarbohydrates into energyHelps normal functioning ofnerves) brain and muscles

Required for the conversionof carbohydrates into energyPromotes healthy skin, eyesand nerve fi.rnction

invo.lved in the metabolismaf fats and proteinsPromotes normal red blood*ell formation{Jsed in many chemicalreactions of amino acids andproteins

Wholemeal bread andwholegrain cerealsLiver, kidneys, red meatPulses (beans, lentils etc)

Liver, kidneys, red meatChickenMilk, yoghurt, cheesetrggsLiverNutsPulsesEggsBread & cerealsFishBananas

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Vitamin B6(Pyridoxine)


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Y.ifam,,idffi'.i rr;:,.'::i, r,:r t.., .l; t.,:;,:.

,l .:.: -.: :''..j :i .Folic Acid(a B vitamin)

PantothenicAcid(a B vitamin)

Essential for the formation ofnew body cellsNeeded for red blood cellmanufacturelnvolved in fat and protein

t,gle.{a liim i , '''.,,, 'r, .. ,,-N-ecddfornorualgrorvth,, : ' :'

l: aad'deVelopment',.t., . -, -' ..- :.,,:':, :; ;,:,,::.

* Involved in the metabolismof fats, carbohydrates andproteino Contributes to healthy skinand hair growth

' Helps in the manufacture ofhormones and antibodies. Required for the conversionof carbohydrates into energyo Promotes healthy skin, nerve

1'-1 r1.,.l:;:,'.1','.,',,,, .a. '."r' " ' ' ' ., "::,'t:r:ll'','1,,.,:LiverGreen vegetableWheatgermPulses

o Eggyoke ''; ::1,..1,,..1r Liver. Offalr:' NuEr Grains and oatso Liver. Wholemeal breado Nutso Pulseso Eggso Vegetables

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Liver, kidneys, red meat. .r.lr' ,:.-:

.,rr11,.. Chieken- .ttrr, key.. r, r, L,,.;..,,o Nuts

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Minerals,NameCal*iurn

trsn

Potassium

Sodium

Magnesium

Phosphorus

Funetion & SourcesFunetion

" i3riilds bone and teeth* Necessary for blood clotting* Needed for transmission of nerveimpulses and muscle contraction

r Involved in red blood cell{brmation" Needed for oxygen transport andurilisation

* lVorks with sodium

* Maintains body fluid balancee -{ids muscle and nerve function

* Protein synthesis* Aids normal muscle functions Assists in energy production* Activates enzymesa Formation of bones and teeth* C*mponent of all cells' Needed for normal function of Bl itamlnsr Ltivolved in reproductibn &

Sourceso Milk, cheese, yoghurts. Soft bones of tinned fisho Seafoodo Green lea$ vegetables. Pulseso Red meat and offal. Wholegrain cereals. Pulses. Green leafu vegetableso Vegetablesr Fruit. Unprocessed cereals. Table salto Tinned vegetable, fish

and meato Breado Cheeseo Most processed foods. Cerealso Vegetables. Fruitr Potatoeso Milko Milk, other dairy producer Meat and fish. Cereals


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NameZinc

Function* Components of many en4rmesr Required for tissue rePair andrenewal. Maintains immune sYstemr Promotes normal growth

Sourceso Meatr Eggs. Wholegrain cerealsr Milk, other dairy Produce

As you can se from the tables above, vitamins and minerals work along side eachother. Many of them interact together and can enhance or impair each other'sabsorption. For examPle :

/ Healthy bones require vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zlnc,fluoride, chloride, manganese, copper and sulphur'/ vitamin c enhances the absorption of iron (on the other hand fibre can reducethe absorPtion of iron).,/ Zinc, calcium and iron interact with each other, excessive supplementation ofiron can cause a relative deficiency of zinc

r' The B vitamins, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin are all involved in the releaseofenergY from fat and carbohYdrateGenerally speaking, if you are eating a well balanced diet and have no specialrequirements you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need'However, recent research has suggested that regular and intense exercise increases therequirements for a number of vitamins and minerals, especially those involved inenergy production such as the B vitamins, zinc and iron. In addition, modern methodsof food production and processing can reduce the vitamin and mineral content ofmany foods - as can over cooking'Can supplementation helP?Surveys have shown that many sports people and those trying to loose fat do notalways follow a well balanced diet and whilst you should always try to get yourvitamins and minerals from your food intake, a vitamin / mineral supplement mayprovide reassurance against a possible deficiency. A deficiency of any vitamin or

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mineral will certainly hinder your performance and research has shown that when adeficiency is corrected, sports performance improves.

However, while it is important to ensure you are getting enough vitamins andminerals, tuti"g double what you need wont double your exercise capacity and somevitamins can be toxic when taken in large doses. Vitamins A* and D for example canbe stored in the liver and reach toxic levels. If you do think you need a vitamin /mineral supplementyou should never exceed the recommended dose and follow theinstructions for use gven on the product label. Re,memter - supplements are just that- supplementation and should not be used as a replacement for food.* High doses of vitamin A cut also emtse birth defects in pregnant v,omen.


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Fluidswhen you exercise your body loses fluid through sweat and water vapo'r in the airyou breath out' Both these processes help your body disperse the surplus heat that isgenerated by your working muscles. The amount of sweat you produce and thus theamount of fluid you Ioose will defend on:

,/ The intensity of your activity,/ The duration ofyour activity,/ The temperature and humidity of your surroundings,/ your clothingIf you start your exercise session with low fluid levels or loose a lot of fluid throughsweat you may become dehydrated. Dehydration can adversely affect yourperformance (and health)' It puts extra strain on you circulatory system and causes adecrease in blood flow to your muscles and thus hinder the removal of waste products(lactic acid)' the delivery of fresh nutrients and normal muscular contractions. A lossof only 4Yo cancause nausea, vomiting and dianhoea. A drop af g%ocan causedizziness, laboured breathing, weakness and confusion. A fluid loss above gyo canhave very serious consequences! The message should be clear - no matter what yourlevel of activity, you should avoid becoming dehydrated.

Always make sure you start your exercise session well hydrated, if you exercise in theevenings for example make s're you drink plenty of fluids during the day. If youexercise early in the morning you should always leave enough time to re-hydrate yourbody after sleeping, 2 - 4 glasses of water first thing in the morning wourd not beexcessive' As soon as you start exercising you start to roose fluid so it,s important todrink as much as you comfortably can during your session. This may take somegetting used to if you don't normally drink anything. It is arso important to drink asmuch as you can after your session, don,t wait until you feer thirsty as this means youare arready dehydrated - thirst is a very poor indicator of your body,s fluid levels.

The speed that fluid is taken up by your body depends on how fast it empties fromyour stomach into your intestines. A number of things can affect this:


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The volume (large volumes empty faster)The temperature of the fluid (coolfluid empties faster)The concentration of the fluid (the more concentrated it is the slower it willempty frorn your stomach)

It should be clear then that the best way to avoid dehydration is to have a large cooldrink of water. However, if you regularly exercise for long periods, 2 hours or more,either in a hot environment or wearing warm clothing and loose a lot of fluid it maybe advisable to use an electrolyte drink. Electrolyte drinks contain added sodium,potassium, chloride, magnesium and usually glucose with the aim of speedingabsorption once the fluid is in the intestines. However, there is an optimalconcentration range. For most forms of activity a low glucose (2 -3gper 100m1) /high electrolyte concentration is best.Drinks containing glucose polymers can provide both a means of re-hydrating afteryour activity and a handy and quick means of starting yow glucose replacement. Onemolecule of glucose polymer has the same osmotic effect (is taken up) as onemolecule of glucose but can provide up to 10 times more energy, there is no evidencethough to suggest this is any better than having a drink of fruit juice or a glass ofwater and a banana and is almost certainly more expensive.All to often the first fluid that many people take in after an exercise session is a cup oftea or coffee. Unfortunately both are diwetics and would only serve to speed fluidloss and dehydration - save the coffee until you have had a good drink of cool water.One type of fluid with haven't looked atyet is alcohol. Recent research has shownthat moderate amounts of alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease. This may bebecause it increases the amounts of HDL cholesterol, (I{DL cholesterol transportsLDL cholesterol back to the liver for excretion) and reduces the stickiness of bloodplatelets, thus reducing the risk of thrombosis (blood clots). Red wine in particular hasbeen shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 -70% when consumed in smallquantities (1 -Z glasses per day). So is alcohol utilised for energy production? Theshort answer is yes it can be, after all it contains around 7 calories (29 kj's) per gram.however:


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0oI00

When you drink aloohol about 20o/o is absorbed in to the blood from the stomach, therest is absorbed through the small intestine. Because it is toxic it cannot be useddirectly or stored and is therefore transported to the liver to be broken down into asubstance called acetyl CoA and then ultimately into energy. This process in its selfrequires a great deal of energy, which means less glycogen is available to produceenergy for the body. The liver can only carry out this job at a fixed rate ofapproximately one unit of alcohol per hour. If you drink more than this a systemcalled the microsomal ethanol oxidising system [MEO] is used to make it less toxic.Because of the slow rate of conversion alcohol is a very poor energy source. Inaddition alcohol:

Reduces inhibitions.Is a depressant.Reduces psychomotor (co-ordination) skills.Is potentially toxic to eVery cell in your body.Can cause damage to yow liver, stomach and brain if consumed in largequantities.Is a diuretic and thus causes dehydration (and therefore should not be used as afluid replacemenQ.O Can cause headaches, thirst nausea, vomiting and heart burn.

In short alcohol does not increase any aspect of physical performance, oven in smallamounts it can affect your co-ordination, balance and judgement, it can impair yornbody temperature regulation, your blood sugar levels (energy) and lt'ng function.Having said all this, there is no reason why you can't enjoy alcohol in moderation.Having a drink or two is often associated with social occasions, which are part andparcel of many sports, the key word is moderation and make sure you replace fluidloss with water first!

o

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FatsFats are arguably the most misunderstood and controversial gomponent of our diet. Aswith carbohydrates and proteins fats, or lipids are broken down into their constituentparts before being absorbed. Once available for use in the body lipids have a numberof important functions:

Types of Lipids and their FunctionsLipid Major FunctionTriglycerides Protection, insulation, energy and major energy storage molecules

(fat deposits)Phospholipids Important in cell membrane construction - found in large amounts

in nerye and brain tissue. Also functions in certain hormones,including sex hormones and blood clotting.

SteroidsVitamin D Necessary for bone growth, development and repair. Aids in

regulation of calcium concentration.Cholesterol Present in all cell membranesBile Salts Substances that suspend fats before digestion. Essential for

absorption of vitamins A, D, E and KLipoproteins Help transport other lipids in the blood including removal of excess

cholesterolEicosanoids Component of certain cell membranesThe most abundant lipids in our diets and the only lipids that are utilised for energyproduction are triglycerides, u'hich are broken down into fatty acids andmonoglycerides before absorption. Because lipids do not dissolve in water the fatlyacids and monoglycerides are recombined into triglycerides and transported in theblood via lipoproteins to the body's adipose tissue (fat deposits).About 50% of stored triglycerides are deposited in subcutaneous tissue, 12o/o arcundthe kidneys,20oA around the genitals and 5 - 8% between muscle tissues.Triglycerides are also found behind the eyes, in the folds of the intestines and in

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certain parts of the heart. stored triglycerides amount for approximate ly ggyoof allenergy reserves' Another important function of stored triglycerides is protection.what this means is that the fat deposits are laid down where they can offer maximumprotection, around the lower back to protect the kidneys, around the abdominal area toprotect intemal organs and in women particurarly, around the hips and lowerabdominal area to protect the reproductive organs.with the correct type of exercise you can corx your body into utilising fat deposits asan energy source' However, as has already been stated, it is impossible to spot reduce.This is because fat deposits are utilised in a much more general manner and becausetriglycerides are constantly released from storage, transported in the blood andredeposited in other adipose tissue** YQur body wilt strive to rnaintainfat deposits where it feers they are most needed,unfortwratelyfor the thoussnds ofpeople who strive to loose excessfat deposits this is usuallyaround the abdominal area, lower back and hips-

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\ileight ControlHow do you know if you are overweight?The standard method used by the medical profession to calculate if a person is 'overweight' is called the body mass index (BMD.The BMI is used to calculate yow bodyweight compared to your height, a method stillused by some 'slimming clubs',life insurance companies and doctors conductingmedicals for a number of professional institutions such as the emergency services.To calculate your BMI you divide yourweight in kilos by your height in meters(squared). So, if youweigh T1kgandyou a.re 1.66m tall:1.66x 1.66:2.75.75 I 2.75 :27.2YourBMI is27.2BMI CalculationBelow 17 Grossly undernowished17 - 19 Undemourished20'-25 OK . : :26 -29 Fat30 - 39 ObeseAbove 39 Morbidly obeseSo' a 75kg person who s L.66mtrs tall is eonsidered to be fat regaurdless of thedegree of lean tissue they have or how nuch of their bodyweight is actually fat!Whilstthis method of calculating if you are over weight might be quick and simple itdoes not take into account the amount of lean tissue you may have on your body,making it outdated and next to pointless for anyone who exercises regularly, let alonean athlete.


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Perhaps a better heading for this section should be:How do you know if you are over fat?So how do you know if you are carrying excess fat? The simple answer is to standnaked in front of a fuIl-length mirror, however few people are entirely objective whenlooking at their own body. Research has shown that most women will see a much'fatter' person looking back at them (hence the high degree ofeating disorders such asanorexia nervesa amongst young women) whilst many men see a much slimmer,muscular person!

Alternatively you can have your body fat percentage calculated. One of the easiestand most accurate methods of calculating body fat percentage is by skinfoldmeasurement' This is a method of measuring yow skin fold thickness at four standardpoints' The total of these four readings will correspond to a body fat percentagereading on a chart' It is important to take the measurements accwately and is thus bestleft to an appropriately trained person, most leisure centres and health clubs will offerthis service at relatively little cost. Experts advise that a healthy range for men is 13 -lSYo and 18 -25% for women' whether you are an athlete or recreational exerciserknowing your body fat percentage wilr help you achieve your goals:

'/ Having your body composition taken at regular intervals will show you ifyour exercise / training routine and nutritional intake (diet) are working.Ifyou are new to exercise and your aim is to loose fat you need to ensure that that iswhat you do loose and not lean tissue or water. ln addition it isn,t uncommon forpeople who are new to exercise to put weight on in the first few weeks as their muscletone improves, leading to a high percentage of dropouts from health clubs and fitnesssuites in the belief that their diet isn't working or that exercising is only making them'fatter'. The scales will only tell you how much you weigh not how much fat youhave (or haven't) lost! checking your body fat percentage on a regular basis howeverwill tell you how much fat you have lost and will thus help keep you motivated. Haveyour body composition checked every 3 - 4 weeks and weigh yourself once a month.

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'/ In many sports, such as boxing, judo, weightlifting and rowing athletescompete in bodyweight categories and there is a lot of pressure to 'makeweigbt'.

In any weight bearing sport that requires a high degree of physical activity the athletewith the greatest percentage of muscle and smallest percentage of fat will have theadvantage, (all other things being equal*). If you regularly reduce your bodyweightto compete in a particular weight class it is essential that you make sure you areloosing fat and not lean tissue. If you are 'making weight' have your bodycomposition calculated and check your body weight every week. Most importantly,leave your self plenty of time to loose the weight - crash diets will leave you fatiguedand are potentially harmful to your health.* sports suclt as gymnastics and weightlifting also require a high level of skill.Knowing your body fat percentage isn't just a useful tool in sports where you need tomake weight. Research has shown that in sports such as football, rugby, squash,skating and even long distance running the 'fatter' athletes tend to be slower andfatigue quicker. Horvever, all sports are different and the 'ideal' fat percentage foreach sport will differ greatly:Average body fatSportBasketballSprint CyclingRugbyGymnasticsSwimming (all distances)Track athletics (all distances)Field athletics (all events)Tennis / squashWeightlifting

percentages in various sportsRange for men (7") Range for women (Y")

18 -27l5-16l7 -228-18t2 -238=lg

22 -3022-26t7 -20

7 -128-98-183-64-r04-12t2 -20lz -,166-16


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'/ There are serious health issues associated with carrying excess fat.Excessive fat can adversely affect your strength, speed and endurance as well asincreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and other obesity related medicalconditions. However, medical experts agree that it isn't just the amount of fat youcarry but how it is distributed on your body that indicates your risk factor. Researchshows that people with 'apple' shaped bodies, with more weight around the waist,have a higher risk factor than those with a 'peaf shaped body. Your waist to hip ratiois a good indictor ofyour fat distribution. To calculate your waist to hip ratio:

Y Measure yow waist at the narrowest point.f Measure your hips at the widest point.f Divide your waist measurement byyour hip measurement.I Ratios above 0.80 for women and 0.95 for men are associated with morbid

obesity and linked to a greater risk of heart complications and diseases.

How to Loose FatIn order to loose fat your energy output must be greater than your energy intake - youmust burn more calories than you eat. Since I lb of fat provides 3500 calories youneed to have an energy deficit of about 500 calories per day to loose I lb of fat perweek' A weight loss of more than I - 2 lbs per week will almost certainly mean youare loosing lean tissue and water as apposed to fat, regular body composition checkswill help to avoid this.The most common method, even amongst sports people, of achieving the requiredenergy deficit is to simply eat less. However this is not necessarily the best way ofreaching your goals, if your diet isn't particularly well balanced in the first place youmay not get enough complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals, whilststill eating too much fal. Another pitfall of simply eating less is that your metabolicrate may drop, resulting in the need to further reduce your food intake. This can havea negative effect on fat loss because reskicting_your intake of complex carbohydrates


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will impair your body's ability to burn fat as energy, t}rus resulting in the loss of leantissue, which in turn means your bodyfat percentage will increase! !A healthy, well balanced diet along with an increase in activity levels will ensure anyweight lost will be fat and be more sustainable in the long_term. Whilst an increase inthe intensity of your workouts will eventually lead to fat loss, due to an increase inmetabolic rate, the most effective way of loosing fat is to increase the amount ofexercise you do in the fat burning zone.For athletes involved in heavy training there is a time factor to consider, if you arealready training for a sport you may not be able to fit fat burning workouts into yourroutine and there are a number of sports where long fat buming sessions can bedetrimental. If this is the case just make sure you leave enough time for yourmetabolism to do the work for you and don't expect a fat loss of more than 1 lb perweek. (If you need to loose 7 lb, allow at least 10 weeks to do it).Tips for loosing fat:

,1 Increase your activity levels.r' Cut down on butter and margarine - omit altogether or use only a scraping.r' Don't fry foods - grill, bake or steam instead.'/ Try to avoid processed foods - use fresh alternatives whenever possible.r' cut down on crisps, salted nuts, sweets and other 'snack' foods - fill up onfresh fruit instead.Cut down on sugar in coffee and tea.Try to avoid rich sauces and salad dressings - use lemon, vinegar and oil freedressings instead.cut down on 'full fat' dairy produce - go for the low or zero fat optionsinstead.Eat small, regular meals instead of the three main meals per day - four to fivesmaller meals will help stop your metabolism from slowing down.Check out the food composition tables starting on page 43


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How to gain weightThe three most common requests of gym instructors / fitness consultants from peoplejoining a {ytrt, health club or fitness suite over the past ten years are:

1. I want to loose some weight.2. I want to get rid of this (whilst patting the stomach).3. I want to bulk up / put weight on.Gaining 'weight' is relatively simple - just increase the amount you eat and reduceyour activity levels to an absolute minimum until yow body starts to store the excessas fat' If you have trouble eating enough food you can always choose the full fatoption on everything you eat or even try one of the calorie rich 'weight gain' productsavailable in all good health food shops! of course, this is not what people mean whenthey say I want to gain weight and in fact eating like this can lead to unwanted heatthproblems such as high cholestercl.99.9yoof people that want to gain weight don,twant to increase their fat stores they want to gain muscle, either for the look goodfactor or to help with their sport.So perhaps we should re-phrase the heading again:How to gain lean tissueUnfortunately gaining lean tissue isn't quite so simple and how to do it is surroundedby miss-information and myths, many of which are perpetuated by food supplementmanufacturers' You only have to look at the array of weight gain, protein and other'super anabolic' products in health food shops and.magazines that promise gains inmuscle mass, strength, power and just about every other athletic endeavour to seewhy! In the next chapter we will take a closer look at some of the most popularsupplements.

Food supplement manufacturers, bodybuilding magazines and many .strength,athletes will have you believe you need to consume as much as 3 grams of protein perkilo of bodyweight per day to increase lean tissue, thankfully no one has claimed thiscan happen without the correct training, yet. whilst you may need to increase yourprotein intake, research has shown time and again there is no advantage in increasing

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it beyond 2 grams per kilo of bodyweight per day and in most cases there was nofurther increase in lean tissue and strength gains beyond 1.7 grams per kilo ofbodyweight per day. Excess protein will be stored as fat not converted to muscle!So just how do you increase lean tissue?Start by taking a close look at your overall nutritional intake:

Increase (or decrease) your protein intake to 1.7 grams per kilo of bodyweightper day.

y Get at least 60% of your daily calorie intake from carbohydrates.Y Keep your fat intake around l0 - S% of your total daily calorie intake.Y Have your body composition calculated every week to ensure any weight

gained is lean tissue.Then, take a close look your exercise sessions.

f Your training needs to be high intensity (heavy and hard), low volume (notmany sets / reps), short dwation (45 - 75 mins), at regular intervals (3 - 4times per week) and progressive (they get harder - not longer). If you aretraining for a sport your 'glnn' sessions need to be sports specific, that is theyneed to compliment the qualities you need for your sport and not hinder them.

Once you have your nutritional intake and training in place it's down to hard workand dedication. Muscle gains will come slowly; an increase of l- 2lb per month for aseasoned athlete would be good going, with anything up to 4lb per month for anovice.

One final word on muscle gains.If you eat and exercise correctly you can sustain fat loss for long periods, howevergaining muscle / strength should be approached systematically with periods of lightertraining between your hard and heavy cycles. It is recommended that strength-trainingcycles should be about 12 weeks long with a period of about 4 weeks of lightertraining in'between.


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Food SupplementsAnyone who attends a gym' health club or fitness suite will come across a foodsupplement that will offer them a short cut to whatever goal they have - fat loss,muscle gain, strength gain, improved cardiovascular f,rtness, more power _ you nameit someone will have made a supplement to improve it!Recreational trainers want the quick fix to their weight loss / weight gain problems,whilst athletes will always be looking for the pill or potion that will give them theedge - it is the pursuit for the competitive edge that has led to the wide spread use ofperformance enhancing drugs amongst athletes from all sports. Drug use in sport is acontroversial and emotive issue but beyond the confides of this book - we will stickto the legal and easily available supplements sold at ail health food shops, gyms andhealth clubs.All kinds of images are used by supplement manufacturers to legitimise the claimsmade for their products. Before and after pictures for diet products and pictures ofathletes who use a particular product are coilrmonplace. In many instances scientificterminology is used, words such as anabolic, ergogenic and hypertrophy are used,claims are backed up by scientific research and the results from .independent, sfudiesare presented, always accompanied by a picture of someone in a white lab coat.

The truth of the matter is:Y whilst replacing meals with a supplement can reduce your daily calorie intakeand thus help you loose weight it is an unsustainable way of eating, as soon asyou revert back to real food you wilr start to put the weight back on. It isunadvisable and unhealthy to try and gain your nutrition from a powder ortablet - and expensive.Y Sports people are paid to advertise supprements in the same way actors arepaid to advertise cars, sofas and beauty products! II

III

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Surveys conducted by food supplement companies can fall into one of twoWpes, ones where the answer is given in the question and those where only thedesired findings are presented:If you ask someone to try a product that is designed to increase strength andjust monitor his or her progress you may or may not see an increase instrength. However if you ask someone to try a product designed to increasestrength, tell them what it is, what should happen and ask questions such ashow much stronger are you? How big are your gains? you are going to get thedesired answers.

2. Many srrveys present findings such as: 8 out of l0 athletes experiencedskength gains, gains in muscle mass and a reduction in fat percentage whilstusing 'super muscle gain powder'. What isn't mentioned is that those 8 werenovice athletes or athletes returning to training after injury and would havemade the gains anyway.

Of course there are the food supplement manufacturers that can afford to pay for an'independent' study*. An independent study that is paid for by the manufacturer andin most cases the desired results are requested upon commission - can you conduct asurvey to show how power pill increases power output in power athletes? Labs needto make money as well.*It's worth noting that there are no regulations governingfood supplements like there are fordrugs, manufacturers arefree to make any claims theywish about their products!Of course it isn't just the clever advertising that makes food supplements so popular.The copycat syndrome is common amongst sportspeople. If your team mate orsomeone at your club is using a particular supplement and makes some improvementsit is tempting to attribute the improved perforrnance to the supplement and thus wantto try it yourself. Pills and potions can also be very fashionable. As new products orpackaging designs emerge they become a sought after accessory in the same way asthe latest clothing or training shoes.The next section will look at some of the most popular types of supplements, theclaims made about them and whether they have any real physiological benefit.

Y

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strength gains.other nutritional substances that claim toenhance muscle growth.

serving). Although training increases yourprotein requirements it is easil,v possible to meetthese needs witlr orclinar;- fooels. 'T'here is nothingin protein powders that will enhance musclegrowth or strength gains.

llt::il:::1.it::i,:tii.,.

: tr.

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Supplementtr'at burners

Steroid replacementkits

What They AreUsually a combination of choline andinsotol, sometimes with lechithin, vitamin86, carnithine and methionine. {Some haveephedrine adelerl*).

Combinations of amino acids, vitamins,plant and or herb extracts.

Manufacturers ClaimsEncourage fat breakdown.

Produce similar results toanabolic steroids, increasingstrength and muscle mass butwithout the harmful side effects.

The ScienceAltirough these sutrstances are involved in fatbreakdown there is no evidence to suggest takingextra amclunts wili speecl the process up.L,echithin is a type of fat itself and may helpreduce high blood cholesterol. * Ephedrine is astrong stimulant and is banned by theInternational Olympic Committee. Any athletewho is subject to drug testing would be illadvised to take this substance.

All such kits come with a nutritional plan andstrength training progtamme. No evidence existsthat the supplements alone have any effects ofmuscle mass or strengh gains or bodycomposition and any gains made can beattributed to the intensive training programmeand improved diet.

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SupplementWeight gain products

What They AreBlends of milk or egg and milk with addedsugars. Usually contain vitamins, mingrals,amino acids and other 'ergogenic'substances.

Usually consist of milk protein, sugars,!{,amhs;, ineralshq,arffi .d-d fiU,re ; Mdyalso contain extra amino acids. Bars usuallycontain fruits, cereals, sugar axd fibre.

:.:rt,lrr':..til:i.. -.ii.ir.: ,:-t..i:rr. '-.',.t..1:.,,.,..:"r. :.i::-!'i,:

Phosphocreatine (PC) is a high energycompound that is used in the body toreplace the chemical(adenosinetriphosphate) that causesmuscular contractions - at the point ofcontraction.

Manufacturers ClaimsHelp to gain weight.

'Me4l,rc'$la,cemenf- r:arr':. 1..:r,i: .:._.r'\pf-fd-ug,,r',..',,'.",l...,..,:,:l!t:,,: ,,.. ,,:t,.',::1i ,, 1... ::'

..-..,..:l::-i:.:.: ::.,''.:i: : : :. r,:-:'lrr. l l.:-. l

ir , r. .lt .:

Creatine

Help to loose weight byreplacing one or two meals perday.

Increases performance,maintains maximal power outputfor longer.

The ScienceCan help people who wish to gain weightconsume extra calories. The only way to gainmuscle however is to combine a good nutritionalintake with the appropriate training.'W,ill'pronnote,*e toSs, not necbssaliry fa1,loss, due to reduced calorie intake. However,':will not help re-educate eating habits *d any.'.;l.l-i-l:.',:.':,ll'.'::.].:'!:.]]i:|:.i'::'.i.l:l'.weight lost will be put back on when normalrutins'o'11...]i'.,.,.!....l]..'..,,.-'Studies show that doses ofup to 20g per day canboost PC levels and can thus help with maximumpower output. However, the PC energy systemlast for 6 - 10 seconds before the glycollticenergJ system takes over so cannot maintainmaximum power output beyond 10 seconds.Research suggest it can be useful for elite powerathletes but has also shown that non-elite powerathletes showed no benefit. Not much use forevents lasting longerthan 10 seconds.

40I II I IIf,IN l-ErF r- r- l- rE E. En n


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SummaryGood nutrition is vital if you want to get the most out of your exsrcise sessions orperform at your best in your sport.Carbohydrates and fats are both important fuels for exercise. The relative amounts ofeach your body will use to fuel your activity depends on the type, intensity andduration of your activity.Anaerobic exercise uses predominantly glycogen, derived from carbohydrates, whilstaerobic exercise can use either glycogen or a mixture of glycogen and fats. In generalthe lower the intensity and longer the duration the greater proportion of fat you useand the higher the intensity the greater the proportion of carbohydrates. Fatigue occurswhen your muscle glycogen levels run low.After exercise it is important to re-fuel. You should start to re-fuel as soon as possibleafter your activity as glycogen is manufactured and stored much quicker in the first 90minutes following exercise than at any other time. If you don't re-fuel quickly it cantake up to two days to frrlly replenish your muscle glycogen stores. You should aim toget at least 6004 ofyow daily energy (calories) from carbohydrates. The best sourcesare complex carbohydrates such as cereals, pasta, potatoes, pulses and fruit. Thesefoods are usually high in other essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals andalso provide you with dietary fibre. Carbohydrate supplements based on glucosepolymers can be usefi.rl if you have high energy needs and have trouble eating lots ofbulky foods.

Exercise also increases the need for other nutrients. Protein tumover is thought to behigher in people who exercise regularly. Experts advise an intake of 1.0 - 1.5 gramsper kilo of bodyweight for most sports with up to 2.0 grams per kilo of bodyrveightfor strength and power sports. Aim to get your protein intake from a variety of sourcessuch as meat, fish, dairy produce, cereals and pulses.In theory, a balanced diet should provide all the vitamins and minerals you need.However, it isn't always possible to eat the right foods all the time. A balancedvitamin I mineral supplement can help guard against any deficiency.

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Body composition is another factor linked to your nutritional intake that can affectyour performance in sport. Excess body fat is a disadvantage for practically all sports.If you want to put weight on an increase in lean body weight (muscle) is best achievedby combining a balanced diet with the appropriate type of training. It is a good ideato have your body composition calculated on a regular basis to ensure any weight youloose is fat or weight you gain is muscle.Fluid losses can be high during sport and exercise sessions. Dehydration not onlyimpairs your performance but is potentially dangerous to your health. Drink plenty ofwater before, during and after your exercise / training sessions.

Food supplements such as carbohydrate and protein powders can have a place in yournuhitional plan if you just can't get enough nutrients from your food intake, however,the claims made by some manufacturers for their products have no scientificfoundation and there is nothing in any food supplement that cannot be obtained fromreal food. Research seems to suggest that creatine can be beneficial for powerathletes.

IIIIT

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Food Composition TableThe following table provides details of the energy (kcal), Protein (grams),Carbohydrate (grams) and Fat (grams) for 1009 of vmious foods.

tr'ood @er 1009)All Bran{$sndsAlpenApplesApricotsApricots, dried, rawArtichokes Gl*be boiledArtichokes i erusalem boiledAsparagus boiledAulrergrne rauAr,


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Food.,. @er,t00g}, 1., r,Bean sprouts cannedBeans broad boiledBeans butter boiled::.:. , ,, '., ,'. r:r I r;i r:., ....rBeans french boiledBeans haricot boiledBeans mung cookedBeans runner boiledBeef brisket boiledBeefi e.asierotre::crci&bi,Beef corned cannedBeef minced stewedBeef rump steak friedBeef rump steak grilledBeef silverside saltedBeetrsiiloln,r.qalt.'Beef steak stewing stewedBpefto,psr.deldhst:..,'' lBeer bitterBeer largerBeer stoutF-eetroot boiled'..,.1,','. :,-Beetroot rawBilberriesBiscuit - Custard CreamBiscuit - mini cheddarsBiscuits - morning coffee

:.,:',Eilstgyr., , ,(k--')'.'''1.0.,1.i t t.,." '50100 ,790.''. , ':: '1. i"r0024"32098:14'2t6230250220240280 '2242Og''.',.,:,,',3030,.,,i:,,4045 ,:. '30601,, . 'i483'5)9",, ' :r.-i,.:t .,..r:444

'',,:Protein,r(grams).,1,.6, , ,4-0.86.['..,.'. i61L279.87,: ,26232927' 'l2924. ;,;;,, ' ,30Z7 ','".000l.'81.30.5 ,6g-g ,':. ' i'ii'r, r'. -6.9

:,..,.,Saf -,, ,Gfnms)gt" -'r'0.60.300.540'? ..,24].37:',. "t215151214Ql;.:: : :,1112 . '",',000000,23.829,.11. ::'14.5

carbohydptes(grams)

0.t8' , 'l::'.: :'rr,.. '. ' . '., '717 ,:,,1

lv r: :,;,,-r:1laJ0l;,,f,|;'''.': :':, ;I :'I0 : ":':;,"00t, '0g,...,,',",. ,' ''t"'0$, '.. , "':,".'21.54l0 , i.' .''r:6

: i ... ... :.l,{,, ; ..':... t...".: .:.',:1.,:6554,2.; '.. ', '1,1.': :].: ::,..';.r l,r,:,,...7s.4

44


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Food (Per 1009)Biscuits - Rich TeaBiscuits Chocolate coveredBiscuits digestive chocolateBiscuits digestive plainBiscuits semi sweetBiscuits shortbreadBiscuits wafers f,rlledBiscuits waterBlack currentsBlack pudding friedBlackberriesBran FlakesBran wheatBrazil NutsBread brownBread maltBread rolls whiteBread whiteBread white toastedBread wholemealBreadc.rumbswhiteBroccoli tops boiledBrussels sprouts boiledBuns currentBufferCabbage srlvoy boiled

,Enerry'(kcal)

440520'4go477460s0054A44030300303292006002202503002353002203)U202030075010

Protein(grams)

6.96I6.576511l,131.59.314

t2g8107.89.68.8t2J570.51.3

Fat(grams)l)./ r2724.22t7263012.5022025,5

60)')J71.61.72.72008820

Carbohydrates(grams)

71.56766677565.566.,:7671567r.527445495446.2b)4277,1.61-L. t5501


45/57

0 :.7 :': ,.

ffi0.6a.7

Cake sponge without fat

Cheffies

460, : 26 40046


46/57

Food (Per 100g)ChestnutsChicken KievChicken roast bonedChicken roast meatChicoryChocolate Break (mug of)Chocolate milkChocolate plainChristmas PuddingCider dryCider sweetCockles boiledCocoa powderCoconutCoconut desiccatedCod fillet bakedCod fillet friedCod fillet fried in batterCod fillet grilledCod fillet poachedCod fillet steamedCoffee instantCoffee instant & milkCoke dietColaColeslaw

, :Enerff- ' (kcal)170328r50159101075305303003540,50300 '350600100774200100908015536,.960.4848.8163

Protein(grams)

nz.24.425220.83.1855001119,J62T21

Fat(grams))12r.65,7.502.43029t2000.3z23662t.28101.31

1

0.70.12 :0014.8

Carbohydrates(gram$

3710001.579.459654&34012 ,l460480l0035.56.14 , ,'0.t272:26.7

202t211943.27001.1


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Cream crackers - Crawford 390 7.7 lZ.g 64.9

;,- -::: r l,:::1:. .,.rr:. titl : it.i.r . ' lr: IFood (Per l00g)r,:',,,., : :t,..1',:,:::t.::l;::r. : : : :.:',il :,il.:l

C'offiakes.: ,',CornflourCodsh Fastis.. ,' .'Crab boiledC 'p ed,,.,', ,Cracker Bread5;figenis$ .: :r :l

ere lotCream singleC191s's!$ised,eq1lfd,:,: ) ; 23ACream whippingCrispbread ryeCrispbread wheatUrorssantCucumberC 1gfi.;.'1,Custard eggCustard powderDamsonsDates driedDrinking chocolateDrippingDuck roastDumpling

:''iriE_ne ,'' t.Pr . .,,,, at-,...!ar,b dlates(kca$ (Sfamr;"{g9em3}.,.;-,.(g,r'g,trs)350 I 0.5 82

350 0.6 0.7 92330 I 20 3l1302050s0 l8 I 0375 10.9 4.1 73.7180.504450 ,,, 1-5,'-, , 48: .' '.,',,2.,,:r,'.'200 2.4 2t.2 3330

' 32039023010

". 240t:120

1.1 .,. 12035

:':t't:) t':' ':' 21A370

. ...1r., :1,, pfl$..'..190

-,. 1'. ,,1,,'. 200

2.6 23 ] ':-'.'1:,1:1.9 35 2.59.5' 2 7145 7.5 374.3 12.2 27.30.60220636 6 1144170.40g2055

.il .6677010002s1003 a.:,'::,',:::,t2,1 :' 25-.,:,,r,:..:43.6 43.3 0gg dried whole 560

48


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Food' {Per t:OOg)Egg scrambledEgg whole rawEgg yolkEggwhitefat cooklngFish fingers friedFlour brownFlour whiteFlour white self raisingFlour wholemealf rult gumsFruit juice sweetenedFruit juice unsweetenedFruit pieFruit salad cannedGoose roast meatGooseberriesGrape nuts cerealGrapefruit ',Tin: , ,Grapefruit peeledGrapes',bffi. . 'Grapes whiteGreen Bean MixGreengagesHaggrs boiledHalibut steamed

;., Encrry. , , ftqat)250,,150340 : .,35900'230330 ,340340,:, ,32077A ,' '4030 137010123201636036,2050'6025,J7150300,. ,, .130

:-Protein.'ftyams)10,12.316.r9013.513r11$r'.,l31'.00,4U,J29I110.30.50.5,0.61 2il'::I

F*t{gra,nS)^a{.t10.930:50100132r.21,22O ,'00t60220300000,53022'4

Carbohydratel', (gr4ms)','

0: . :,.:00.,,'00,1769 ,''l '1, ' , 'a.:7577.,5 . .', ','6645'108 ,":" ''56250J769, ",513,,, : :'154.1'8 ,1119 , .,:: ,; ;0

1,1

24

49


49/57

::-:r'N,,.,i.,,itart,tr...,,,-r ,,,,,,.'l:,,,; .....r:,"r,,,Endirift1.t,.: :'rPf,6t-hi- .i. r,.tFat CarbohydratesFood (Per l00g) ! r

Hare stewed with bones 140 22 6 0

HamHam cookedHanftrrrgers&ied .Elea4.,roait' ' :Heart stewedH,HoneyIbe.ore@ , 'Ice cream non dairy.J, g.,'t,t,'' I, '::l ,'f .Jelly packetl}lifuey'*ie ,r ,.Kidney stewedK;pei$,,.at9d,,, . ',,:',,Lamb breast roast

,19|.ff.,,',., r" : ,,i |.fi.;. . ,,r': 51,'- .,1 ;,. '. 1, 0::, 1:,269 24.7 18.9 0,! i t :

240.,,,.,t,, rrt :r::rr lt(j.,,':::.;:,:. ,1.: l;1 :,J,r,.r. .::r, g, ..,.180 31200' . 170290 0fia4

58150

60.13 1,.. ',,,',, , .$,r. ,.l,,,..,.'1-,,

0767 ",, ' , '.".i:',2fi,., ... : ,,.l '

t703821260 0.5 0 60

l0t4256io.,

170 26 8200 26''- 11 0400 19 37 0t.'. 94 s,toine,4...'.$d . ' 350Lamb cutlets grilled 370Lamb leg roast 270Lamb scrag and neck stewed 290Lamb shoulder roast 320Lard 900teeksrb-oiled,i .':r,..: 'ri, l.r .,-. ', ,': a: ,a.1 .. .: :.:. ILemon curd| ...: ..... . .\. :| .L.eqr-ron jUieg,,,',., :

24' 29 o ' :".233102618026210zfr'260,'-r:':,::::.:ri01000

Lemon sole friedinbreadcrumb 200 16 13 9

50


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Fosd (Per 1009)Lemon sole steamedLemonade bottledLemonsLentils boiledLettuceLiver friedI iver stewedLobster boiledLuncheon meatMacaroni boiledMacaroni cheese - TinMackerel friedMandarin Oranges - canMango ChutneyMangoesMararoni cheeseMarsaflneMargarine low fat spreadMarmaladeMarrow boiledMars bm 'MerzipartMayonnaiseMelonMilkMilk condensed skimmed

Protein Fal Carbohydrates(grams) (grams) (grams)Enerry(kcal)

9024151008250200120300120971905723060170730370260744044A72022OJ

274

2101

81

2725221343.622060.50.570000.4)920.5J.J9.9

,1

000.50l3103.5270.64.81100.4010814A00t9257903.80.3

06J171

7a-f052510.5014.759.815150069t.46749054.760

5l


51/57

F@,,. ,er,1o0$) ,Milkrcond'ensed: whole*o*ut"rraA ".Milk evaporated wholeMilk skimmedMince and SpaghettiMincemeat ,MuesliMushrooms friedMushrooms rawMustmd and crss -NectarinesOilvegetableOmeletteOnions fried.lOnions rawOnionl sptng ,Orange juiceOrange peeled: .t.Oxo cubePancakei.,.,' ,IParsnips - boiledPastaPastry flaky cookedPtqPuff' 'Pastry shortcrust cookedPeach Slices - tin

,.,,1i'.SP,, ,,: .,.,,(kgal),

l. ,'. r..'3?0 '.'','

160JJ92.3425437421013.41050900200350253540401630060365 ,560385., , ,53049,,

9 ,' 55i5' .. ': ':9 11.30.1 , rJ, ,4.04 5.334 '62,7.5 6622 .. 0,,, ,0.6 00 1,,, 10 1l100 016033 100s0 , g'.J, :,090 , 9,,0.3 1.816 ,36 ,0 13.5'l 111 tt40 4775 3i'32 560' ,',, 12.3.

f,,1 ":n, ,., 'Fa.. ....e hyd,qates(grams) (grams) (grams)8.3

8.63;4,1,8.790.13

2.221.5I01l21

1

0.61 .,.1.561.313,?.65,,,4 '70.5

52


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Food (Per 1009)Peaches cannedPeaches freshPeanuts freshPeanuts roasted and' saltedPearsPeas boiledPeas cannedPeppers green rawPhiladelphia cheese - lightPickle BranstonPilchards cannedPineapple cannedPineapple freshPlaice fried in butterPlaice steamedPlums cookingPlums dessertPopcornPork chops grilledPork leg roastPorridge Oats with BranPotato chipsPotato crispsPotatoes baked with skinPotatoes boiled - KiogEdwards

Energy(kcal)

49ai3+57057A304t50151961s013063502809A26404153302903)Z25052685

82

Protein(grams)

0.50.524240.25.45I720.7t90.40.516:T90.50.51.6292710.64't.t2i1.4

Fat(grams)00s05000.40.30,4150.250.20l820012.824206.7113s.20

0.1


12.38 ,' . ,'99I4.37)434.50.716:1214061078.20o r:l603748.420.

19.7

53


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l:l ll:'l l'::tr.t., l',' 1 ::i':i.'r1,]' "i ., i' .: ll :,,Food.,,.'' er lSSg)Pf,aWiiS. iiir ,r:.:: , lPrunes - TinPrme,gSteWedri:. r 'lPuffed wheat cerealQuiehefo lRabbit stewedRadish. i . ,RaisinsRaipbefiqs'"''"' ,

(kcal), P..rotein ' itFf,trr . Ca,rbohydrafestgrams) ,:(gra4g) .i ,'($rams)23't' Z t , t 0., ,, , ., ',:::..: ., .10221020t4 l 3 68.5f,5." 28 2A ;,,..14401 :,,,. , ,'0..,i. I3,,''..:,, ',,'10651061040.5010.5 0 103.4 1.4 40.76 0.7 883.7 L2 T2.4

'I2.6 0.1 286.s I 8722715

Ene1ry

Red Currents 20Rhubarb raw oRhubarb stewed with sugar 45RieeBrownBoiledRice Krispies cerealRice,puddi4g cAnnedRice white boiledRice white raw

100,8884, "325400t.,,.9015:

25028

18235072tt936O.l

III

Salad Cream 300Salad Cream WeightWatchersSalmon steamed 20AS:u,{!ags cqnqd;n,oil :,. : ?20Sardines canned tomato sauce I80S.atS,tri!ras.p,e'e,1 , ,, ,',, ,.,.Sauce broum

1.2

2024,181,,I13

8.2 17.4

IITTII5

100

130140t2 0.50,, l.' ...,, ,8,,02517 : '- ,,15 I

IISausagesbeefgxilled ., ' ,' ',ZiA

54


54/57

Food (Per 1009)Sausages pork grilled 320Sausage - Herta 335Scampi fried in breadcrumbs 320Scones 370Sherry dry 115Sherry sweet 140Shreddedwheatcereal 320Sorbet Blackcurrent 1 18Spaghetti boiled 120Spaghetti canned tomato 51sauceSpaghetti tin, weight watchers 51Spirits - whisky,Gin etcSponge puddingSpring greens boiledSquash undiluted

10r22

Squash Undiluted - sugar free 5

220340

Enerry(kcal)

Protein(grams)

l3t2127.50010.50,34

t.7r.7061.70.10.1150.50621

4.1

Fat(grams)253t181500300.3

a.2

0.20l600.1013000.800.2.30

0


l2aL

29561.47683A3 ,26

tr0.5

10.50 | ,,,461

32.21.2Io1008465422.8878

Steak stewed cannedStrawberries freshSugarSugar puffs cerealSultanasSwede boiledSweetcornSweets boiledTangerines peeled

180)

sports & exercise nutrition-signed

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