TheU.S.NavySEALGuidetoNutrition

TheU.S.NavySEALGuidetoNutrition

Editedby

PatriciaA.Deuster,Ph.D.AnitaSingh,Ph.D.

PierreA.Pelletier,ENS,MC,USNR

Forewordby

DonMann

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TableofContents

TheU.S.NavySEALGuidetoNutrition

PrefaceForewordChapter1 EnergyBalance=EnergyExpenditure-EnergyIntake

UnitsofEnergySensitivityofEnergyBalanceComponentsofEnergyExpenditure

RestingEnergyExpenditureEnergyExpenditureforPhysicalActivity

TotalEnergyExpenditureBodySizeandBodyMassIndexHowtoCalculateEnergyExpenditure

Chapter2 Carbohydrate,Fat,andProtein:TheEnergy-ProvidingMacronutrientsCarbohydrate

Definition,Composition,andClassificationFunctionsofCarbohydrateintheBodyCarbohydrateintheDietEnergyfromCarbohydrate

FatDefinitions,Composition,andClassificationFunctionsofFatintheBodyHowMuchFatShouldWeEat?EnergyfromFatDeterminingYourDailyFatAllowance

Protein

DefinitionandCompositionFunctionsofProteinintheBodyHowMuchProteinShouldIEat?EnergyfromProtein

Chapter3 Micronutrients:VitaminsandMineralsWhatAretheRecommendedDietaryAllowances?WhatAreVitamins?

WhatFunctionsdoVitaminsServe?WhatFoodsAreGoodSourcesofVitamins?

WhatAreMinerals?WhatFunctionsDoMineralsServe?WhatFoodsAreGoodSourcesofMinerals?

WhatSubstancesMayInterferewithMicronutrients?Summary

Chapter4 VitaminandMineralSupplementsRoleofVitaminsandMineralsinPhysicalActivityBenefitsofSupplementationSupplementUseandPerformance

VitaminSupplementsMineralSupplementsAntioxidants

RisksofSupplementationWhattoLookforWhenBuyingSupplements

NaturalVersusSyntheticVitaminsPresenceofStarch,Sugar,andOtherAdditivesDisintegrationRate:WhentoTake?AmountofNutrientNutrientBalanceExpirationDate

SummaryChapter5 FiberandHealth

WhatIsDietaryFiber?WhyShouldIEatMoreFiber?

HowCanIGetMoreFiberinMyDiet?

WhenShouldIMinimizeMyFiberIntake?Chapter6 FluidReplacement:WaterandOtherBeverages

DistributionandFunctionsofWaterHowtoMaintainWaterBalanceWhatConditionsWillIncreaseWaterLosses?HowCanYouMakeSuretoGetEnoughFluids?WhatYouShouldDrinkWhenandHowMuchtoDrink?

Chapter7 HealthySnackingTipsforHealthySnackingWhatSnacksAreBestforDifferentOccasions?OperationsatNightExercisesintheHeatExercisesintheColdSustainedOperationsSnackingOnOccasion

Chapter8 Restaurants,FastFoods,andEatingOutFastFoodRestaurantsRecommendationsforSelectingHigh-CHOFoodsatRestaurants

Chapter9 NutritionalConsiderationsforEnduranceActivitiesGlycogenStoresandMeetingYourEnergyNeedsCarbohydrateandEndurancePerformanceCHOLoading/GlycogenSupercompensation

WhatisCHOLoading?WhoShould(andShouldn’t)CHOLoad?

ProteinNeedsVitaminandMineralNeedsFluidRequirementsNutritionalInterventionsDuringTrainingSessionsSummary

Chapter10 NutritionalConsiderationsforStrengthTrainingBenefitsofStrengthTrainingFactorsDeterminingMuscleMassProteinRequirementsforStrengthTraining

TheHighProteinMythConcernswithVeryHighProteinIntakes

OtherNutritionalRequirementsCarbohydrateRequirementsFatRequirementsVitaminsandMinerals

Multi-IngredientSteroidAlternatives—TheBottomLineSummary

Chapter11 NutritionforOptimumMissionPerformanceNutritionalReadinessBeforeaSpecificMission

SeveralDaysBeforeaMissionTimingandCompositionofPre-MissionMeals

NutritionforMaintainingPerformanceDuringTrainingandMissionsInadequateRationConsumptionDehydrationGastrointestinalComplaintsDietaryConsiderationsforSelectedTrainingandMissionScenarios

OtherConsiderationsChapter12 NutritionalInterventionsforMissionRecovery

GlycogenRestorationRehydrationSodium/ElectrolyteReplacementSummary

Chapter13 FoodfortheField:MilitaryandOtherRationsTheMeal,Ready-to-Eat,Individual(MRE)MenusRation,ColdWeather(RCW)RationLightweight—30Days(RLW-30)

FoodPacket,LongRangePatrol,(Improved)(LRP[I])CommercialFreeze-DriedProducts

WhatDoYouChoose?OtherRationInformation

HowLongWillRationsKeep?RationsandWaterRequirements

Chapter14 NutritionalConsiderationsforAdverseConditionsHeatExposure

FluidNeedsElectrolyteBalanceCarbohydrate(CHO)IntakeEnergyIntake

ColdExposureEnergyIntakeFluidStatusVitaminandMineralNeeds

SustainedOperationsCHOIntakeCaffeineFluidIntake

DivingandImmersioninWaterEnergyIntakeFluidIntakeMineralNeeds

AltitudeWeightLossCHOIntakeDehydrationVitaminandMineralNeedsSummary

SummaryChapter15 ErgogenicAgents—Lookingfor“TheEdge”

NutritionalProductsAdvertisedasErgogenicAgents

Protein-CarbohydrateSupplementsMET-Rx

Chapter16 ErgolyticAgents—”GoingBackwards”AlcoholSmokelessTobaccoAntihistamines

Appendix1 CarbohydrateContentofSelectedFoodsAppendix2 FatContentofSelectedFoodsAppendix3 ProteinContentofSelectedFoodsAppendix4 EnergyExpenditureforVariousActivitiesAppendix5 GoodFoodSourcesofVitaminsAppendix6 GoodFoodSourcesofMineralsAppendix7 SampleHigh-CarbohydrateMenusAppendix8 USNavySpecialWarfare10Commandmentsof

NutritionPhotoCredits

ListofTables

Table1-1. DeterminingRestingEnergyExpenditure(REE)ofMenfromBodyWeight(inPounds)

Table1-2. EstimatingTotalDailyEnergyNeedsofMenatVariousLevelsofActivity

Table2-1. IdeasforSelectingFoods/FoodCombinationsHighinComplexCHO

Table2-2. HowMuchProteinDoINeed?Table3-1. RecommendedIntakesandFunctionsofVitaminsTable3-2. RecommendedIntakesandFunctionsofMineralsTable4-1. NutrientsandTheirToxicityValuesTable5-1. ServingSizesandDietaryFiberContent(ingrams)of

SelectedFoodsTable6-1. ComparisonofFluidReplacementBeveragesTable6-2. FluidIntakeRecommendationsforBefore,During,and

AfteranEventorMissionTable6-3. TypicalFluidLossesforVariousEventsTable6-4. DeterminingAmountsofFluidandCHOtoDrinkDuring

ExerciseTable7-1. MacronutrientCompositionofSelectedSnacksTable7-2. SnackstoEatDuringNighttimeOperationsTable7-3. SnackstoEatDuringExercisesintheHeatTable7-4. SnackstoEatDuringExercisesintheColdTable7-5. SnackstoEatDuringSustainedOperationsTable7-6. MacronutrientCompositionofSomeSweetSnacksTable8-1. CaloricValuesofSelectedFastFoodsTable8-2. SampleHigh-CarbohydrateFastFoodBreakfasts,Lunches,

andDinnersTable9-1. SomeGoodFoodSourcesofSelectedAntioxidant

NutrientsTable10-1. ExamplesofWhereYouGetProteinTable10-2. ProteinContentofSomeCommercialProteinSupplementsTable11-1. SEALTeamPlatoon/CompoundWorkTable11-2. SDVSubTripTable11-3. TypicalLandWarfareTable11-4. DoubleDiveDay(for3Weeks)Table11-5. TypicalBUDsTrainingDay—1stPhaseTable11-6. TypicalBUDsTrainingDay—2ndPhaseTable11-7. TypicalBUDsTrainingDay—3rdPhaseTable11-8. RecommendedGramsofCHO,Protein,andFatforVarious

EnergyLevelsTable12-1. ASelectionofFoodswithHigh,Moderate,orLow

GlycemicIndexTable12-2. GoodSourcesofPotassiumTable13-1. MREMenusTable13-2. Ration,ColdWeatherMenusTable13-3. RationLightweightMenusTable13-4. LongRangePatrol(LRP[I])Table13-5. Here’saLookatTwoSimilarDinnerEntreesfromtheTwo

CompaniesTable13-6. SelectedFoodsandMenusfromAlpineAireTable13-7. SelectedFoodsandMenusfromMountainHouseTable13-8. TwoSampleDailyMenusforHighActivityTable14-1. UpperLimitsforSodiumandPotassiuminFluid

ReplacementBeveragesDuringHeatStressTable14-2. CalculatingEnergyRequirementsforColdWeatherTable14-3. SuggestedIncreaseinDailyIntakesofVitaminsand

MineralsDuringColdExposureTable14-4. SymptomsofHypoglycemia(LowBloodSugar)Table14-5. CalculatingEnergyRequirementsatAltitudeTable15-1. NutritionalErgogenicAgentsTable15-2. CaffeineContentofSelectedBeverages,Products,and

Medications

Table15-3. SummaryofErgogenicAgentsTable15-4. IngredientsinOneServingofMET-Rx

ListofWorksheets

Worksheet1-1. EstimateYourTotalDailyEnergyNeedsWorksheet1-2. NormogramforBodyMassIndexWorksheet1-3. EnergyExpenditureActivityFormWorksheet2-1. FigureOutYourFatAllowanceWorksheet2-2. CalculatingPercentofCaloriesfromFatWorksheet2-3. Selecta“LowerFat”AlternativeWorksheet2-4. CalculateYourProteinNeedsWorksheet8-1. YourEatingOutChecklistWorksheet9-1. CalculatingYourDailyCHONeedsWorksheet10-1. HowMuchProteinDoINeed?Worksheet10-2. HowMuchProteinDoIEat?Worksheet14-1. CalculateYourLowerWeightforFluidLosses

Worksheet14-2. CalculateYourEnergyRequirementsforaHotEnvironment

Preface

TheU.S.NavySEALGuidetoNutrition

The demands imposed by SEAL training are profound, and successrequiresthemusteringofallyourstrength—physicalandmental.Onefactorthatmaybringyouclosertosuccessisnutritionalinterventions.Itiswellknownthatappropriate nutritional habits and interventions can enhance your ability toperform, and we want you to be familiar with those successful habits. Thismanual is foryoutoread,participate in,anduseasaresourcewhenyouhavequestionsaboutnutritionandnooneisavailabletogiveyouanswers.

The first five chapters are very basic—they provide backgroundinformation about nutrition concepts in general, and little to nothing aboutperformance. However, they are very important for fully understanding theinformationinsubsequentchapters.Intheremainingchapters,wehavetriedtobeasspecificaspossibleintermsofwhatwethinkyoushouldandshouldn’tdo,and given you reasons for our recommendations. For example, in Chapter 8:Restaurants,FastFoods, andEatingOut,wehavegivenyou samplemenus atFastFoodsplacessoyoucanselectahigh-carbohydratediet.InthechapteronMissionRecovery,wetargetthreeareasyouneedtofocusonandprovidewaystoensurearapidrecovery.InChapter15,ErgogenicAgents,wediscouragetheuseofsomeproductsbecausenotonlyisthereinsufficientinformation,buttheremay be potential risks and adverse effects associatedwith using them.Again,ourobjectiveistomakeyoumoreinformedsoyoucanmakeeducatedchoicesabout foods and supplements. Many commercial products sold in stores andthroughmagazinesmakeclaimssoyouwillpurchasethem.Withsomeproductsyouarewastingyourmoney,andwithothers,possiblyhurtingyourself.Otherproductsmayactuallygiveyouthe“edge”andimproveyourperformance,butittakesinformationtomaketheappropriatedecision.Thismanualshouldhelpyoudothat.

Youmenareaselectgroup—weknowthatfromouryearsofworkingwithSEALs and SEAL trainees. For that reason youmust be treated as such. Thismanualhasbeenpre-paredwiththatinmind:wewanttohelpyouperformtothebestofyourabilitiesundertherigorousconditionsyouconfrontintrainingandduring missions. We certainly don’t have all the answers to nutritionalenhancement of performance, because the answers are not all available yet.However,wewillcontinuesearchingforanswersandencourageyoutocontinueaskingquestionsthatrelatetonutritionandperformancesowecanhelpyoufindthoseanswers.Wewishyouthebestandhopeyouwill letusknowwhenyoucan’tfindanswerstoyourquestions.

PattyDeuster,AnitaSingh,andPierrePelletierBethesda,MD

Foreword

ManypeopleconsidertheU.S.NavySEALsthetoughest,mostversatile,andfittestwarriorsontheplanet.Becauseoftheincrediblychallengingdemandsplaced on Navy SEALs, their fitness requirements as well as their nutritionalrequirements are of critical importance to the Navy and to the Naval SpecialWarfarecommunity.

SEAL is the acronym for Sea, Air, and Land. Navy SEALs train andoperate in every environment the planet has to offer, from parachuting intoenemyandhostileterraintoswimminginroughseas,divinginicywaters,andconductingmaritimeoperations launching from submarines, small craft, ships,fixedwingaircraft,andhelicopters.Theyoperateinarctic,mountain,desert,andjungleterrain.ANavySEALcanfunctionefficientlyanywhereintheworldandcaninsertorextractfromtheareaofoperation(AO)usingeverypossiblemeansthemilitary or civilian community has to offer.Navy SEALsmust be able towork under any condition and in any environment; to do so, theymust haveaccess to up-to-date information on the most state-of-the-art physical fitness,nutritional,andfluidrequirements.

Fromitsearlybeginnings,SEALsandtheirpredecessorsfacedsomeofthemostphysicallychallengingoperationsinthehistoryofthemilitary.TheNavyhas always required its operators to be in top physical condition to meet therigorousdemandsplacedonthem.Toachievesuchphysicalshape,SEALsmustconsume the most nutritionally well-balanced meals available, whether it bewholefoods,MREs,orfreeze-driedfoods.For themajorityofaNavySEAL’scareer, he will consume between 2,000 and 4,000 calories each day. Thesecaloriesmustbeenergy-efficientfuel.

SEALtrainingandmissionsrequirestrengthandendurance.NavySEALsmustbeabletooperateinadverseconditionsatvariousaltitudesforlongdaysand sometimes weeks. During these arduous periods, they must be able toperformatahighlevelofefficiency,whichaproperdietwillfacilitate.Oneofthemostcriticalcomponentsoffitnessisdiet.Failuretoreplacenutritionalfuel,electrolytes,andfluidswillundoubtedlyweakenaSEAL’sperformancelevel.

TheNavySpecialWarfare(NACSPECWAR)communityremainsfocusedon the objective of keeping its personnel as physically fit as possible andunderstandsthat thebetter theirnutritional intake, thebetter theirperformance.WhatSEALseaton adailybasishelpsdeterminehowmuchenergy theywillhaveforintense,rigorousperformance.

An updated extensive SEAL-specific nutritional study was required toensure Navy SEALs were receiving optimum nourishment and meetinghydration requirementsduring training,duringdeployment, andwhileengagedincombat.ItisofcriticalimportancetotheNavytoensuretheSEALsreceivethe most up-to-date information available and then to modify it to meet thespecific requirements of the SEALs so they can operate at their maxi-mumperformancelevels.

The U.S. Navy SEAL Guide to Nutrition was written specifically for theSEAL community by a team ofNavy SEALs, dieticians, and physicianswhospecializeinexercise,sportsnutrition,andexercisephysiology.Numerousbasicoff-the-shelf nutritional resources and guides exist and are readily available tothepublic,butthosebookslackthespecificnutritionalrequirementsoftheNavySEAL.

TheobjectivesofTheU.S.NavySEALGuidetoNutritionaretointroduceappropriatenutritionalguidelinesandinterventionstotheNavySEALoperator.TheGuideaddresses:

♦nutritionalconcepts,♦energyexpenditure,♦energyintake,♦macroandmicronutrients,♦essentialvitaminsandminerals,♦supplements,♦fiberintake,♦fluidreplacement,♦snacking,♦militaryrations,♦ergogeneticandergolyticrations,and♦nutritional requirements when operating in extreme environmental

conditions.

Most importantly, thisbookdiscussesnutrition foroptimumperformance,aswellas“TheNavalSpecialWarfare10CommandmentsofNutrition.”

SEALsrequiremorecaloriestoreplenishtheirenergythanmostpeopleorother athletes. It is important that the diet of a SEAL consists of adequateamountsofprotein,carbohydrates,fat,andthemorethanfiftynutrientsthebodyrequires.These cannot be provided in anyone foodor supplement.TheNavySEALNutritionalGuidedetailshowthiscanmosteffectivelybeaccomplished.

In this book, the authors discuss how consumption of supplements,vitamins, and minerals is typically unnecessary, provided that the SEAL isfollowing a well-balanced nutritional diet. The key to nutrition and athleticperformance is moderation and control of the daily consumption of requiredfoods.With theadditionalstress thatSEALsplaceon thenervoussystem, it iscritical toensure thatSEALSconsumeat least theminimumrequiredvitaminsandmineralsandhavepropercontrolovertheirdailydiets.

SEALs must consume adequate calories to meet the needs of intensetraining. They are encouraged to get most of their nutrients from “real” foodrather thansupplements.Theirdietshouldberichincomplexcarbohydrates toprovide the energy source to fuel the high demands of their daily routines.Consumptionof fruits, vegetables, andwholegrains are thebest insurance forgettingthenecessaryvitaminsandmineralsrequiredforoptimumhealth.SEALsmustalsopaycloseattention to thequalityof theproduceandmeats theyeat.Foods that are less refined are best, but organic is optimal. SEALs shouldattempttogetnutritionfromasclosetotheoriginalfoodsourceaspossible.

Itisjustasimportanttobewell-hydrated,especiallyinhightemperatures.Performance can decrease dramatically when the body is depleted of fluids.Optimalperformanceduringextendedexercisesessionsoccurswhentherateoffluid intake equals the rate of fluid loss through sweating.The authors of thisguide stress the importance of always staying hydrated, regardless of SEALstatus.

The U.S. Navy SEAL Guide to Nutrition emphasizes that nutritionalmisinformationcandoasmuchharmaspropernutritioncanhelp.Theauthorsalso state that good, life-long nutritional habits must be emphasized from ayoung age. This guide has been a tremendous resource to the Naval SpecialWarfare Community throughout the years. This edition includes the latestresearch as it applies to the SEAL community. If you are interested in acomprehensive guide on nutrition and SEAL-specific nutritional requirements,thisguideisforyou.

DonMann

CWO3/SEAL/ret

AbouttheAuthors

TheU.S.NavySEALGuidetoNutrition

Dr. Patricia Deuster is an Associate Professor and Director of theHumanPerformanceLaboratory in theDepartmentofMilitaryandEmergencyMedicineat theUniformedServicesUniversityof theHealthSciences,SchoolofMedicine in Bethesda,Maryland. Her credentials for writing this book aremany. She has been conducting research in the area of sports nutrition andexercise physiology for over 14 years, has published numerous papers on thenutritional needs of U.S. Navy SEALs, and has given many sports nutritionseminarstohighschool,college,andprofessionalathletes,recreationalathletes,SWAT teams, dietitians, and other health professionals. She is also an athleteherself.Shewasa tennisprofessional for5yearsandhascompeted in severaltriathlons and over 20 marathons; her best marathon time was a 2:48 in theBostonMarathon.Dr.Deusterwasanationallyrankedrunnerforseveralyearsandaqualifierfor theFirstWomen’sOlympicMarathonTrials.Sheisanavidsportswomanandaformersky-diverwhohasloggedover100jumps.Withhercombinationofathleticabilitiesandinterests,professionaltraining,andresearchendeavors,sheisclearlyoneofthefewpersonspreparedtodevelopthisguide.

Dr.AnitaSinghreceivedherPh.D.inNutritionin1986fromtheUniversityofMaryland, where she was selected as an Outstanding Graduate. She is anAssistantProfessor in theDepartment ofMilitary andEmergencyMedicine atthe Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in BethesdaMaryland.SheisalsoaregistereddietitianandhasbeenworkingintheareaofSportsNutritionforabout10years.InadditiontolookingatnutritionalneedsofU.S.Navy SEAL trainees, she has studiedwomenwho qualified for the FirstWomen’s Olympic Marathon Trials, triathletes, ultramarathoners, andrecreational athletes. Dr. Singh has presented her research work at variousnational and internationalmeetings and has published extensively in scientific

journals.Sheisarunner,tennisplayer,andavidhiker.

Pierre A. Pelletier ENS, MC, USNR will be graduating in l995 from theUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), School ofMedicineinBethesda,MD.HereceivedhisundergraduatedegreefromNorwichUniversity inBiology andChemistry.ENSPelletier has alwaysbeen active inathletics both as a participant and teacher. He was a competitive skier andinstructorforeightyearsandakayakinginstructorinNewEngland.HeisalsoactiveinthePotomacRugbyUnioninMarylandandmostrecentlywasinvitedto playwith theUSNavyRugbyClub.His personal interest in nutrition as itrelates to athletics has been nurtured while at USUHS and culminated in aclinical year of research in the Human Performance Laboratory at USUHSwhere he assisted in writing the manual. He plans to practice OperationalMedicineasaDivingMedicalOfficerwiththeUSNavySEALs.

Chapter1

EnergyBalance=Energy

Expenditure-EnergyIntake

Balancingenergyintakeandexpenditurecanbedifficultwhenactivitylevelsareveryhigh,asinSEALtraining,andwhenactivitylevelsareverylow,suchasduring isolation.Typically,bodyweight remainsconstantwhenenergyintakeequalsexpenditure.

UnitsofEnergy

The unit commonly used for describing energy intake and energyexpenditureistheCalorie.ThetermKilocalorie(kcal)isalsousedasameasureofenergyintakeandexpenditureand1kcal=1Calorie.Throughoutthisbookwewillusethetermskcalandcalorieinterchangeably.

SensitivityofEnergyBalance

The energy balance equation can be “unbalanced” by changing energyintake, energy expenditure, or both. To gain or lose 1 pound it takesapproximately3500extrakcalconsumedorburned.Believeitornot,theenergybalanceequationisverysensitive,asisshowninthefollowingexample.

Example1:

Ifyouateoneextrachocolatechipcookie(65kcal)eachdayforoneyear,thiswouldbe65X365or23,725extrakcal.

Thissmalldailyincreaseinenergyintakewouldresultinagainof~6.8poundsinoneyear.

Example2:

Ifyouateonelesschocolatechipcookieperdayandstartedrunning1extramile per day 5 days per week, you would lose 14 pounds. This number isobtained by adding the 6.8 pounds from not eating the cookie and the 7.4pounds/year for running (100 kcal/mile X 5 miles/week X 52 weeks/year =26,000kcalor7.4pounds/year).Yousee?Itworksbothways!

ComponentsofEnergyExpenditure

Thethreemajorcontributorstoenergyexpenditureare:

♦Restingenergyexpenditure♦Physicalactivity♦Energyfordigestingfoods

Thefirsttwoareofinteresthereandwillbediscussedindetail.

RestingEnergyExpenditureResting energy expenditure (REE) is the amount of energy required to

maintain life, such as breathing, beating of the heart, maintenance of bodytemperature, and other life processes. Measurements are usually made in themorningafterwakingwiththebodyatcompleterest.REEcanbeestimatedbyaformula and used to predict your daily energy/caloric requirements. The onlyinformationneededisyourbodyweightinpounds.

Table1-1.DeterminingRestingEnergyExpenditure(REE)ofMenfromBodyWeight(inpounds)

Age EquationtoDeriveREE(years) (kcal/day)

18-30 6.95XWeight+67930-60 5.27XWeight+879

EnergyExpenditureForPhysicalActivity

Theamountofenergyyouexpendduringphysicalactivityisdifferenteachday, depending on your training. Some days are very strenuous and involverunning, swimming, calisthenics, cold water exposure, sleep deprivation, andcarryingheavyloads.Somedaysyouareintheclassroomsittingagoodportionof the day. Thus, determining your actual energy expended during activity ismore difficult, but there areways to estimate it.Youwould usually take yourREEandmultiplyitbyanumber(orfactor)asshownonthenextpagetogetaroughestimateofyourtotalenergy/calorieneeds.Letstryoutanexample.

TotalEnergyExpenditure

Table1-2.EstimatingTotalDailyEnergyNeedsofMenatVariousLevelsofActivity

ActivityLevelofGeneralActivity Factor

(XREE)

VeryLight-Seatedandstandingactivities,driving,playingcards 1.3

Light-walking,carpentry,sailing,playingping-pongorpool,golf 1.6

Moderate-carryingaload,jogging,lightswimming,biking,calisthenics,scubadiving 1.7

Heavy-walkingwithaloaduphill,rowing,digging,climbing,soccer,basketball,running,obstaclecourse 2.1

Exceptional-running/swimmingraces,cyclinguphill,carryingveryheavyloads,hardrowing 2.4

Example:Youare21,weigh175lbs,andactivityismoderate

REE=6.95XWeight+679=6.95X175+679=1895kcal/day

TotalEnergyNeeds=1895X1.7=3222kcal/day

TheformulaforREEcamefromTable1-1.

The1.7istheActivityFactorfor“Moderate”fromthetableabove.

Worksheet1-1.EstimateYourTotalDailyEnergyNeeds

BodySizeandBodyMassIndex

TheBODYMASSINDEX,orBMIisameasurecommonlyusedtorapidlyassess body composition and then classify and identify individuals as under-,overweightoroverfat.TheBMIisactuallyaratio:weight/height2,withweightinkilogramsandheightinmeters.ReferencestandardshavebeendevelopedfortheUnitedStatespopulationasawhole,brokendownbyraceandgender,sothatindividualsat risk forobesitycanbe identified.However, the referencevaluesfor theU.S.populationasawholedonotalwaysapply tospecialpopulations,such as SEALs. As a result, unique populations often develop their ownstandards and references based on individuals within that population. Areferencerangebasedonasurveyofover800SEALswasrecentlydeveloped.

ForalltheSEALscombined,theaverageBMIwas25,andtheaveragebodyfatwas13%.Whatisimportanttoremember,isthatthisindexisascreeningtool.You can use the BMI to assess and keep track of changes in your bodycomposition.IfyourBMIishigh,haveyourbodyfatchecked,andifyourbodyfat is more than 20%, you need to take some action to lower your weight.ReferenceBMIvaluesforyouareprovidedbelow:

ReferenceBMIValuesforSEALsLean <20TypicalSEAL 20to29CheckYourBodyFat 29to32

UsethenormogrambelowtofindyourBMIandseewhereyoufallrelativetothe reference values. To use the normogram, place a ruler or straight edgebetweenheight(rightside)andbodyweight(leftside);thenreadBMIfromthecentralscale.NOTE:Evenwiththesereferencevalues,theBMIcanmisclassifysomelargeframe,verystrongmenasoverweight.Checkyourbodyfat;thatwillbethedecidingfactor.

Worksheet1-2.NormogramforBodyMassIndex

HowToCalculateEnergyExpenditure

Youwillneedacalculatortocompletethisexercise.Overa24hourperiodyouwillexpenddifferentamountsofenergyineach

activity inwhich you engage, be itwatchingTV, eating, running on the sand,paddling, or listening to your teammates. The objective of this activity is tomakeyouawareoftheenergyyouactuallydoexpend.

♦Record your name and date on your ENERGY EXPENDITUREACTIVITYFORM.

♦List all the activitiesyouparticipated inover the last 12hours and theapproximatelengthoftime(inminutes)youspentoneachactivityontheform.

♦GothroughthealphabeticallistofactivitiesprovidedinAppendix4,andfindtheactivitythatmostcloselyapproximateseachoneyoulistedontheform.

♦Write down on the form the kcal/minute (not per hour!) value in theappropriatecolumn(EnergyValue).

♦Multiply theenergyvalueby the total time inminutes.Forexample, ifyou ran in the sand in boots for 25 minutes, then your energyexpenditureforthatactivitywouldbe15(energyvalue)X25(time)=385kcals.

♦Dothisforatleastfiveactivities,orpreferablyalltheeventsin12hours.Then add up the numbers to get an actual energy expenditureestimate.Howdidyoufare?Youwereprobablysurprisedbysomeofthenumbers,butthisexperienceshouldgiveyouagoodoverviewofenergybalance.Keeptrackofyourweightifyouareindoubt—itisthemostaccuratewaytomonitorenergybalance.

Worksheet1-3.EnergyExpenditureActivityForm

Chapter2

Carbohydrate,Fat,andProtein:TheEnergy-ProvidingMacronutrients

You have heard the saying “You are what you eat.” Although thisstatementhasnotbeenproven,wedoknowthatwhatyoueatmakesadifferencein how you perform, how long you survive, and the quality of your life. Themacronutrients, or energy-providing nutrients, are extremely important in thisrespect. Also, without energy you would starve, and your ability to performwouldbegreatlyreduced.Ourthreemainsourcesofenergyare:♦CarbohydrateorCHO

♦Fat♦Protein

These fuels are calledmacro because they are eaten in “large quantities”unlike themicronutrientswewilldiscuss later.Thischapterwillprovidebasicinformationaboutthesemacronutrients.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates,commonlyabbreviatedCHO,arefoodswewanttobecomevery familiar with since they are the preferred foods for endurance activities,competitive athletic events, and healthy living. In fact, CHOs are the basicsourceofenergyforhumans.Luckily,CHOsarealsofoodsyouareencouragedtoeat,notfoodsyouareurgedtorestrict,suchasfat.

Definition,Composition,andClassificationCarbohydrates are composed of three elements: carbon, hydrogen, and

oxygen.Theyexistinmanyforms,butthetwomajortypesofCHOsaresimpleandcomplex.

♦SimpleCHOshaveone (mono)or two (disaccharides) sugarmoleculeshookedtogether.

♦TypesofsimpleCHOsincludeglucose(dextrose),tablesugar(sucrose),honey (fructose and glucose), fructose (sugars in fruit), maltose(sugars in malt), lactose (sugar in milk), brown sugar, corn syrup,maple syrup, refined sugar products, raw sugar, corn sweeteners,high-fructosecornsyrup,andmolasses.

♦Complex CHOs have three or more simple sugar molecules hookedtogether;polysaccharidesarelongstrandsofsimplesugars.

♦Complex CHOs are found in grains, fruits, seeds, potatoes, pasta,macaroni, seaweed,algae,and legumessuchaspeasandbeans,andallothervegetables.

♦Themain forms of complex CHOs are starches and fibers; they comefrom plant materials. Starches are digested by the body whereasdietaryfibercannotbe.FiberwillbediscussedinChapter5.

♦TheonlyCHOstored in animals is “glycogen”which is found in liverandmuscles.

♦The amount of glycogen stored in liver andmuscle is limited:muscleglycogenstorescanbedepletedafter3 to4hoursofheavyexerciseanda24-hourfastcoulduseupliverglycogenstores.

FunctionsofCarbohydrateintheBodyCHOsareusedinthebodymainlyas:

♦Fuel in the form of glucose—glucose is the most important source of

energy in our body, and it is stored in the liver and muscle asglycogen.ThecomplexCHOsyoueataredigestedintosimplesugars,mostlyglucose,andthenusedbythemuscles,brain,heart,andotherorgansforenergy.

♦Buildingblockstomakechemicalsneededbythecellsofyourbody.♦Chemicalcementforrepairingstructuresofyourbody.

CarbohydrateintheDietCHOfoodstuffsarethelargestpartoftheworld’sfoodsupply.InMexico

theCHOstaplesarecorntortillasandbeans;inBrazil—blackbeansandrice;inIndia—chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils, rice, and whole grain unleavenedbreads; inJapan—rice, tofu,andvegetables;and in theMiddleEast—hummus(chickpeas)andtahini(sesameseeds).IntheUnitedStatesourclassicCHOsarebread,potatoes,noodles,andmacaroni.

Unfortunately,manypeoplethinkstarchesareunhealthyandleadtoweightgain.Thatnotioncameaboutbecausemostpeopleaddhigh-fattoppingsand/orsaucestotheirstarchyfoods.Forexample,manyindividualsputlotsofbutterormargarine on their bread, sour cream on their baked potato, cream cheese onbagels, and cream sauceson theirmacaroni or pasta!Lookbelow to seewhatkindsoffoodsprovidesimpleandcomplexCHOs.

EnergyFromCarbohydrate

EXAMPLE:OneFigNewtoncontains10gramsofCHOandprovides60calories.CaloriesfromCHOandpercentofcaloriesfromCHOare:4kcalX10grams=40kcalfromCHO

Table2-1.IdeasForSelectingFoods/FoodCombinationsHighInComplexCHO

Belowaresomesuggestionsforfoodstoeatatmealandsnacktimes.Fruitsare always good—especially since they also provide water which is veryimportant.

Vegetables Beans/Legumes

Tomato/TomatoSauce KidneyBeansCarrotsandPeas LentilStew

Eggplant Chickpeas

Vegetables Beans/Legumes

Squash Black-eyedPeasBroccoli LimaBeans

Cauliflower PintoBeans

SandwichesandFillings OtherIdeas

FrenchRollw/Tuna,Lettuce,Pickles PastawithTurkeyandVeggiesPitaw/Turkey,Lettuce,Mustard RicewithChickenandVeggiesChicken,Lettuce,MustardonRye PastawithTuna,Celery,OnionsBagelwithPeanutButterandJelly FruitSaladPitaw/MashedBeans,Onions SpaghettiandSauceTortillawithBeans,Lettuce ChickenNoodleSoup

ChickenBurrito PotatoSalad

Low-Fat/High-CHO High-Fat/High-CHO

AnyKindofFruit MostCookiesRaisins,Dates,Prunes MostCakesPopcorn,Pretzels CandyBarsBagelwithJam IceCreams

Fat

Believe itornot, fat isanessentialpartofyourdiet, even thoughyouheareveryonesay“Don’teat that, it’shighinfat!”Fataddstaste tofoodsandsatisfies your sense of hunger. However, not all fats are created equal. By

understandingthedifferenttypesofdietaryfat,howfatworksinthebody,andusing guidelines for daily fat consumption, you can eliminate excess fat fromyourdietandeatforbetterhealth.

Definition,Composition,andClassificationFatisanessentialnutrientforyourbody,andisusuallyclassifiedaccording

toitschemicalform.Therearethreemajortypesoffatsorfattyadds:♦Saturated♦Monounsaturated♦Polyunsaturated

Saturatedfats(“fattyadds”)whicharesolidatroomtemperature,havenoroom for any additional hydrogen atoms.Saturated fats are foundprimarily inanimal foods—redmeats, lard,butter,poultrywith skin, andwholemilkdairyproducts.Palm,palmkernel,andcoconutoilsarealsohighlysaturated.

Mono-andpolyunsaturated fats,which remain liquidat roomtemperature,haveroomforadditionalhydrogenatoms.Monounsaturateshaveroomforonlyone hydrogen and are found in olives, olive oil, avocados, and peanuts.Polyunsaturated fats,whichhave roomformore thanonehydrogen,are foundprimarily in fish, corn,wheat, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, such as peanut,sunflower,corn,andsaffloweroils.

FunctionsofFatintheBodyFats,or fatty adds, serve several important roles in thebody.Fat:♦Isour

major form of stored energy; it provides energy during exercise, in coldenvironments,andwhenyoudon’thaveenoughtoeat♦Insulatesthebody

♦Helpscarryothernutrientstoplacesinthebody♦Protectsorgans♦Servesastructuralroleincells

Despite its bad reputation, fat is very important, and some fats/fatty addsareessential.

HowMuchFatShouldWeEat?Alittleofallthedifferenttypesoffatsisdesirable,butTOOmuchfatisthe

primarydietaryprobleminourcountry.Ahigh intakeof fat isassociatedwithmanydiseases,including:

♦Heartdisease ♦Manyformsofcancer♦Obesity ♦Diabetes

The average American consumes 42% of his or her daily calories as fat(40%carbohydrateand18%protein).MosthealthexpertsagreethatAmericansshoulddecreasetheirfatintaketonomorethan30%ofthetotaldailycalories,andsaturatedfatshouldprovidenomorethan10%ofthetotaldailycalories.Inourcountry,morethan15%ofourcaloriesarefromsaturatedfat.Thekeytothisisknowingwhichfoodsarehighinfatandwhicharelow.Onceyouhavethatinformation,itisuptoyoutostartchangingyourdietarybehaviors.

EnergyfromFat

Fatprovidesmorethantwicetheenergysuppliedbycarbohydrates.

Example1:

A1-ouncebagofpotatochipscontains10grainsoffat,sothecaloriesfromfatare:9kcalX10grams=90kcalofenergy

Example2:

Onehotdogsuppliesl7gramsoffat,socaloriesfromfatwouldbe:9kcalX17grams=153kcalofenergy

DeterminingYourDailyFatAllowanceEveryonetalksaboutgramsoffat,butwhatdoesthatmeanonapractical

level?Howdoesonetranslate“grams”offattopercentfatandhowmanygramsof fat should you allow yourself each day?You know that only 30% of yourcalories should come from fat, so with that in mind, you will learn how todetermineyourdailyfatallowance.Let’stakeanexamplefirst:

Example:DeterminingAFatAllowanceIfestimatedenergyneed(EEN)=3222calories

Step1.MultiplyEENby0.3togetcaloriesfromfat3222X0.3=967fatcaloriesStep2.Dividefatcaloriesby9togetgramsoffat.967/9=107

gramsofFATperday

WhereDidtheNumbersComeFrom?

♦Estimated energy need was provided in the example. You know yourEENfromthepreviouschapter.

♦0.3inStep1isforcalculating30%ofcaloriesfromfat.♦9inStep2isthenumberofcaloriesinonegramoffat.♦107isthenumberofgramsoffatthatshouldnotbeexceededtoensure

thatthedietprovidesnomorethan30%ofcaloriesfromfat.

Worksheet2-1.FigureOutYourFatAllowance

ReferbacktoyourEstimatedenergyneeds(EEN)exercise(Chapter1,page6)andwriteyourEENintheboxbelow.

Nowthatyouknowhowtodothis,justtakewhateverpercentfatyouwant,

multiplyitbyyourenergyneeds,andthendivideby9.

You can also use the above method to determine the percent of fat inparticular foods. If you read a food label and it shows the item provides 270calories,ofwhich15gramsarefat,thentocalculatethepercentofcaloriesfromfatyouwoulddothefollowing:TotalCalories=270

TotalFat=15grams

CaloriesfromFat=15gramsX9kcal=135kcal

%CaloriesfromFat=(135X100)/270=50%

Worksheet2-2.CalculatingPercentofCaloriesfromFat

Worksheet2-3.SelectA“LowerFat”AlternativeBelow is a list of foods that are high in fat. Look at each food item anddetermineasuitablereplacementthatyouthinkwouldbemuchlowerinfat.

FOOD REPLACEMENT

FrenchFrieswithKetchup BoiledPotatoesChickenDrumstickw/Skin ChickenBreastw/oSkinBeefHotDog ChickenorTurkeyDogTunaPackedinOil TunaPackedinWater

Skimor1%Milk

WholeMilkRegularCottageCheese 1%FatCottageCheeseRegularIceCream IceMilkorItalianIceGroundBeef GroundTurkeyorExtraLeanBeefBakedPotatoandSourCream BakedPotatowithYogurtBagelwithCreamCheeseWholeMilkYogurtCheeseSandwichTurkeySandwichwithMayonnaisePizzawithDoubleCheeseSaladwithBlueCheeseDressingPotatoChipswithDipBolognaandCheeseSandwich

Protein

Many people like to eat high-protein foods because they think proteinmakesthemgrow“bigandstrong.”Aretheycorrect?Let’stakealookatproteinandwhatitreallydoes.

DefinitionandCompositionUnlike carbohydrates and fats which contain only carbon, oxygen, and

hydrogen, protein also containsnitrogen and other elements essential for life.Proteins are made up of several amino acids—small building blocks that arehooked together.Although there aremany different amino acids (at least 20),only9arecalledessentialaminoacidsbecausethebodycannotmakethem;theymustbeobtainedfromthediet.That’swhywemusteatprotein—totakeintheessentialaminoadds.

FunctionsofProteinintheBodyProteins vary in size, depending on how many amino acids are linked

together,andeachoneperformsdifferent functions in thebody.Although they

canprovideenergy,theyarenotamainsourceofenergylikecarbohydratesandfat. Some functions of protein are: ♦Formmuscle, hair, nails, skin, and othertissues

♦Directenergyproduction♦Repairinjuries♦Carryfats,vitamins,andmineralstodifferentpartsofthebody♦Muscle

contraction♦Serveastructuralroleforeverypartofthebody

HowMuchProteinShouldIEat?Manypeopleeat150 to200gofproteineachdaywhich ismoreprotein

thanisactuallyneededbythebody.Proteinneedsaredeterminedbyage,bodyweight,andactivitylevel.Manyathletesthinkthatiftheyeatmoreproteintheirmuscleswillgetlarger,butthisisnottrue.Excesscaloriesfromproteincanbeconvertedtofatandstored.Additionally,theliverandthekidneysareputunderalotofstrainwhenprocessinglargequantitiesofprotein.

Table2-2.HowMuchProteinDoINeed?

Example

Supposeyouweigh175poundsandare training tobeaSEAL.Thenyouare “IN TRAINING” for sure—both endurance and strength training. Yourproteinneedswouldbe0.6to0.8gramsperpoundofbodyweight,asshownin

thefigureabove.

ProteinNeeds=0.8X175=140grams

Worksheet2-4.CalculateYourProteinNeeds

EnergyfromProtein

Proteinsuppliesaboutthesameenergyascarbohydrates.

Example1:

One hard boiled egg contains 6 grams of protein; calories fromprotein are:4kcalX6grams=24kcalofenergy

Example2:

Onesmallhamburgersupplies24gramsofprotein;caloriesfromproteinwouldbe:4kcalX24grams=96kcalofenergy

Chapter3

Micronutrients:

VitaminsandMinerals

Micronutrients are substances required by or essential to the body inverysmallamountsandincludebothvitaminsandminerals.Takingineithertoolittleortoomuchofthesenutrientscaninterferewithnormalbodilyfunctions.Itisdifficulttoconsumeexcessiveamountsthroughatypicaldiet.However,itispossible to obtain too little of selected vitamins and minerals if proper foodselectionsarenotmade.

WhatAretheRecommendedDietary

Allowances?

Theamountsofparticularvitaminsandmineralsanormalpersonshouldeatto prevent a deficiency are known as the Recommended Dietary Allowances(RDA).TheRDAareperiodicallyupdatedtoreflectnewinformation,withthemostrecentrevisiontakingplacein1989.Sincethereareindividualvariationsinnutrientrequirements, theRDAarebasedon theaveragenutrientrequirementsofmostpeoplewithasafetyfactoradded.Thus,theRDAareexpectedtomeetthenutrientrequirementsofmostpeopleinahealthypopulation.

TheMilitaryhasitsownsetofRDAknownastheMilitaryRecommendedDietary Allowances (MRDA). The MRDA are designed to meet the nutrientneeds of most 17-50-year-old moderately active, military personnel. In somecasestheallowancesaresimilarbutinotherstheMRDAareslightlyhigher.ThisisbecausethelastversionoftheMRDAwasin1980.NeithertheRDAnortheMRDAconsidersthenutrientneedsofspecialpopulations,suchasSEALswhoare extremely active and train and operate under diverse, often grueling,environmental conditions. Therefore, both sets of recommendations can serveonlyasguidelinesforyourminimalintake.Inmostinstancesyourmicronutrientneedswillbemet through increased food intakeprovidedyoueat avarietyoffoods.

WhatAreVitamins?

Vitamins are organic compounds that do not provide calories. They arebroadlyclassifiedintotwocategories:♦Fatsolublevitamins

♦Watersolublevitamins

Fatsolublevitamins,whichincludevitaminsA,D,E,andK,areabsorbedwithdietary fat, canbe stored invarious tissues such as the liver, and arenotexcreted in the urine. In contrast,water soluble vitamins,which include allBvitaminsandvitaminC(ascorbicacid),arenotstoredinthebodyinappreciableamountsandsmallamountsareexcretedintheurineeachday.

WhatFunctionsDoVitaminsServe?

Vitamins perform a wide variety of functions, including the release ofenergy frommacronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, andprotein), tissuegrowthandrepair,maintenanceandsupportofreproductivefunction,andproductionofanimmuneresponse.Somefunctionsmaybespecifictoonlyonevitamin,whereassome functions may require more than one vitamin. For example, several Bvitamins and some minerals are required for releasing energy frommacronutrientsasshownbelow.

Table3-1.RecommendedIntakesandFunctionsofVitamins

Table3-1.RecommendedIntakesandFunctionsofVitamins

* From the 1989 RDA for normal healthy men 19 to 50 years. CHO =carbohydrate.

WhatFoodsAreGoodSourcesofVitamins?Noonefoodisagoodsourceofallvitaminsandassuchavarietyoffoods

should be consumed. Some foods are very high in selected vitamins whereassomecontainprecursorsorsubstancesthatserveasbuildingblocksformakingthevitamininthebody.Forexample,beta-caroteneandothercarotenoidsfromplant foods are converted by an enzyme in the body to vitamin A. Someprocessed foods providemany vitamins because they have been fortifiedwithnutrients.Otherfoodswillcontainfew,ifany,vitamins.MakesureyouREADFOODLABELStoseehowmuchoftheRDAthefoodcontains.

Food preparation techniques can affect the final amount of a particularvitamininafood;thisisspeciallytruewhencookingvegetables.Ofallvitamins,

vitaminC ismost easily destroyed during cooking and as such raw fruits andjuicesarepreferred sourcesof thisvitamin.Stepsyoucan take to increase theretentionofvitaminswhilepreparingamealinclude:♦Avoidsoakingvegetablesinwater

♦Cook vegetables in just enough water to prevent burning ♦Use theshortestcookingtimebycookingvegetablestoacrispandtenderstage♦Steaming and stir frying result in the best vitamin retention ♦Useleftovercookingwater insoupsandsauceswheneverpossible tousethe water soluble vitamins that were leached out ♦Cut and cookvegetables shortly before serving or refrigerate in an airtight storagecontainer.

Ifyouarenotresponsibleforcookingyourmealsorifyoueatinthegalley,thekeyistoeatavarietyoffoodswhenpossible.Ifyouareeatingfieldrationsduring training or deployment, eat the entrees as well as the other food andbeverageitemsprovidedinthepack.Forexample,cocoaintheMRErationisasource of vitamin B1, calcium, and magnesium. Good food sources of thevitaminsareprovidedinAppendix5.

WhatAreMinerals?

Mineralsareinorganiccompoundsfoundinallbodytissuesandaccountfor4to5%ofaperson’stotalbodyweight.Typicallytheyareclassifiedasminerals,traceminerals, and electrolytes, dependingonhowmuch is found in thebodyandthefunctionstheyserve.Forexample,calciumandmagnesiumareminerals,whereas zinc, copper, and iron are trace minerals, because the body containssmall amounts of them. Sodium, potassium, and chloride are the primaryelectrolytes.

WhatFunctionsDoMineralsServe?Mineralscarry“charges,”eitherpositiveornegative,whichhelpdetermine

their functions.Likevitamins,mineralsareessential foravarietyof importantphysiologicalfunctions,suchasregulationoffluidbalance,conductionofnerveimpulses, muscle contraction as well as others. Selected functions and theRecommended Dietary Allowances for most of the essential minerals are

presentedinthenexttable.

Table3-2.RecommendedIntakesandFunctionsofMinerals

1Estimated safe and adequate daily intake range—meets requirements ofindividualsandavoidsthedangeroftoxicity(FoodandNutritionBoard,1989).

2Theminimumdailyrequirementforsodiumis500mgor1250mgofsalt.Saltis40%sodiumand60%chloride.

1teaspoonofsalt(sodiumchloride)=5gprovides5X40/100=2gofsodium;2g is thesameas2000mg.Theminimumdaily requirement forpotassium is2000mg.

WhatFoodsAreGoodSourcesofMinerals?Aswithvitamins,avarietyoffoodsshouldbeeateninordertomeetyour

mineralrequirements.Theamountofaparticularmineralthatwillbeabsorbedfromfoodsvarieswidelyanddependsuponanumberoffactors.Absorptionofmineralscanbeinfluencedby:♦Otherdietaryconstituents,suchasdietaryfiber,

oxalatesandphytates♦Theamountofothermineralsinthediet

♦Medications

♦Thebody’sneedforthemineral

♦Chemicalformofthemineral

♦Integrityoftheintestinaltract

Even though foodsmay contain certainminerals, other food constituentscaninfluencetheactualamountabsorbed.Forexample,insolublematerialslikedietary fiber, phytates (chemicals found in high-fiber foods), and oxalates(chemicals found in certain foods such as spinach, chard, and rhubarb) bindminerals including iron, calcium, and zinc to make them less available forabsorption. In contrast, the presence of vitamin C improves the absorption ofcalcium, iron, and zinc. The absorption of iron is dependent on its particularform: heme or non-heme. Heme iron is found in animal foods and is betterabsorbed than non-heme iron from plant foods. Finally, excessive intakes ofsome minerals can interfere with the absorption of others: high intakes ofsupplemental zinc can decrease copper absorption and high iron intakes candecreasezincabsorption.GoodfoodsourcesofmineralsarelistedinAppendix6.

WhatSubstancesMayInterferewithMicronutrients?

Manythingsyoutakeordocanaffectyourlossesofvitaminsandminerals.Inparticular,substancesthatactas“ANTI”vitamins/mineralsandmayinterferewiththeamountsofvitaminsandmineralsinyourbodyinclude:

Caffeine AspirinTobacco AlcoholAntibiotics Stress

Summary

The key to meeting your vitamin and mineral needs is eating a dietcontaining a variety of foods. Remember, food preparation can affectmicronutrientcontent,andthatsimplechanges,suchasdrinkingwaterorjuiceinsteadofteaorcoffeewithmealscanincreaseabsorptionofmanyminerals.Ifyoudonoteatalotoffreshfruitsandvegetables,thentrytoeatfortified,ready-to-eatbreakfastcerealsinthemorningandforsnacks.Ifyouareindoubtaboutthe nutrient content of a processed food, just look at food labels. Mostunprocessed foodsarenutritious.The followingpracticeswillhelpensure thatyoumeetyourdailyvitaminandmineralneeds:EatAVarietyofFoods

BeSavvyinYourFoodSelections

UseGoodFoodPreparationTechniques

Chapter4

VitaminandMineral

Supplements

Vitaminandmineral supplementsarebeingwidelyusedbyphysicallyactive people because of all the performance enhancing claims made bysupplement manufacturers. It is estimated that about 40-50% of athletes usesomeformofvitamin/mineralsupplements.Theseincludesinglevitamins(suchasvitaminC)orminerals(suchasiron)andmultivitamin-mineralcombinationsindosesthatrangefromamountsthataresimilartotheRecommendedDietaryAllowances (RDA) up to levels many times the RDA (see Chapter 3 forinformationontheRDAs).

RoleofVitaminsandMineralsinPhysical

Activity

Vitaminsandmineralsarerequiredinmicro(verysmall,minute)amountsbythebodytoperformvitalmetabolicandphysiologicfunctions.Someof thefunctionsrelatedtophysicalactivitythatvitaminsandmineralsareinvolvedininclude:

♦Production of energy: many vitamins and minerals are involved inproducingenergyfromcarbohydrates(CHO),fats,andproteins.

♦Formation of red blood cells: some vitamins and minerals are alsorequiredfortheformationofredbloodcells.Redbloodcellscontainhemoglobin,aniron-containingproteinthatcarriesoxygen.

♦Providingoxygentotheexercisingmuscles:hemoglobinandmyoglobinare iron-containing proteins which transport and deliver oxygen toexercisingmuscles.

♦Maintenanceofhealthymusclesandjoints.

♦Recovery from exercise: some vitamins and minerals may help inrecoveringfromexhaustiveexercise.

Becauseofallthefunctionsservedbyvitaminsandminerals(seeChapter3foradditionalinformation),thesupplementindustryhasembarkedonapromotionalcampaign to encourage the use of supplements by physically active people.Whether all the hype about supplement use and performance is justified isdiscussedbelow.

BenefitsofSupplementation

Supplements are useful under a variety of conditions. Some conditionswherebenefitsofsupplementationhavebeenfoundarewhen:

♦Thereisanexistingvitaminormineraldeficiency

♦Individualshavepoornutrientintakesanddietaryhabits

♦Individuals are exposed to extreme environmental conditions, such asaltitude

SupplementUseandPerformance

VitaminSupplementsTaking a general multivitamin supplement appears to be without

measurableperformanceenhancingeffectsinhealthy,well-nourished,physicallyactive men on measures of maximal aerobic capacity, heart rate, submaximalendurance running performance, and muscle glycogen stores. Similarly, noimprovements in muscle strength or endurance have been noted in strengthathletes, such as body builders, who tend to use megadoses of vitamin andmineralsupplements.

We don’t know yet whether supplementation with various nutrients willhaveothermore subtle beneficial effects thatmay allowyou to performat anoptimal level forextendedperiodsof time.Forexample,supplementationwithselected vitamins or minerals may accelerate recovery and/or reducesusceptibility to infections. Some information to confirm these possibilities isavailable, but confirmatory studies have not been conducted in militarypopulations.Assuch,ifyouelecttotakesupplements,youshouldmonitoryour

overall health and performance to determine whether the expense is justified.Also, be sure not to takemore than 2 to 3 times the RDA; preferably take asupplementthatprovidesnutrientsinamountsthatmeettheRDA(seeChapter3fortheRDAs).

VitaminC

Supplementationwith600mg/dayofVitaminCmay

decreasetheincidenceofupperrespiratoryinfections

duringextendedmissionsand/orprolongedactivities.

When selected individuals participate in prolonged competitive athleticevents, supplementation with vitamin C has been shown to be beneficial forreducingtheincidenceandorseverityofupperrespiratoryinfections.Thismayhelp in BUD/SEAL training, especially during the first phase andHellWeek,when upper respiratory tract infections and cellulitis are frequently noted.Infections, such as an outbreak of pneumococcal pneumonia, have also beennotedduringRangertraining.

VitaminE

Supplementationwith400IU/dayofVitaminEmay

protectcellmembranesfromdamagebyfreeradicals

producedduringstrenuousexercise.

For conditions of altitude exposure, one recent study indicated thatmountaineers who took vitamin E supplements minimized altitude-inducedperformance decrements by being able to maintain adequate blood flow andprotecttheircellmembranesfrom“oxidative”damage.

MineralSupplements

Aswiththevitamins,thereisnoclear-cutevidencetoindicatethatmineralsupplementswillenhancephysicalperformanceinnormal,healthyindividuals.However,somemineralsmaybeusefulandothersmaybeharmful.

Chromium

Chromium is becoming increasingly popular among athletes because ofpurportedmuscle-buildingor anabolic effects.The results fromstudies todatearenotconsistent,andmoreworkisrequiredbeforedefinitiverecommendationscanbemade.Meanwhile, ifyoutakechromiumsupplements, limit theamountto the current recommendations (200 |ig/day); do not take more than 1000|ig/day.

Zinc

Supplementation with zinc has also been studied. Taking a zinc:coppersupplement(25mgto2mg)twiceadayalsoseemstominimizetheproductionof free radicals generated during prolonged exercise. However, if zincsupplementsare taken, theyshouldprovidenomore than100mgperday,andcoppershouldbetakentopreventacopperdeficiency.

Iron

Iron is commonly used by physically active people looking for theperformance edge.However, iron supplementsdonot improveperformance innon-deficient individuals. If your diet provides anymeat, fish or poultry, it isunlikely you need iron supplements.Moreover, excessive iron intakes can bedetrimental (see risks) and the use of prenatal supplements to boost ironstoresisnotrecommended.

AntioxidantsAs SEALS, you are continually exposed to hazardous environments,

extensive sunlight, and other situations which result in a process called“oxidation.” Oxidation results in the formation of “Free Radicals” or“SuperoxideAnions.”Becauseyouareexposedmore than theaverageperson,taking an antioxidant supplement may be protective (see Chapter 3 for foodsourcesofantioxidants).Ifyouchewtobacco,thismaybeparticularlyimportanttoyourfuturehealth.

TypesofAntioxidants

VitaminE VitaminCBeta-carotene SeleniumCysteine GlutathioneFlavonoids

♦Several multivitamin and mineral supplements contain antioxidants—CHECKlabelsforamounts.

♦Antioxidant vitamins andminerals are also available as single nutrientsupplements,e.g.,vitaminEissoldseparately.Soevenifyoudonottake multivitamins and minerals, you may choose to use anantioxidant.

RisksofSupplementation

Theindiscriminateuseofhighpotencyvitaminsandmineralsisofconcernsinceexcessiveamountsofvitaminsand/ormineralscanbeharmfulandmayresultinnutrientimbalances.Excessiveintakeofsomevitaminandmineralsupplementscan result inmultiple side effects.Harmful side effects of nutrientswhich arefrequentlytakeninexcessareprovidedonthenextpage.

VitaminA

Daily intake of large amounts of vitamin A over several months is

extremelytoxic.Symptomsofoverdosingwithretinolincludenausea,vomiting,abdominal pain,weight loss, hair loss, cerebral edema (swellingof the brain),andliverfailure.

VitaminB6

ChronicmegadosesofvitaminB6haveresulted inneurologicalproblems,including loss ofmuscle coordination and loss of sensation in hands and feet;some individuals may develop these neurological problems with even lowerdosesofvitaminB6(~100mg/day).

Iron

Chronicuseofironsupplementscanbeaproblem,especiallyinindividualsgeneticallypredisposedtoironoverload(hemochromatosis);damagetomultipleorgans including the liver has been observed. Thus, supplemental iron is notindicatedunlessanirondeficiencyanemiahasbeendiagnosed.

Zinc

Highintakesofzincinterferewithcopperabsorption.Dailyzincintakesof>150 mg/day may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease by decreasingserum high density lipoprotein levels and increasing low density lipoproteinlevels.

Although some people take excessive amounts of nutrients on a regularbasis, it is important to distinguish between excessive and toxic. Intakes ofnutrientsattheirpotentiallytoxiclevelscanresultinsignificantadverseeffectsquitereadily.Table4-1listthetoxicvaluesofmanynutrients,andtheseamountsshould never be taken. Preferably, intakes will be well below these numbers,evenoveraone-weekperiod.

Table4-1.NutrientsandTheirToxicityValues

WhattoLookforWhenBuyingSupplements

Thebetter informedyouare aboutmarketingpracticesofvitaminandmineralsupplements the more likely you will be to save money and still use a goodsupplement.Forexample,didyouknowthatmostsupplementmanufacturersgettheir initial supply of vitamins and minerals from the same small group ofsuppliers?Afterthattheyformulatetheirvariouscombinations,labelthem,andsell them. Listed below are some factors you should consider when buyingsupplements.

NaturalVersusSyntheticVitaminsBoth forms are used the same way by the body so why paymore for a

“natural”product?Alsomanufacturersoftenaddafewplantextractsorabitofthenaturalvitaminandselltheproductatahigherpricebylabelingitasnatural.

PresenceofStarch,Sugar,andOtherAdditivesMany supplements contain starch, binders, and other additives. These

additivesarepresentinverysmallamountsandinveryrareinstancestheymaycauseheadachesandotherreactionsinsomepeople.

DisintegrationRate

If a supplement does not dissolve in the gut, itwon’t be absorbed and itwon’tdoyouanygood.Onewayforyoutoinsureyouaretakingtherightkindof supplement is to look for supplements that meet the U.S. Pharmacopoeia(USP) standards which say that water-soluble vitamin supplements shoulddisintegrate in30minutes ifuncoatedand45minutes if coated.This standarddoes not apply to time-release or chewable supplements. Standards for fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, andmultivitamin are currently being prepared butseveralcompaniesarealreadymarketingmultivitamin-mineralsupplementsthatdissolvewithin45minutes.Lookatsupplementlabelsorcallthemanufacturerforinformation.

WhentoTake?Fat-soluble vitamins are better absorbedwhen takenwith food, so if you

takeamultivitamin/mineralsupplement,itisbesttotakeitwithameal.

Teaorcoffeewillreducetheabsorptionofseveralnutrientsinsupplements.

Ingeneral,thebodycanonlyabsorbanduseacertainamountofnutrientsatonetime and the rest will be excreted. Do not take a vitamin/mineral supplementwith a carbohydrate-protein drink that is already supplemented with vitaminsandmineralsasyouwouldliterallybewastingthesupplementandyourmoney.

AmountofNutrient

Be especially careful about the amount of fat-soluble vitamins in thesupplement.

Dailysupplementsshouldnotcontainmorethan10,000IU(RDAis5,000IU)ofVitaminAasretinol

palmitateoracetate.This form of vitamin A in excess is very toxic. If you use several

supplementsthateachcontainretinolpalmitateoracetate,youwillveryquickly

exceed safe levels. Also, excessive amounts of the water-soluble vitamin,vitaminB6,canbeharmful.Readlabelsandwatchyoursupplementintakes.

Ingeneral,youcansafelytake2-3timestheRDAofmostvitaminsandminerals

withoutharmingyourself.

NutrientBalanceBesides the potential for toxicity, excessive amounts of single nutrient

supplements canupset your overall nutrient balance and cause a deficiency inother nutrients. Iron, zinc and copper are good examples since all three areabsorbedbythesamepathway.Anexcessiveintakeofoneofthesemineralscanprevent the proper absorption of the others. This could eventually cause adeficiency and defeat the nutritional enhancement being sought throughsupplementation.

ExpirationDateThe expiration date on labels refers to the length of time a particular

supplement is expected to hold its vitamin and mineral potency. Check theexpirationdateonthelabelandavoidbuyingsupplementsthatareduetoexpirewithin6monthssincethepotencyofvitaminsmaybeonthedecline.

Summary

♦Vitaminand/ormineraldeficienciescanimpairperformance.Restorationto a sufficient level reverses performance decrements. However,deficiencystatesarerareinotherwisehealthymales.

♦Vitaminandmineralsupplementationdoesnotimproveaerobiccapacity,endurance performance, or muscle strength in healthy, nutritionallyadequateindividuals.

♦Megadosesofvitaminsand/ormineralscanbeharmful.

♦CHECK LABELS to make sure you are not taking too much of anysinglenutrient.

♦Under most circumstances you should be able to obtain adequateamountsofvitaminsandminerals

Chapter5

FiberandHealth

Dietaryfiberisafoodconstituentyoushouldbefamiliarwithasitisimportantforhealth.Manyofthenutritionalapproachesdiscussedinthis manual will, in fact, promote good health. Although health is importantwhen performance is your end result, you should be aware that dietary fibershould assume a definite BACK SEAT role during mission and trainingoperations/scenarios. In thischapterwewilldiscuss theroleof fiber inoverallhealthandduringspecialoperations.

WhatIsDietaryFiber?

Dietaryfiberisaformofcarbohydratewegetfromfruits,vegetables,grainproducts, beans, nuts, and other plant foods.Amoremeaningful definition ofdietaryfiberwouldbe: thestructuralcomponentsofplantfoodsthatcannotbedigested by the human body. Because fiber is neither digested or absorbed, itreallycan’tbeconsideredanutrient,likevitamins,minerals,proteins,fats,andothercarbohydrates,butitisstillanessentialpartofyourdiet.

Typically, dietary fibers are classified as soluble or insoluble, but mostfiber-richfoodscontainsomeofbothtypes.Thesetwotypesoffibersfunctiondifferently in the body. Insoluble fibers are known for their ability to absorbwaterinthegastrointestinaltractandpromoteregulareliminationofstools.Anincreaseinstoolweightandafastertransittimearecommonwhendietshighininsolublefiberareingested.Transittimeisthetimeittakesforyourmealtobedigested and be excreted in your stools. Insoluble fibers are the predominantfiber in most foods. In contrast, soluble fibers appear to help lower serumcholesterol,ariskfactorforheartdiseaseandtheyalsohelpregulatebloodsugarlevels. These special effects of dietary fiber have prompted many healthpromotion agencies to make specific recommendations regarding how muchdietaryfiberourdietshouldprovide.Inanutshell,fiberservesaveryimportantroleinhealth.

WhyShouldIEatMoreFiber?

The National Cancer Institute, the American Heart Association, theNationalAcademyofSciences,andtheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculturehave all come out with dietary recommendation for fiber. There are manyreasons to increase your daily intake of fiber, and they are all related to riskfactorsforchronicdisease.Alackoffiber in thediethasbeenassociatedwithgastrointestinaldiseases,hypertension,diabetes,heartdisease,andseveraltypesofcancer,includingcoloncancer,whereasahighfiberintakeisassociatedwithadecreasedrisk.Forthesereasons, increasingyourintakeofdietaryfibermaybeveryimportantwithrespecttoyourfuturehealth.

Recommendationsforintakeofdietaryfiberinclude:

♦Consumeatleast3-5servingsofvariousvegetables,2ormoreservingsoffruit,and6ormoreservingsofgrainproducts,or

♦Increasedietaryfiberintaketo20to35gramsperdayThe first recommendation is the easiest to follow since it is extremely

difficult to knowhowmuch fiber is in each food.Moreover,what the above-mentionedorganizationsuse as a typical serving is probablyonly a quarter ofwhatyourportionsare.Forexample,one servingof fruitwouldbeoneapple,onebanana,oneorangeoronepear.Oneservingofgrainproductswouldbeonesliceofwholewheatbreadoronebagel.Furthermore,oneservingofvegetableswouldbe1/2cupofpeas,onesmallpotato,or1/2cupofcarrots.Itislikelythatyouareeatingmorethanoneservingateachmeal.

HowCanIGetMoreFiberinMyDiet?

Eatingmorefruitsandvegetables,wholewheatbreads,wholegraincereals,beans,rice,nuts,andseedsisthebestwaytoaddfibertoyourdiet.Foodsthatprovide the most soluble fiber include kidney beans, avocados, green beans,bakedpotatoeswith their skin, sweetpotatoes, oatmeal, oranges, bananas, andwatermelon. A list of some foods and their total dietary fiber in grams (g) isprovidedbelow.

Table5-1.ServingSizesandDietaryFiberContent(ingrams)ofSelectedFoods

WhenShouldIMinimizeMyFiberIntake?

Dietary fiber is very important to your health: it promotes regularity byincreasingstoolbulkandweight.However,duringextendedoperations,youwillmostlikelywanttoavoid“regulareliminations”foraslongaspossible.Alow-fiberdietmaybepreferredfortheseoccasions.Also,manyhigh-fiberfoodscancausebloatingandgasifyouarenotaccustomedtoeatingthemorifyoudon’tdrinkenoughwater.Makesuretotrysuchfoodsduringtrainingsoyoucanfindouthowyoursystemreacts.Thatwayyoucanmakedietarymodificationswherenecessarybeforetheactualevent.

ForSpecialOperationsYouMayWanttoMinimizeYourIntakeofDietaryFiber

Chapter6

FluidReplacement:WaterandOtherBeverages

Waterisanessentialnutrientandthemostabundantcomponentofthehumanbody.Believeitornot,approximately60%ofyourtotalbodyweightiswater.Sinceleanbody/musclemassrequiresmorewaterthanfat,theleaneryouare, the more body water you have. As you may imagine, water must beconsumedregularlytoensurenormalfunctioningofyourbody.

DistributionandFunctionsofWater

Waterisfoundbothinsideandoutsidecells,butmostwaterisinsidecells,especiallymuscle cells. The lowest concentration ofwater is in bone and fat.Water in the body serves many important roles, including: ♦Participates indigestionandabsorptionofnutrients♦Participatesinexcretionofwastes

♦Essential for maintaining blood circulation throughout the body♦Maintainsbodytemperature

A lossof20%ofbodywatercan result indeath,and if4%ofyourbodyweight is lost because of sweating, large decrements in decision-making,concentration,andphysicalworkoccur.Inaddition,beingwellhydratedduringoperations is absolutely critical, since adequate fluid volume will helpcompensate for blood losswhenwounded. For these reasons, consumption ofwater is absolutely critical, and maintenance of water balance is essential toSEALperformance.Belowaresignsandsymptomsyoumightexperienceasyoubecomedehydrated.

HowtoMaintainWaterBalance

Water balance is determined bywater/fluid output and input. In order tomaintainperformance, it iscritical thatafluiddeficit,ordehydration,doesnotoccur. With dehydration, water output exceeds input and balance becomesnegative. The averageman loses 1,000ml to 2,300ml (0.9 to 2.4 quarts) ofwater/day.Thiswaterislost:♦Intheurine

♦Throughbreathing♦Bysweating♦Throughthestools

Whenactivitylevelislow,mostfluidsarelostthroughtheurine.However,when activity level or the outdoor temperature is high, most fluid is lost bysweating. In fact, up to 2,000 ml (1.8 quarts) per hour can be lost throughsweating,dependingonoutsidetemperatures.

All fluids lostmustbeaddedback to thebodyeachday tomaintainfluidbalance.Sourcesoffluidforthebodyare:♦Waterinfood

♦Water in beverages (like orange juice, coffee, sodas, and beer) ♦WaterfromthemetabolismorchemicalbreakdownoffoodsTheeasiestwayto restore fluid balance is by drinking water, and this is VERYimportant to remember. The figure on the next page graphicallydepictswateroutputandinputfornormaltemperatureconditions,hotweather, and with prolonged exercise. Notice how sweat outputincreasesdramaticallywithbothhotweatherandprolongedexercise—theseamountswouldbeevengreaterifexercisewereperformedintheheat.Theonlywaytomatchthisgreatoutputistodrinkfluids.

Inthisfigureitisimportanttonotethatexerciseandheatexposureincreasesweatlossesandreduceurinelosses.Inaddition,theonlygoodwaytoreplacethose “lost fluids” is by drinking fluids: fluid intake MUST go up toaccommodatelosses.

Although eating foods high in water will help restore or maintain waterbalance, drinking fluids is preferred. Some foods that are over 90% waterincludewatermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, cucumbers, andmanyother freshfruitsandvegetables.Ifyoueatmanyofthosefoodsanddrinklotsofbeverages,itislesslikelyyouwouldbeinnegativewaterbalance.

WhatConditionsWillIncreaseWaterLosses?

The primary factors which could cause dehydration are: ♦Exercising forover30minutes

♦Workinginahotenvironment—wetordry♦Workinginacoldenvironment—wetordry♦Goingtohighaltitudes♦Drinkingtoomuchalcohol♦Exercisingintheheat,cold,orataltitude♦Exercisingwithahangover

HowCanYouMakeSuretoGetEnoughFluids?

Several points about fluid intake should be considered: ♦Do not rely onthirstasagoodindicatoroffluidneeds;bodyweight lossesarebetter♦Beforeany exercise or simulated mission, you should drink fluids in anticipation oflosingfluid♦Beforeyoustart,makesureyoururineisclear(unlessyoutakeBvitamin supplements)—this is a sign that you are well hydrated. The moredehydratedyouare,thedarker(andsmellier)yoururinewillbe♦Drinkregularlyor whenever possible during your workouts and operations ♦Weigh yourselfbeforeandafteraneventtodeterminehowmuchfluidyouhavelost—foreverypoundofweightlost,youshoulddrink16ouncesoffluid(2cupsor500ml)

WhatYouShouldDrink

Many beverages—both regular and sports drinks—are commerciallyavailable.Theseinclude:Carbohydrate/ElectrolyteDrinks FruitjuicesCarbonatedBeverages Water

Although the type of activity you participate inwill determinewhat youdrink,thebeverageyouselectshould:♦Tastegood

♦Causenogastrointestinal/stomachdiscomfort♦Berapidlyabsorbed♦Contain sodium and potassium especially when exercising for a

prolonged period in the heat ♦Have an osmolality of less than 350mOsm/L

Osmolalityreferstothenumberofparticlesinsolution.Ifitishigh(>350),thebeveragecancausestomachdistressandnotbeabsorbedwellifyoudrinkitshortly before or during physical activity. Note in the chart below that the

osmolalityofsomebeveragesisgreater than350.Thus, ifyouchoosetodrinkthosebeveragesassportsdrinks,youshoulddilutethemappropriatelyordrinkanequalamountofwater.Forexample,orange juiceshouldbemixedwithanequalamountofwater.

Table6-1.ComparisonofFluidReplacementBeverages

*ServingSize=8fluidounces.

1Sucrose=fructoseandglucose;Maltodextrin=amixtureofshortchains(2-3molecules linked)ofglucose;high fructose comsyrup= a54:46%mixtureoffructoseandglucosederivedfromprocessedandconvertedcomstarch;glucosepolymers=longchains(>3moleculeslinked)ofglucose.

Iftheexerciseisoflongduration,itmaybeadvisabletoingestabeveragethatprovidesenergyintheformofcarbohydrate(CHO)totheworkingmuscles.

Beverages with “glucose polymers,” which are complex CHOs are usuallypreferred over the glucose and sucrose drinks, which are simple CHOs.However,theimportantmessageistodrink.Belowisalistofbeverages,someof which are currently used as “fluid replacement beverages” by athletes andothersthatarepopularwithmanyindividuals.

Table6-2.FluidIntakeRecommendationsforBefore,During,andAfteranEventorMission

1Inallcases,youshouldhavehadsufficientfluidtoproduceaclear,paleurine(unlessyouare takingvitaminBsupplements),andyoushouldweighyourselfbeforeandaftertomonitorfluidlosses.

2CHOstandsforcarbohydrate,asfoundinthebeveragesalreadydescribed.

WhenandHowMuchtoDrink?

Remember: the following recommendations are generally sound formostpeople. However, everyone is different so you must learn to look for signsalertingyoutoyourfluidneeds.Also,youneedtomakeadjustmentsdependingon the temperature outside. If it is very hot, you may need to double therecommendations.Remember,themoreactiveyouarethemorefluidyouneed.Be careful not to drink TOO much plain water, especially during prolongedexerciseintheheat.

Table6-3.TypicalFluidLossesforVariousEvents

Table6-4.DeterminingAmountsofFluidandCHOtoDrinkDuringExerciseTheapproximatenumberof8-ouncecupsoffluidrequiredtoprovidevaryingamountsofcarbohydrate(CHO)eachhourforagivenconcentrationofCHOinthebeverageispresentedbelow.Beverageconcentrationsareontheleft(3%to12%)andtheamountofCHOdeliveredperhourisacrossthetop(20to60gm).Forexample,ifyouwanttoconsume40gramsofCHOeachhourandtheweatherishot,youmaywishtomakeupa5%ratherthanan8%solutionsoyouaredrinking3.5cupsinsteadof2cupsoffluid.Thisisimportantbecauseyouneedmorefluidintheheat.

1The shaded section represents the volumes of beverage that are adequate forfluidreplacement (2 to5cups/hr).Theunshadedsectionsarevolumes thatareeithertoolow(<2cups/hr)ortoohigh(>5cups/hr)toconferany

Chapter7

HealthySnacking

Snacking,“eatingbetweenregularmeals,”canbeextremely importantwhen it comes to performing your duties and assignments. Your energyexpenditurecanbeextremelyhighongivendaysandduringvariousoperations,anditisoftendifficulttoeatenoughatmeals.Snackingbecomesveryimportantduringthistime.Inaddition,youprobablysnackatvarioustimesduringthedayandeveninganyway,soitbecomesimportanttolookatwhatconstituteshealthysnacks.Mostpeople think snacking isunhealthyand leads toweightgain,butthat notion has emergedbecausemost people don’t eat healthy snacks! If youdon’tcareaboutgainingweight,justaboutanysnackwilldo,butifyouwanttomaintainweightandperformwell,thenselectionofsnacksiscritical.

TipsforHealthySnacking

Think througha typicalday.Howoftenandwheredoyouusuallysnack?Are your snacks healthy or loadedwith fat? In case you aren’t sure, here aresometipstohelppromotehealthsnacking!

Stockyourcupboardsandrefrigeratorwithplainpopcorn,wholegraincrackers,Dutchpretzels,unsweetenedfruitjuices,freshfruitsand

vegetables,andlow-fatyogurtandcheeses.

Carrynaturallysweetfreshfruits,suchasgrapes,apear,apple,orwatermelon,forasnackratherthancandyorcookies.

LimittheamounteatensoyoursnackdoesNOTreplaceameal.Ifitistakingtheplaceofameal,chooseasaladorhealthysandwich.

Chooseasnackthatprovidesdietaryfiberaswellasothernutrients(unlessthesnackisforamission).Freshfruitswithedibleseeds(berries)orskins(apples,peaches,plums,pears),rawvegetables,andwholegrainpretzelsor

crackersareallgoodsourcesoffiber.

Tryeatingdriedapricots,bananas,apples,figs,dates,pineapples,andprunes.

Makeasnackmixwithwheat,rice,andcornready-to-eatcereals.

Eatrawvegetablessuchascelerywithlow-fatcheesespreads.

Table7-1.MacronutrientCompositionofSelectedSnacks

1ND=NoData

WhatSnacksAreBestforDifferentOccasions?

In the following charts, examples of snacks are provided. Some of thesnacksarepartofmilitaryrations,andshould(could)beusedduringtrainingormissionmaneuvers.Othersnacksmaynotberealisticinthefield,butaregoodchoicesifyouareabletobemoreselectiveinwhatyouchoose.

OperationsatNightIfyouneedtostayupatnightyoushouldselectasnackthatislowinfat,

high in carbohydrate (CHO), and provides some or a moderate amount of

protein.Youwanttoavoidfoodsthatare100%CHO.Sportsbarswouldbeidealsnacks for night operations.Also, crackers (or other formsof bread)with eggsalad, mashed beans, jelly, tuna, or low-fat cream cheese would be suitable.Finally, some of the protein/CHObeverages described inChapter 6would besuitablefornighttimeoperations.

Table7-2.SnackstoEatDuringNighttimeOperationsSportsBars FruitBars

OatmealCookieBars Protein/CHOBeverage

TrailMix CrackerswithJellyorCheese

ExercisesintheHeatThe ideal snacks consumed during strenuous activities in warm to hot

environments are those which provide the body with fluid. As such, fruits,especiallywatermelonandoranges,aregreatsnacksforhotweather.Otherwise,the fluid replacement beverages described in Chapter 6 are preferred. Avoidhigh-fatanddriedfoodswhichcanmakeyouuncomfortableandthirsty.

Table7-3.SnackstoEatDuringExercisesintheHeatWatermelon Oranges

Applesauce FruitPopsicles

Grapes CHOBeverageswithElectrolytes

ExercisesintheColdWhenworkingincoldweather,snackonfoodsthatarehighinCHO.CHO

foodsproducemoreheatwhendigested thaneither fatorprotein.Togoalongwithyourfoodsnack,ahotbeverage,likecocoaorsoup,wouldbegreat.

Table7-4.SnackstoEatDuringExercisesintheColdGranola/SportBars FigNewtons

HotChocolate Crackers/BreadwithJam

FruitBars ChickenNoodleSoup

TrailMix HotAppleCider

SustainedOperationsBydefinition,SUSTAINEDOPERATIONSare thosemissionsor training

sessions where you must work continuously for over 24 hours with minimalsleep, and few rest periods. During these times it is important to receiveadequate amounts of CHO to maintain your “blood glucose” and fluid tomaintain “hydration status.” The specific types of snacks will depend on thetemperatureandhowlongyouhavebeenworking,butingeneralavoidhigh-fatfoodssincetheytakelongertodigestthanCHOfoods.Also,eatingCHOwithsome protein will help you stay awake when you are feeling drowsy. Acombination of the recom-mendations already made in this chapter would bebest,dependingontheenvironmentalconditions.

Table7-5.SnackstoEatDuringSustainedOperationsGranola/PowerBars OatmealCookies

HotorColdProtein/CHOBeverage Cracker/BreadwithJam

M&M’s TrailMix

TootsieRoll DriedFruit

SnackingOnOccasion

Therecomesatimewhenyoujustdon’twanttobehealthy—youwanttoget some quick energy and nothing else. In that case it is still wise to beselective, so if youmust have a candybar or other sweets, chooseone that ishigh in CHO and as low in fat as possible: like Peppermint Patties and 3Musketeers. Remember, these foods are not encouraged because they provideONLY energy - no vitamins orminerals,which youmust have to process theenergy.BUTsweetsnowandthenwillcertainlyNOThurtyou.

Table7-6.MacronutrientCompositionofSomeSweetSnacks

SnackRecipes

Chapter8

Restaurants,FastFoods,andEatingOut

TheaverageAmerican eats one of threemeals away from home eachday,and it is likely thatmanyofyouareeating5,6,7ormoremealsaweekaway fromhome.Learning how to “eat out” is very important if youwant tooptimize your performance. You are probably aware that eating out presentsdifferentproblemsthaneatingathome.Whenwetalkabouteatingoutwemeaneating at restaurants, fast food places, on travel, on vacations, and at socialevents.

Mostpeoplelovetoeatinrestaurantsoratplacesawayfromhome.Eatingoutprovidesachange in routine,anopportunity to trynewfoods,achance tosocialize and a break from cooking and washing dishes (for those who do).Restaurantandfastfoodmealsdonothavetobeunhealthy.Bybeinginformedandbyaskingappropriatequestions,youcanstaywithintheguidelinesofyournutritionprogramandstillenjoythebenefitsofeatingout.

FastFoodRestaurants

Although we don’t encourage you to get your meals from fast foodestablishments,weknowfastfoodsareawayoflife.Ifyoucanlearntoselectthe types of foods that will suit your activity patterns and performancerequirements, then fast food restaurants are OK. Below are selected foodstypically available at different fast food places, and the energy, carbohydrate(CHO), and fat contributions of those foods. After providing you with thisinformation, sample breakfasts and lunch/dinners that maybe considerednutritionallyadequateintermsoftheirCHOandfatcontentarepresented.

Table8-1.CaloricValuesofSelectedFastFoods

Table8-2.SampleHigh-CarbohydrateFastFoodBreakfasts,Lunches,andDinners

RecommendationsforSelectingHigh-CHOFoodsatRestaurants

PLACINGANORDER♦Orderaclearsoup, tomatojuiceorV8juice,steamedseafood,orfruit

foranappetizer.

♦Order agreen saladwith lightdressingon the side.Avoid saladswithcheese,eggs,meat,baconorcroutons.Avoidcoleslaworpotatosalad.

♦Orderbroiled, roastedorbakedleanmeat,poultryorfish—evenif themenu does not say broiled. Avoid casseroles and foods with heavysauces.

♦ Order baked potato or plain rice—not pasta with sauces or fried orDelmonicopotatoes.

♦Donotorderdessertuntilyouhaveeatenyourmaincourse.Ifyouarestill hungry, order sorbet, sherbet, frozen yogurt, ice milk, fruit orangelcake.

♦Orderjuices—theyarehighincarbohydrates.

DURINGTHEMEAL♦ Eat a plain roll, breadsticks or plain crackers rather than biscuits or

croissants.Trytoavoidspreadscompletelyorusesparingly.

♦ Minimize your nibbling on nuts, buttery crackers, potato and tortillachips.

♦ Ask the waiter to serve your salad immediately; use the dressingsparingly.

♦Trimallvisiblefatoffmeat.

♦Limitportionsofmargarine,butterorsourcream.

♦Moderateyourintakeofalcoholicbeverages.

Worksheet8-1.YourEatingOutChecklistAnswer the followingquestions to seehowmany foods and foodgroupsyourmealsusually include.THEMOREOFTENYOUEATTHESEFOODS,THEHEALTHIERYOURMEALSARE.

Chapter9

NutritionalConsiderationsforEnduranceActivities

AsSEALs youmust be in excellent physical condition and be able toendure arduous physical tasks for extended periods of time. Your capacity toendure can be greatly improved by regular physical conditioning and byfollowingspecialdietarypractices.Prolongedrunning,swimming,loadcarrying,and/or multiple shorter bouts of higher intensity activity impose significantdemands on energy stores and fluid balance. Failure to replace the energy orfluidslostduringprolongedoperationalortrainingactivitiescangreatlyimpairyour performance in subsequentmission activities.Meeting daily vitamin andmineralneedsisalsoimportantsincethesemicronutrientsplayanimportantpartinphysicalperformance(seeChapter3).Inthischapter,informationondietaryinterventions toenhanceenduranceperformance isprovided. It is important toremember that your daily energy intakes will vary according to your activitylevel.

GlycogenStoresandMeetingYourEnergyNeeds

During heavy physical training you must increase your caloric intake,especially from carbohydrate (CHO) foods, to meet your energy demands.Failuretodosomayresultin:

♦Chronicmuscularfatigue

♦Afeelingofstaleness

♦Weightloss

♦PoorsleeppatternsLiver and muscle glycogen is the primary source of glucose for your

muscles during prolonged endurance activities. Therefore, the key to optimalendurance performance lies in maintaining muscle and liver glycogen stores.Once glycogen stores are exhausted, your ability to continue to perform anendurance activity will decrease sharply.When you wake up in the morning,your liver stores are low from not eating for several hours, and your bloodglucosemay be low. Thus, breakfast is critical tomaintaining energy balanceandliverglycogenstores.

Keepaweightchartduringperiodsofheavytrainingandarduousoperationstodocumentenergyneeds

CarbohydratesandEndurancePerformance

Liver andmuscle glycogen stores are replenished by eating carbohydrate(CHO)foods.Therefore:

The endurance capacity of an individual on a high-CHO diet isapproximately three times greater than when on a high-fat diet. When CHOintakeislow,rigoroustrainingsessionsoverseveraldayswillresultinagradualdepletion of muscle glycogen stores and eventually impair performance. Thefigurebelowillustratesdepletionofmuscleglycogenoverthreedaysofrunningtwohoursperday.Notethatwhensubjectsatealow-CHOdiet,glycogenstoresgraduallybecamedepletedoverthethree-dayperiod.Whenthehigh-CHOdietwas consumed, glycogen stores were repleted between training sessions.Rememberthatglycogeniscomposedofglucosemoleculeslinkedtogether.ThisfigureclearlydemonstratestheneedtoconsumefoodsthatarehighinCHO.

Youshouldeat2.5to4gramsCHOperpoundofbodyweighteachday.

EXAMPLEYouweigh175lbsandworkout

twohourseachday2.5X175lb=437gramsofCHO4X175lb=700gramsofCHOYourCHOneedsarebetween437and700gramsperday

Worksheet9-1.CalculatingYourDailyCHONeeds

AnotherwaytothinkaboutCHOneedsisintermsofenergyintake.Ideally,60to65%ofyourdailyenergyshouldcomefromCHO.Whenenergyintakeisgreaterthan4,000kcalsthen60%istheproportionofCHOkcalstostrivefor.SinceeachgramofCHOis4kcal,wecancalculatethenumberofgramsneededfromyourenergyintake.

Listsofvarioushigh-CHOfoodsandthegramsofCHOprovidedbyeachfoodareprovidedinChapters7and12andAppendix1.ComplexCHOfoodsarepreferablesincetheyalsoprovidevitaminsandmineralsinadditiontoCHO(seeChapter2).Otherimportantrecommendationsinclude:

Eathigh-CHOsnacksinbetweentrainingsessionstoreplaceyourglycogenstores.

Consumeatleast50gramsofCHOimmediatelyaftercompletingyourtrainingsession.

For example, you could eat a banana and drink a cup of orange juice.Commerciallyavailablehigh-CHOliquidsupplementsmaybebeneficialduringrecoveryfromlongtrainingsessionsbecause theysupplyCHO,water,protein,vitamins,andminerals.

KeepalogofallCHOfoodseatenforseveraldaystoseeifyourintakeishighenough.

CHOLoading/GlycogenSupercompensation

WhatisCHOLoading?CHOloading/glycogensupercompensationisaregimenthatcombinesdiet

and exercise to “pack” more glycogen into muscle and liver. It is used byendurance athletes to optimize physical performance during prolongedenduranceevents.Althoughwell-trainedmuscleshavethecapacitytostore2to3timesmoreglycogenthanuntrainedmuscles,CHOloadingallowsyoutostore2to4timestheusualamountofglycogeninliverandmuscle.CHOloadingmaybeusefulforlongdurationmissionsandextendedwateroperations.

CHO loading involves tapering or reducing the number, duration, andintensityofyour trainingsessions theweekprior toanevent.Asshownin thefigurebelow,5daysbefore theevent (onday2),be itanextendeddive, land,andwatermission,orasportscompetition,yourtrainingistaperedsuchthatondays2and3,nomorethan40minutesisspentonphysicalactivities(solidline).CHO intake (dotted line) would be approximately 50% of your total energyintake.Ondays 4 and 5 the time spent exercising should be nomore than 20minutes, andyourCHO intake shouldbe increased to70%of the total energyintake.Noteday6isarestdayandCHOintakeremainsat70%oftheenergyintake.

Anaccuratebodyweightshouldbeobtainedforreferencepurposespriortomodifying CHO intake and decreasing the intensity of training because 2.7gramsofwaterarestoredwitheverygramofglycogen.Thus,onthedayofthecompetition, if an additional 200 grams of glycogen have been stored, bodyweightshouldhaveincreasedby0.54kgor1.2pounds.

WhoShould(andShouldn’t)

CHOLoad?Formostregimensofintensephysicaltraining,adailydietthatprovides2.5

to4gramsofCHO/lbbodyweightandadequatecaloriesissufficienttomaintainmuscle and liver glycogen reserves. However, for SDV operations, extendedload-bearingmarches, andother training scenarioswithextremelyhighenergydemands, CHO loading may prove to be very useful. Remember that CHOloadingisnotusefulforeventslastingonly60minutesorless,andmayinfactimpairperformanceinactivitiesrequiringshortboutsofmaximaleffortasyouwillweighmorefromtheadditionalwaterstored.

ProteinNeeds

Endurance training increases protein needs, and to meet the increasedneeds:

Proteinintakesshouldrangefrom0.6to0.8gramsperpoundbodyweightperday.

YoucalculatedyourproteinrequirementsinChapter2soreferbacktothatchapter formore information. It is likely your regular diet provideswhat youneed because rarely do American men have protein intakes below therecommendations.Most men, including athletes, typically consume protein inexcessoftheiractualneeds.

VitaminandMineralNeeds

Currently, themicronutrient requirementsofpeopleengaged inenduranceactivitiesarenotwell-defined.Becauseofthenatureofyourtraining,yourdailyoverallneedsmaybe1.5to3timesgreaterthanthoseoftheaverageman.Ifyoueatahealthydiet,yourdailyvitaminandmineralneedsshouldbemet fromavariety of different foods (see Appendixes 5 and 6 for information on foodsources of various vitamins and minerals). Because endurance exercise mayincreaseyourneedforantioxidants,itisrecommendedthateachdayyoushouldeatseveralfoodsrichinantioxidants(vitaminC,vitaminE,andbeta-carotene),asshowninthetablebelow.

Table9-1.SomeGoodFoodSourcesofSelectedAntioxidantNutrients

Paycloseattentiontoyourelectrolyte(sodiumandpotassium)needswhentraining inhotweather.Youshouldgetmore thanenoughsodiumin thefoodsyou eat, whereas potassium requires a more careful selection of foods. SeeAppendix6forgoodfoodsourcesofpotassium.

FluidRequirements

Ingesting fluids at regular intervals and eating foods with a high watercontentareimportantformaintaininghydrationandfluidstatusduringtraining.Chapter 6 provides a thorough overview of fluid requirements and differenttypesofbeverages.Ingeneral:

Drink1-2cupsofwater60minutesbeforeatrainingsession.

Drinkacupof5-8%CHOdrinkevery30minutesduringprolongedexercise.

Duringexercise,donotdrinkanythingwithaCHOcontentgreaterthan8%oryouarelikelyto

getstomachcramps.

Commercialfluidreplacementbeveragesordilutedjuicesarerecommended.

Consumebeverageswithahigherpercentage(>8%)ofCHOafterexercisetoreplaceglycogenstoresand

fluidslostduringexercise.

Thebeveragesyoudrinkduringandafterprolongedexerciseshouldcontain

sodiumandpotassium.

NutritionalInterventionsDuringTrainingSessions

Nutritional manipulations/interventions can delay fatigue and preventconditionssuchaslowbloodsugar,dehydration,andlowbloodsodiumthataredetrimentaltoperformance.Theseinterventionsinclude:

Drink1to2cupsofabeveragesupplementedwithCHO(5-8%)and

electrolytesevery30minutesthroughoutexercisetoextendyourendurance.

When an activity has been maintained for 2 to 3 hours without a CHOsource, blood glucose levels may fall and cause fatigue. Ingestion of CHObeverages will prevent the fall in blood sugar (glucose) and delay fatigue.Although providing a CHO beverage 15 to 30minutes before the anticipatedonsetoffatiguemayextendperformanceforashort time, ingestingCHOafterexhaustionwillnotallowyoutoimmediatelyresumeyouractivities.

ConsumeCHObeveragesatregularintervalsduringprolongedexercise.

Solid CHO foods, such as fruits and sports bars, are acceptable as CHO

sources provided you are able to tolerate them during the activity and drinkfluidswiththem.Foodselectionsarepersonalchoicesanddietarymanipulationsshouldbe testedduring trainingandomitted if theyprove troublesome toyou.Some foodsmay cause stomach cramps and diarrhea if eaten during exercise.Dietary fiber intake shouldbe limitedduring exercise to avoidgastrointestinalproblems.

Summary

♦Maintain energy balance by repleting glycogen stores between trainingsessions.

♦Eatatleast2.5gramsofCHOperlbbodyweightoratleast400grainsofCHOperdaytomaintainyourglycogenstores.

♦Maximizeglycogenstoresbeforeaneventbyingesting4to5gramsofCHOper lb bodyweight (or 70%of calories fromCHO) for 2 to 3daysbeforetheevent.

♦Drinkat least250 to300mlof aCHO-supplemented (5-8%)beveragecontaining electrolytes every 30 minutes throughout prolongedtrainingsessions.

♦Consumeatleast50gramsofCHOwithin30minutesofcompletinganextended training session and continue to eat/snack on high-CHOfoods every 2 hours for at least 6 hours to rapidly replace yourglycogenstores.

Chapter10

NutritionalConsiderationsforStrengthTraining

SEALmissionsandtrainingrequirestrength.Thus,a strength trainingprogram will enhance your physical conditioning and ability to perform andcompletestrenuousmissiontasks.Inaddition,itwillkeepyou“looking”fit!Inthischapterinformationonstrengthtrainingandtheuniquedietaryrequirementsforstrengthtrainingwillbeprovided.

BenefitsofStrengthTraining

Strength training should complement endurance training workouts. Thespecificbenefitsofstrengthtraininginclude:

♦Increasedmusclestrengthandendurance

♦Increasedmusclefibersize♦Increasedligamentandtendonstrength♦Greaterprotectionagainst“overuse”injuryBecausestrengthtrainingmakesyoustronger,itwillalsoreduceyourrisk

for injuries that typically accompany endurance training. Finally, strengthtrainingcanmakeyoufasterattasksthatrequirequick,shortburstsofactivity(suchasarunningfromaboattoland).

FactorsDeterminingMuscleMass

Thevariousfactorsthat“regulate”thesizeofthemuscleareshownbelow.Somefactors,suchasgenetics,wecan’tcontrol.Oftenwehavenocontroloverenvironmental factors, either. Factors that we can control and that playmajorrolesindeterminingmusclemassarephysicalexerciseandnutritionalstatus.

ProteinRequirementsforStrengthTraining

Research has shown that the protein needs of strength athletes andenduranceathletesarequitesimilar:Youshouldeat0.6to0.8gramsofproteinperpoundbodyweighteachdaytomeetyourdailyproteinrequirements.

Worksheet10-1.HowMuchProteinDoINeed?

Table10-1.ExamplesofWhereYouGetProtein

Itislikelyyourdietprovidesevenmoreproteinthanshownintheexample,sinceprotein isalso inmilk,cheese, fish,andmanyother foods.Someofyoumay be getting additional protein from commercially available sports bars,proteinpowdersorcarbohydrate/proteinsupplementsaswellas thefoodsyoueat. Commercial supplements often provide considerable protein, as shown inthenexttable.

Table10-2.ProteinContentofSomeCommercialProteinSupplements

1Beverage information is based on reconstituting one serving with wateraccordingtothemanufacturer’sdirections.Ifthesebeverageswerereconstitutedwithmilk,caloriesandproteincontentwouldbehigher.

TheHighProteinMyth

The excess protein in an athlete’s diet, not required by the body, is oftenaround100gramsperday.Becausemuscle is20%protein, theadditional100

gramsofproteinperdayshouldresultinagainof500gramsofmuscleperday

Orabout1poundofmuscleperday.

Ifwelookatwhatmuscleisactuallymadeupofweseethateatingahigh-proteindietjustdoesn’taddup.Muscleisonly20%protein;therestiswaterandminerals,lacticacid,urea,andhigh-energyphosphates.

Ifyouate100extragramsofproteineverydayforoneweek,youshouldgain7poundsofmusclemass!CLEARLY,thisisnotthecase.

Theextraproteinresultsinanincreaseintheformationandexcretionofthewaste product “urea,” increases your fluid requirements, and places aconsiderableloadontheliverandthekidneys.

You should avoid protein supplements that provide excessive amounts ofproteinorselectedaminoacids.Althoughheavilyadvertised,andinsomecasesendorsed by celebrities, very high protein intakes from supplements are NOTneededtobuildmuscle.Thispracticecanbeveryexpensive,dangeroustoyourhealth, and quite unnecessary. A regular balanced diet can meet your proteinneedsveryeffectively.

ConcernswithVeryHighProteinIntakes♦Increases the work load of the kidneys and in extreme cases result in

kidney failure. In some individuals this practice has resulted inhypertension.

♦Can be dehydrating especially during endurance events if additionalfluidsarenotconsumed.

♦High intake of free amino acids may cause diarrhea and abdominalcramps.

♦Createsimbalancesoftheessentialaminoacids.

Worksheet10-2.HowMuchProteinDoIEat?

For eachweekday over a one-week period,write down all foods you atethat are high in protein. Using food labels and protein values inAppendix 3,recordtheproteincontentofeachfoodingrams.Forexample:ifyouateahard-boiledegganddrankaglassofskimmilkforbreakfastonMonday,recordunderMondaythosefoodsinthecolumnlabeledFOODandinthecolumnlabeledGforgramsenter6and8.Similarly,writedown the foodorproteinsupplementanditsproteincontentforeachday.Then,addupthenumberstoseehowmanygramsofproteinyoutypicallyeat.

Asyoucanseeitisrelativelyeasytomeetyourdailyproteinrequirementsfromfood.Youwillprobablyfindthatyourintakeisfargreaterthanyouractualrequirement.

OtherNutritionalRequirements

CarbohydrateRequirementsStrengthtrainingreliesonglycogenstoresforenergy.Thus,carbohydrates

(CHO)areveryimportant.

55to60%ofyourdailyenergyintakeshouldcomefromCHO

TheCHOrecommendationsforstrengthtrainingaresomewhatlessthanforendurance athletes since the overall energy requirements of weight lifting areless. BUT depending on your training schedule and length of your aerobicworkouts,youmayneed2.5to4gramsofCHOperpoundbodyweightperday.FormoreinformationoncarbohydratesseeChapters2and9.

Youmay remember the term carbohydrate loading from Chapter 9. Thispracticeisdiscouragedforweightliftersbecauseoftheextrawaterstoredinthemuscle. In other words, CHO loading provides no additional advantage inincreasingmusclegirth.

FatRequirementsA thorough discussion of fat was provided in Chapter 2. But for fats in

general,therecommendationis:

Lessthan30%ofyourenergyshouldcomefromfat

Remember there are three different types of fat: monounsaturated,polyunsaturated,andsaturatedfatsandeachshouldprovidelessthan10%ofthedailyenergy.

VitaminsandMineralsMeetingyourdaily energyneeds fromavarietyofdifferent foods should

enableyoutoeasilymeetyouvitaminandmineralneeds.SeeAppendixes5and6forinformationonfoodsourcesofvariousvitaminsandminerals.

Multi-IngredientSteroidAlternatives—TheBottomLine

Some supplements containing herbs, glandulars, minerals such aschromiumor boron, and a numberof other compounds are beingmarketed as“muscle builders.”Manufacturers claim that these products arealternatives tosteroids.Themajorconcernsassociatedwithusingsuchproductsare:

Notproperlytestedandabsolutelynobasistosubstantiatetheclaims.

Potentialforharmfulside-effects,allergicreactions,andtoxicities.

Metabolicpathwaysandwasteproductsformedfromsomeofthese

compoundsarenotknown.

Potentialfortestingpositiveforbannedsubstanceswhenusingsuchproducts,especiallythosethatdonot

revealtheir“secret”ingredients.

Expensiveandunlikelytoreplacethebenefitsofagooddietandsoundtrainingprogram.

Ifaproductsoundstoogoodtobetrue,itisusuallynotworthtrying.CheckChapter 15 for more information on selected products or contact a sportsnutritionisttoverifytheclaimsbeingmade.

Summary

♦Eat a wide variety of foods and match your energy intake to energyoutput.

♦Aim for between 0.6 and 0.8 grams of protein per pound per day orbetween120and150gramsperday.

♦Drinkplentyoffluids.♦Don’tget trappedintobuyingso-called“musclebuilding”powdersand

potions.PropertrainingandagooddietwillprovidethelastingEDGEwhenitcomestobuildingstrengthandmuscles.

♦SAVEYOURMONEYorspenditon“real”foods.

Chapter11

NutritionforOptimum

MissionPerformance

Nutrition is important for maximizing or optimizing missionperformance.What you eat or don’t eat before a physically demanding eventcould either “help” or “hurt” you. For example, eating a high-fatmeal beforevigorous activity can slow you down as fat takes longer to digest than CHO.Knowingwhentoeatisalsoimportantsincebothfastingoreatingaheavymealshortlybeforeenduranceactivitycandecreaseperformance.Informationtohelpoptimizeyourperformanceduringsimulatedandactualmissions,includingfielddeployment, is presented in this chapter. Suggestions for maximizingperformance during BUDS training are also provided. In some instances youmaybeunabletocontrolwhatorwhenyoueat,however,itisimportanttomeetyourenergyandfluidrequirements.

NutritionalReadinessBeforeaSpecificMission

In this scenario you may already be deployed under field conditions orlockeddownonbase.Regardlessofwhereyouare,thetwomainconsiderationstonutritionalreadinessbeforemissionsare:

♦Maximizingglycogenstores

♦Beingwell-hydrated

In order to be ready, you must consider your pre-mission food andbeverages.

SeveralDaysBeforeaMissionThe average, lean, 175-pound man has approximately 1800 calories of

carbohydrate (CHO) stored as glycogen in liver and muscle, and 75,000 to150,000caloriesstoredas fat. Inspiteof these largeenergystores in fat,onceglycogen stores are exhausted, physical andmental performancewill decreaseandexhaustionwillsetin.AdiethighinCHOforseveraldaysbeforeamissionhas the potential to increase liver and muscle glycogen stores, and thereby

extend the time to exhaustionduringamission (seeChapter9).Sample3-dayhigh-CHOdietmenusareprovidedinAppendix7.

TimingandCompositionofPre-MissionMealsAgoodpre-missionmealcanincreaseglycogenstoresinmusclesandliver,

anddelaylowbloodsugarifitiscorrectlytimedandprovidesenoughCHO.

Youshouldknowyourowntolerancefortimingofmealsandyourabilityto perform endurance activities. In general, allow greater time for digestionbeforeeventsthatrequireintensephysicalactivity.

Eatupto2gramsofCHOperpoundbodyweight,butnomorethan400grams,

3to4hoursbeforeasustainedoperation.

This meal should provide a minimum of fat and protein, since thesenutrients take longer to digest. CHO beverages and CHO/ protein drinks areexcellentchoicesiftakenhoursbeforethestart.Avoidahigh-proteinmealsincethiscanincreasefluidrequirementsandmaycausedehydration.

Ifyouweigh175pounds2X175=350gramsofCHO

Youmayeatupto350gramsofCHOforyourpre-missionmeal

If this is not possible, eat a small high-CHOmeal 2-3 hours before yourmission(400-500calories).

ACHObeverage1-2hoursbeforeamissionwillleavethestomachfasterthanasolidmeal.

NutritionforMaintainingPerformanceDuringTrainingandMissions

Threemajornutrition-relatedissuesencounteredinthefieldare:

♦Inadequaterationconsumption

♦Dehydration

♦Gastrointestinalcomplaints

InadequateRationConsumptionOne of the biggest problems with eating rations is that it gets boring.

Monotony and lack of time to eat contribute to decreased ration intake andweightloss.

Weightlossinthefieldiscommonandmayimpairmentalandphysicalperformance.

Therefore, it is important that you continue to consume your daily fieldrationsoyoucancontinuetoperform.

Eatatleastpartofeachrationitemtogetallessentialnutrients

Limityouruseofnon-issuefooditemsasmeal/rationsubstitutessincetheymay be lacking in several important nutrients. Use these items as snacks tosupplement your daily rations. Also pack high carbohydrate items, such ascrackers, dried fruits, trail mixes, sports bars, etc. (see Chapter 7 for snackideas).Experimentbeforehandtoseewhatsuitsyoubest.Ifyouareplanningtouse high-CHObars, check the fat content because if the fat content is greaterthan3g/100caloriesitslowsdownabsorptionandcancausecramps.

Ifpossible,drink25to60gofCHO/hrtomaintainbloodglucose.

DehydrationYouwillbecomedehydratedifsweatandurinelossesarenotreplacedby

drinkingwaterandotherbeverages (seeChapters6and14).Dehydrationmayoccur at any temperature and even under conditions of low levels of physicalactivity.Mild dehydration can decrease appetite and cause lethargy.Moderatedehydrationdecreasesworkcapacity and severedehydration couldbe fatal, asshowninthefigureonthenextpage.

Drinkwater/fluidsduringwaterbreaks.Youshoulddrinkatleast4canteensper

day,ormoreifyouareinahotenvironment.

SeeChapters6and14formoreinformationonfluidreplacement.

Monitor the color of your urine; if your urine is dark, increase fluidconsumption until the color becomes pale yellow. If you are takingBvitaminsupplements,yoururinemaynotbepalebutbrightyellow.

GastrointestinalComplaintsChange in diet, dehydration, too much fiber, poor sanitary conditions or

stressmayresultindiarrheaorconstipationinthefield.Makesureyouarewellhydrated at all times, and avoid trying new non-issue foods unless they havepassedsanitationinspection.

DietaryConsiderationsforSelectedTrainingandMissionScenarios

Developing sound nutritional plans for specific training and missionscenarios should improve your performance. Sample nutrition plans will beprovidedforthefollowingtrainingscenarios.

♦Platoon/compoundwork

♦SDVsubtrips

♦Typicallandwarfare

♦Doubledivedays

♦BUDSPhases1,2,and3

For each scenario, themacronutrient recommendation assumes an energyrequirementof4,000kcal/day.Ifyourenergyrequirementsarelowerorhigher,youwill need to alter the amounts ofCHO, protein, and fat accordingly.Thetiming and/or nutrient amount at any particular time can bemodified tosuit your individual needs based on the scenario and your personalexperiences. Snacks refers to food and beverages that can be carried andconsumedwhileonthego.

Table11-1.SEALTeamPlatoon/CompoundWorkThis scenario requires small meals throughout the day to help maintain

bloodsugarandenergylevels.Remembertodrinkfluidsregularly.

Table11-2.SDVSubTripThesemaneuvers can cover 18-20hours/day for several days; thismakes

recovery a crucial aspect of continued, optimal performance. Nutritionalpreparedness for this scenario includes replenishingglycogen stores andbeingwellhydratedatalltimes.

Table11-3.TypicalLandWarfare

Typical land warfare operations can continue for 3 to 4 weeks, so it isimportanttoavoidlosingweightduringthisperiod.EatCHOsnackswithsomeproteinwhenyoufeeldrowsy(seeChapter7forsnackideas).

Table11-4.DoubleDiveDay(for3weeks)

Double dive day series which continue for 3 weeks require adequaterecovery between dives. Water operations are associated with high energyexpenditureandfluidlosses,especiallywhenincoldwater(seeChapter14).

Table11-5.TypicalBUDsTrainingDay—1stPhase

PhaseItrainingatBUDsisgrueling.Manytraineesdrop-outbecausetheycannotmanagethephysicalandpsychologicaldemands;eatingtowinmayhelpthem succeed. Importantly, the energy expended requires a matching energyinput. Some suggestions for timing and distribution of energy are provided inthistable.

Table11-6.TypicalBUDsTrainingDay—2ndPhase

Phase2trainingwhichinvolvesmultipleboutsofphysicalactivityeachdaymakes recovery between bouts an important aspect of optimizing physicalperformance.Makesureyouarewellhydratedatalltimes.

Table11-7.TypicalBUDsTrainingDay—3rdPhase

In this situation you would want to eat a light lunch to avoid feelinguncomfortableduringthe6-milerun.Instead,drinkaCHO-containingbeverageoreatahigh-CHOsnack(seeChapter7)whileat thepistolrange.Asineveryscenario,heretooitisimportanttobewellhydratedatalltimes(seeChapter6).

OtherConsiderations

Forallofthesamplescenarios,thefollowingrecommendationsapply:

♦Eatavarietyoffoods

♦Maintainenergybalance

♦Maintainhydrationstatus

♦Include high-CHO snacks in between meals to replenish/maximizeglycogenstores(especiallyiftherearetwoperiodsofhighactivity)

♦SeeChapter14foradditionalconsiderationsabout trainingoroperatingintheheat,cold,andotheradverseconditions.

DietaryComposition

ThebreakdownofenergyfromCHO,protein,andfatshouldbe60to65%from CHO, 10 to 15% from protein, and 20 to 30% from fat. When energyrequirementsareabove4000kcal,morefatmayberequiredsinceitisdifficultto get sufficient calories from CHO alone. Recommendations for theapproximategramamountsofCHO,protein, and fat for various energy levelsareshowninthefollowingtable.

Table11-8.RecommendedGramsofCHO,Protein,andFatforVariousEnergyLevels

VitaminsandMinerals

As of now there are no definitive recommendations. If you meet yourenergyrequirementsfromavarietyoffoods,byincludingfruitsandvegetables,you should be able to meet your vitamin and mineral requirements (seeAppendixes5and6).Selectedrecommendationswouldbeto:

♦Includefoodsthataregoodsourcesofantioxidantsinyourdailydiet.

♦IfyoufeelyouneedtotakevitaminandmineralsupplementsfollowtheguidelinespresentedinChapter4.

♦During extended dive series youmaywant to consider taking amulti-mineralsupplement.

Immersion in water, especially cold, can increase urinary losses ofmagnesium,calcium,zinc,andchromium(seeChapter4forsafeamounts).

FluidandElectrolytes

All of the scenarios require adequate fluids. Immersion increases fluidlosses and operations in awarm/hot environment deplete bodywater.Replaceelectrolytes lost through sweating by consuming a fluid replacement beveragethat contains electrolytes or by eating foods that contain these nutrients (seeChapter12andAppendix6).

Forceddrinkingishighlyrecommendedforallenvironmentssincenormalthirstmechanisms cannot keepupwith increased requirements. SeeChapter 6fortheidealcompositionoffluidreplacementbeverages.

Chapter12

NutritionalInterventions

forMissionRecovery

Afteramissionitisimportantthatyourecoverquicklyandcontinuetotrain and prepare for the next mission. A quick recovery will enhancepreparedness, boost morale, and help protect you from training injuries. Bothrestandnutritionplayanimportantpartintherecoveryprocess.Inthischapterinformationaboutnutritionalmeasuresthatcanhelpyouspeedupyourrecoveryafteramissionisprovided.

GlycogenRestoration

Glycogen depletion is common following prolonged events requiringsustainedphysicalactivity.Forexample,anextendeddive,sustainedeffortsonland, and prolonged shivering can deplete muscle glycogen stores. Duringrecovery it iscritical that thesestoresberepleted,andnutritional interventionscanacceleratetheprocess.

Glycogen repletion inmuscles takes place at a relatively constant rate aslongasbloodglucoseremainselevated.Inotherwords,bloodglucosemustbehighforittobemadeavailabletomuscleforstorage.

Tooptimizeglycogenrestorationconsume50gramsofcarbohydrate(CHO)soonafterthecompletionofthemission,and50gramsofCHOeverytwohoursforsix

hoursafterthemission.

IngestionofgreateramountsofCHOwillnotfurtherincreasetherateofglycogenresynthesis.

NotallCHOfoodsareequallyeffectiveinrestoringglucose.Certainfoodsare better at raising blood glucose concentrations and promoting glycogensynthesis.The termGlycemicIndex is used to describe howhigh a particularfoodwillraisebloodglucoselevels;foodswithahighglycemicindex(GI)arethemosteffectiveforglycogenrestoration.Thus,afteramission,consumefoodsand beverages that have a moderate to high GI. A list of foods classifiedaccordingtotheirGIisprovidedonthenextpage.

Table12-1.ASelectionofFoodswithaHigh,Moderate,orLowGlycemicIndex

Foods AmountofFoodRequiredFoodsfor50gramsofCHO

HighlyGlycemicFoodsBagel 1.3bagelBread(whiteorwholewheat) 4.2slicesCornflakes 2.5cupsHoney 2.9tbspMaplesyrup 3.1tbspPotato,bakedw/skin 1mediumRaisins 0.4cupShreddedWheatCereal 1.4cupsSweetCorn,cooked 1.5cupsWatermelon 4.5cups

ModeratelyGlycemicFoodsBakedBeans 1.0cupBanana 1.8medium

Grapes 55grapesOatmeal,cooked 2.0cupsOrangeJuice 2.0cupsRice,cooked 1cupSweetPotato,boiled 0.8cup

LowGlycemicFoodsApple 2.5mediumPeaches 5mediumPear 2mediumGreenPeas,cooked 2.2cupsIceCream 1.6cupsSpaghettiandOtherPasta,cooked 1.4cupsYogurt,nonfatplain 2.9cups

Rehydration

Beginrehydratingimmediatelyafterthemission.

Afteramission,forcedfluidingestionisessentialbecausethesensationofthirstmaybeblunted.Typically,voluntaryconsumptionoffluidswillrestoreonly half of the fluid lost. If possible, weigh yourself after the mission andcompare thisweight toyourusualweight.Over aperiodof severalhoursyoushould:Drinkatleasttwo8oz.cupsoffluidforeverypoundofbodyweightlost.

Fluid replacementbeverages ingestedduringexercisearealsoappropriateforrehydration.Fluidsusedforrehydrationafteramissioncancontainahigherpercentage of CHO than those used during exercise. A list of various fluidreplacementbeveragesandmoreinformationonfluidreplacementtechniquesisprovidedinChapter6.

Sodium/ElectrolyteReplacement

Sodiumandpotassiumlossesinsweatcanbequitehighduringprolongedphysicalactivity,especiallyinwarmweather.Replacingtheseelectrolytesisanimportant part of the recovery process. Most commercially available fluidreplacementbeveragescontainelectrolytes.Also,sodiumiswidelypresentinavarietyoffoods,butiftheweatheriswarm:Eachquartoffluidshouldcontainaboutonequarterteaspoonofsalt.

A little bit of salt will speed up rehydration better than plain water.Typically, commercial fluid replacement beverages contain both sodium andpotassium,butyourrecoveryfoodsshouldalsoincludefoodsrichinpotassium.Some excellent food sources of potassium are listed below and additionalinformationisprovidedinAppendix6.YouwillnoticethatthesefoodsarealsogoodsourcesofCHOandmosthaveamoderatetohighglycemicindex.

Table12-2.GoodSourcesOfPotassium

Foods BeveragesBanana Orangejuice

Apricots,dried TomatojuiceDates Pineapplejuice

Driedpeaches GrapefruitjuiceMelons SkimMilk

BakedpotatoYogurt

NOTE: 1 cup of orange juice or tomato juice will replace the potassium,calcium,andmagnesiumlostin3quartsofsweat.

Summary

♦High-CHOfoodsandbeveragesare ideal recovery foods♦Consume50gramsofCHOasfoodordrinkimmediatelyaftermissioncompletion

and50gramsevery2hoursfor6hours♦Choosefoodsanddrinkswitha moderate to high glycemic index to accelerate glycogen repletion♦Drink plenty of fluids after a gruelingmission, even if you are notthirsty♦Yourfluidreplacementbeveragesshouldcontainsodiumandpotassium♦Fruit juices are excellent recovery fluids as they provideCHO,vitamins,minerals,sodium,andpotassium♦Ifyoucan’ttoleratesolid foods after intense physical exertion, drink a CHO-containingbeverage (seeChapters 6 and 9 for additional information onCHO-containingbeverages)

Chapter13

FoodfortheField:MilitaryandOtherRations

Fieldrationsaredesignedtosupplyadequateenergyandnutrientsforaparticular typeofmission.Since theduration and environmental conditionsofmissions vary, different types of operational rations have been developed. Forexample, there are cold-weather rations for frigid conditions, and lightweightrationsformissionslastingnolongerthan30days.Theserationshavedifferentcaloric contents with varying proportions of fat, protein, and carbohydrate tomeet thenutritional demandsof thevarious conditions.This chapter describeswhat rations are available and compares some military and commerciallyprepared foods. You can decidewhere yourmoneywould best be spent aftercomparingtheirdistributionofcalories.

TheMeal,Ready-to-Eat,Individual(MRE)

Menus

Many people think that military rations are sub-optimal: Not enoughcalories, too much fat, bad taste, and too much salt are some claims leveledagainst military rations. The revised Meal, Ready-To-Eat, Individual (MRE)ration consists of 12 meals (see next page for menus); each meal, or menu,containsanentree,crackers,aspread(cheese,peanutbutter,orjelly),adessert,beverages, and an accessory package. No rehydration of these meals isnecessary.This rationwill certainlykeepyougoingandbasedonyourenergyrequirementsyouwillneedtoeat2to4MREsperday.

Eachmenuprovides1300Calories49%CHO,15%protein,36%fatSupplementalBreadPouch:200Calories55%CHO,12%

protein,33%fat,

It is also important to note that some components of the MRE have beensupplementedwithselectedvitamins(A,B1,B2,niacin,B6,andC)andminerals(calcium).Fortifieditemsincludecocoabeveragepowder,cheesespread,peanutbutter,crackers,oatmealcookiescoating,andbrowniescoating.

Table13-1.MREMenus

PacketA:Coffee,CreamSubstitute,Sugar,Salt,ChewingGum,Matches,ToiletTissue, TowelettePacket B: Coffee, Cream Substitute, Sugar, Salt, ChewingGum, Matches, Toilet Tissue, Towelette, Candy (Vanilla Caramels, TootsieRolls,orHeatStableChocolateBar)1Thermostablized;

2Freeze-DriedFruit:Peaches,Pears,FruitMix,orStrawberries

3CharmsorHeatStableM&M’s

Ration,ColdWeather(RCW)

The Ration, Cold Weather (RCW) was designed to sustain individualsduring operations in cold conditions. The sixmenus should provide sufficientcaloriestomeetenergyrequirementsduringstrenuousexercisesinextremecold.

The ration is high in carbohydrate (CHO) since this macronutrient generatesmore heat, and comes as two meal bags, Bag A and Bag B. Each menu issufficient for a 24 hour period, butmore can be eatenwhen energy needs arehigher.TheRCWisalsolowerinsaltandproteinthantheMREstoreducedailywater requirements and lessen the possibility of dehydration. If consumedhydrated, one day’s ration requires 90 ounces (about 9 cups or 3 canteens) ofwater.Although it could get very boring, itwill definitely helpmaintain yourperformance.

Eachmenuprovides4500Calories60%CHO,8%protein,32%fatSodiumcontent:5grams

Table13-2.Ration,ColdWeatherMenus

Accessory Packet: Coffee, Cream, Sugar, Chewing Gum, Toilet Paper (2),Matches,ClosureDevice(2)

RationLightweight-30Days(RLW-30)

This rationwas designed for individuals of the SpecialOperation Forceswhomightparticipateinreconnaissancemissionsofupto30days.Thus,itisasit’s name: a low-weight, low-volume ration. There are six menus, eachconsisting of dehydrated, compressed, and “lowwater containing” foods. Thefoodsmaybeeatendryorreconstitutedwithwater.

Eachmenuprovides2132Calories52%CHO,18%protein,30%fatSodiumcontent:5grams

If this ration is used during extended operations, more CHO would beneededtoobtaintherecommendedamount(atleast400grams);itprovidesonly277gramsasis.

Table13-3.RationLightweightMenus

AccessoryPacket (5/case): InstantCoffee (6),CreamSubstitute (3),Sugar (3),ChewingGum(6),InstantTea(6),Matches(2),ToiletTissue(6),PlasticPicnicSpoon(2),ClosureDevice(1).

FoodPacket,LongRangePatrol,(Improved)(LRP[I])

Thisrationwasdesignedforspecialoperationsandinitialassaultsandhasashelf life of 10years.The eightmenus,whichhavebeen revised significantlysincetherationwasusedduringtheVietnamwar,consistofdehydratedentrees,cerealbars,candy,andinstantbeverages.Eachmenurequiresapproximately28oz. of water to prepare, although some of the foods may be eaten dry. It islightweight,hasprovenacceptance,andisrelativelyinexpensive.

EachLRP[I]menuprovides1570Calories50%CHO,15%protein,35%fatSodiumcontent:2.6grams

ToobtainadequateCHOandcaloriesduringextendedoperations,at leasttwomenuswouldneedtobeeaten;onemenuprovidesonly195gramsofCHOasis.

Table13-4.LongRangePatrol(LRP[I])

Accessory Packet: Coffee, Creamer, Sugar, Chewing Gum, Toilet Paper (2),Matches,Salt

CommercialFreeze-DriedProducts

Lightweight,freeze-driedfoodsarecommerciallyavailablefromanumberofmanufacturers.Twoof themostpopularmanufacturersareMountainHouseandAlpineAire.Aswithanyfoodmanufacturer,theirproductsdifferintermsof

taste,caloricdistribution,protein,andsodiumcontent.Manyoftheitemsfrombothcompanieshavebeen testedunder fieldconditionsforup to30days,andtheacceptabilityvariedfrompersontoperson.ChoosearationthatwillprovideadequatecaloriesandCHOtofityourrequirements.

Table13-5.Here’saLookatTwoSimilarDinnerEntreesfromtheTwoCompanies:Menu:Chili

Note the differences in total calories and the distribution of calories. Forexample, Mountain House Beef Stroganoff provides 8.8 grams of proteinwhereas AlpineAire’s Beef Stroganoff provides 22 grams. This shows howimportantitistocheckthenutritionallistingonthepackagelabel.Avarietyofother meals and their macronutrient distribution is provided on the followingpages.

Table13-6.SelectedFoodsandMenusfromAlpineAire

Table13-7.SelectedFoodsandMenusfromMountainHouse

WhatDoYouChoose?

Thenextquestionyoushouldask is:Given this information,which is thebestproductformetoeatduringaparticularmissionscenario?Whatfoodswillmostimpactmyperformance?Thebestwaytoanswerthatquestionistofigureoutwhatyourexpectedcaloricexpenditurewillbeandwhatkindsoffoodsyoulike! The ration for anymission that involves high activity should provide atleast400gramsofCHO.

Lookoversomeofthefoodselectionsprovided.Whatisimportantisthatyoueatanddrink.Comparethemilitaryandcommercialfoods,andtrysettingupamenuplanthatfitsbothyourpersonaltastesandenergyrequirements.ThemilitaryRCWcaloricdistributionisagoodmodeltofollow,andisanacceptablealternativetostore-boughtlightweightfoods.

TheTablebelowprovidessamplemenusfortwodays;eachmenusuppliesabout4,500kcal.Usethesemenusasatemplate.Otherfoodchoicesintheprecedingtablescanbesubstitutedaccordingly.Therearemanytypesofsoups,breakfast

products, anddinnerentrees tochose from.The importantpoints to rememberare:♦GetenoughCHO

♦Drinklotsoffluid(preferablylowcaffeine)

♦Limitsodiumandcaffeineintake

Table13-8.TwoSampleDailyMenusforHighActivity

Anadvantagetothemilitaryrationsisthatyoudon’thavetocountcaloriesonlabelstogetthedesiredcaloricdistribution.Forexample:Ifyouaretraininginacoldweatherenvironment,youknowthattheRCWhas4,500kcal/daywithan appropriate distribution of calories. There’s no need to look at labels threetimesaday to figureoutwhatyouareeating.The timesavedbynotcountingcaloriesmayormaynotbeimportanttoyou.However,ifyoudon’tlikemilitaryrations, spend some timedevelopingamealplan that suitsyour tastebuds, asindicatedabove.Youneedtoeatonyourmissions!

OtherRationInformation

HowLongWillRationsKeep?As long as the package is left unopened, stored properly in a fairly cool

environment (lowhumidity and less than80°F), andnot handled excessively,mostofthemilitaryrationswillbeusableforatleast3years.TheMRE,RLW-30, and RCW all have shelf lives of 3 years. Most commercial foods haveexpirationdatesnotedonthepackaging,butgenerallytheywillalsokeepforatleast3years.MountainHousepromotesashelflifeofupto5years.Therationwith the longest shelf life is the improvedLongRangePatrol (LRP[I]),whichhasanestimatedlifeof10yearsat70to80°F.

RationsandWaterRequirementsIf the rations are prepared as instructed, and you drink fluids as

recommended, freeze-dried rations will not increase your need for water.However,iftherationsyouselectcontaingreateramountsofsodiumorprotein,youmayneedadditionalwater.

Chapter14

NutritionalConsiderationsforAdverseConditions

Adverse conditions suchas exposure to extremeenvironments imposeconsiderable physiological demands. The human body responds to adverseconditionsbyincreasingenergyexpenditureandwaterlosses.Ifenergyandfluidbalanceisnotregained,thenperformanceandperhapsmissionintegritycanbeat stake. In this chapter, information on nutritional interventions that mayimprove performance or alternatively reduce performance decrements underadverseconditionsispresented.

HeatExposure

Clearly,themajorconcernsduringoperationsinawarmorhotenvironmentare maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance. Any time you have to work orexerciseintheheat,youwilllosewaterandelectrolytesthroughsweating.Theamount of sweat produced depends on: ♦Environmental temperature andhumidity

♦Workrate

♦Fitnesslevelandacclimatization

♦Volumeandrateoffluidreplacement

Workingatahighworkrateinhot,humidsurroundingsresultsinveryhighfluidandelectrolytelosses.Youcaneasilyloseonetotwoquartsperhourandevenmorewhenspecialclothing,suchaschemicalprotectivegear,isrequired.Thehighestsweatingrateeverreportedwas4quartsperhour.

FluidNeedsFailuretoreplacefluidslostthroughsweatingwillresultindehydrationand

eventually heat injury (see Chapters 6 and 11 for additional information ondehydration). Forced drinking is recommended throughout training in awarmenvironmentsinceyournormalthirstmechanismwillnotensureadequatefluidreplacement.

Drink1to3cupsoffluidevery30minutes.Morethan3cupsper30minutesisTOOMUCHto

absorb.

Itisagoodideatogetabodyweightpriortostartingaprolongedtrainingmissionintheheat,andweighyourselfastimepermits.Thiswillallowyoutodetermineyour sweat rate andhelp ensure adequatehydration in later trainingandsimulatedoperations.Rememberthatyourwaterneedsmaybehigherwhenyouwearchemicalprotectiveclothingorothergearwhenyouworkintheheat.

Drink10to12quartsofwaterperdayatregularintervalswhenworkinginahotenvironment.

Onepoundofwaterlossequalsapproximately2cupsofwaterorabout0.475quarts.

It is estimated that a water loss of 2% body weight can impair physicalperformanceandmood,decreaseappetite,andincreasetheriskofheatinjuries.Belowisasamplecalculation:

IfASEALweighs175poundsA2%weightlosswouldbe175X0.02=3.5lbsGoal:Tostayabove171lbs

A 5% loss of body weight decreases work performance by 30%. Thisamountofwaterlossisaseriousthreattoyourhealth.

Worksheet14-1.CalculateYourLowerWeightforFluidLosses

Myweightis_lbs

A2%weightlosswouldbe

_X0.02=lbs

Goal:Tostayabove_lbs

Monitorhydrationstatusbyinspectingthecolorofyoururine.

A dark yellow or smelly urine suggests some degree of dehydration; increase

fluid consumption until the color becomes pale yellow. If, however, you aretakingBvitaminsyoururinemaybenotbepalebutbrightyellow.

Excessive water weight gain can also be a threat to your health. Thisconditionresultswhenindividualsdrinklargeamountsofplainwatertoreplacefluid losses during long duration (lasting for 8 or more hours) enduranceactivities. To prevent overhydration, make sure that you drink beverages thatcontain electrolytes (sodium and potassium) to replace fluids lost duringextendedmissions.

ElectrolyteBalanceItisafactoflifethatelectrolytesarelostinthesweat,andexcessivelossof

electrolytes (example: sodium, potassium) can lead to muscle cramping orseveremedical problems. However, being in excellent physical conditionwillhelpminimize electrolyte losses.Thebestway tomaintain electrolyte balanceover prolonged exposure to heat is to drink fluid/ electrolyte replacementbeverages.

Table14-1.UpperLimitsforSodiumandPotassiuminFluidReplacementBeveragesDuringHeatStress

Look at the label from the beverage you have selected and be sure itprovidesnomoresodiumandpotassiumthanindicatedinthechartabove.TheNationalAcademy of Sciences recommends that chloride be the only “anion”(negatively charged electrolyte) accompanying sodium and potassium, and noother electrolytes are recommended. Typically magnesium and calcium areincluded, but the amounts arewell below recommended upper limits. Finally,after your operations, choose foods that are high in water (Chapter 6 - FluidReplacement)andfoodsthatarerichinpotassium(seeChapter12andAppendix

6).

Carbohydrate(CHO)IntakeFluid replacement beverages with CHO are great during exercises in the

heat,buttheamountofCHOshouldbelowerthanusualsothatthefluid/waterisrapidlyabsorbed.Chapter6providesachartshowingtheconcentrationofCHOinthebeveragetouseformaintaininghydrationstatus.

EnergyIntakeAlthoughappetitesmaybesuppressedinhotweather,especiallyduringthe

first few days after arriving, adequate caloric intake is very important.Inadequatefoodintakewillleadtoweightlosswhichcanimpairbothphysicaland mental performance. Remember: Dehydration can result in a loss ofappetite.

Whenyoudothesametaskinahotenvironment,energyrequirementsareslightly increased due to the increased work of maintaining thermal balance.Whenliving/workingin temperaturesrangingfrom86to104°F(30to40°C)caloricintakesshouldbeincreasedby10%asshownbelow,unlessactivityleveldecreasesaccordingly.

IfaSEALrequires4000kcal/dayA10%increaseinenergywouldbe4000X0.10=400kcal/dayGoal:Eat4400kcal/day

Worksheet14-2.CalculateYourEnergyRequirementsforaHotEnvironment

Myenergyrequirementsare:_

A10%increasewouldbe

X0.10=

Goal:Toeat_kcal/day

TIP:Ifyouractivityleveldecreasesyoudonotneedanyextracalories.

OtherRecommendations:

♦Eat a high-CHO diet as they are absorbed more readily than fat andprotein.

♦Avoidfattyfoodswhichmaynotbenotwelltoleratedintheheat.

♦Avoid high or excessive protein intakeswhichwill increasewater lossandcanleadtodehydration.

ColdExposure

Exposuretoacoldenvironment,beitairorwater,isachallengetobetakenvery seriously; performance decrements are commonwhen you become cold.The body’s response to cold exposure is a “tightening of blood vessels” toconserveheat,andshiveringtogenerateheatandguardagainsthypothermia(adangerouslylowcorebodytemperature).Sideeffectsoftheseresponsesareanincrease in urine output and an increase in energymetabolism. Therefore, themostimportantaspectsofnutritioninacoldenvironmentare:♦Energyintake

♦Fluidstatus

♦Vitaminandmineralneeds

EnergyIntake

Energyrequirementscanincrease25to50%duringcoldweatheroperationsascomparedtowarm

weatheroperations.

A3°Fto4°Fdecreaseinbodytemperaturecanresult inatwotofourfoldincrease in resting energy expenditure. That’s a huge increase in the body’smetabolicrate.Factorsthatincreasecalorieneedsinclude:♦Addedexertionduetowearingheavygear

♦Shiveringwhichcanincreaserestingmetabolicratebytwotofourtimesabovenormal♦Increasedactivityassociatedwithtravelingoversnowandicyterrain♦Increasedactivitytokeepwarm

Many studies have shown that soldiers tend to progressively loseweightwhenconductingfieldexercisesinthecoldfor2to3weeks.Becausesignificantweight loss can result in fatigue and performance decrements, energy intakemustincreasetomeettheincreasedenergydemands.

BothfatsandCHOareusedasfuelwhenexposedtoacoldenvironment.However,ahigh-CHOdietispreferredasitwillreplenishglycogenstoresthatare rapidly being used to maintain core temperature. A high-fat diet is

discouragedasitwouldrequireaprolongedperiodofadaptationandmayresultin gastrointestinal problems. Ideally 60% of your energy should come fromCHO, 30% from fat and 10% from protein, with high-CHO snacks eaten inbetweenmeals.Proteinsupplementsorhigh-proteindietsarenotrecommendedastheywouldincreasewaterlosses.

Table14-2.CalculatingEnergyRequirementsforColdWeather

IfaSEALrequires4000kcal/dayA25%increaseinenergywouldbe4000X0.25=1000kcalGoal:Eat4000+

1000or5000kcal/day

Eatfrequentsnacksduringthedayandalargesnackbeforegoingtobed

FluidStatusBecoming dehydrated in cold environments is very easy because of the

cold-induced increase inurineoutput, increasedfluid losses throughbreathing,involuntary reduction in fluid intake, and sweating. Because dehydration willdecrease performance and potentially lead to various medical problems,maintenance of fluid status by drinking plenty of fluids and monitoringhydrationstatusisabsolutelycritical(seeChapter6).

TipsforMaintainingFluidStatus

♦Forceyourselftodrink2to4cupsofwarmfluidathourlyintervals.

♦Avoid alcoholic beverages as alcohol tends to increase heat and urinelosses.

♦Moderatecaffeineconsumptionsincecaffeineincreasesfluidlosses.

♦Avoidconsumingsaltyfoodsthatincreasefluidneeds.

♦DrinkbeverageswithCHOtoincreaseenergyintake.

♦Don’teatsnowwithoutfirstmeltingandpurifyingit.

VitaminandMineralNeedsWhenworkinginthecold,therequirementsforsomevitaminsandminerals

may increase tomeet the demands of increased energymetabolism (example:thiamin)orgreaterurinary losses (example:magnesium,zinc).Theamountbywhich daily vitamin and mineral needs may increase above the RDA (seeChapter 3 for RDAs) during cold weather operations was recently proposed:suggestedamountsareshownin theTablebelow.Theseamountsarebasedonintakedatafromfieldstudies,urinaryexcretionofnutrients,andothermeasuresof “nutrient status.” In most cases, if you meet your energy requirements byeating all ration components you should be able to meet your vitamin andmineralneeds.

Table14-3.SuggestedIncreasesinDailyIntakesofVitaminsandMineralsDuringColdExposure

SustainedOperations

SustainedOperations(SUSOPS)areworkperiodsof12hoursormorethatusually result in physical and mental fatigue and sleep loss. In contrast,

Continuous Operations (CONOPS) are periods of uninterrupted activity of“normalshiftlength”followedbysufficientsleep.Yourmissions,whichusuallyincludebothSUSOPSandCONOPS,frequentlyresultinfatigueandsleeploss.Nutritional interventions can partially offset the effects of fatigue and sleepdeprivationonphysicalandmentalperformance.Themosteffectivenutritionalinterventionsinclude:♦CHOintake

♦Hydrationstatus

♦Caffeineintake

CHOIntakeAhigh-CHOdiet is needed for replacingmuscle glycogen stores that are

used up during prolonged activity and for maintaining a sufficient “bloodglucose” level. Thus, your diet during SUSOPS should provide 60 to 65% ofenergyfromCHO,10%fromprotein,andtheremainingcaloriesfromfat.

High-CHO snacks or CHO-containing fluid replacement beveragesproviding15to30gofCHO/hourwillalsohelptomaintainbloodglucoseanddelay fatigue during strenuous prolonged missions (see Chapters 6 and 9 foradditional information).Whenbloodglucose levelsfall,yourperformancewilldroprapidly,andyouwillbecomeunabletocontinueworking.

Table14-4.SymptomsofHypoglycemia(LowBloodSugar)

Headache BlurredvisionWeakness ConfusionDizziness UnconsciousnessFatigue Sweating

CHO loading can be useful when preparing for missions that requirecontinuousmovement such as snow shoeing, skiing, swimming, trekking overdifficultterrainetc.forafewhoursinordertoreachtheobjective(seeChapter9forinformationonCHOloading).

CaffeineIfyouarearegularuserofcaffeine,itwillnotdomuchto“pickyouup”

butifyoudiscontinuecaffeineuse,itmaycausediscomfort.Ingeneral,caffeineincreasesurineoutputandcouldcausedehydration.However,youmaywanttotrysomecaffeinetosee if it increasesyouralertnessanddelaysfatigueduringextended operations. See Chapter 15 for the caffeine content of variousbeveragesandmedications.

FluidIntakeOn some training and actualmissionswatermay not be available. Thus,

priorhydrationwillassumeagreaterimportance.Whenwaterorbeveragesareavailable it is important to remain well hydrated given that dehydration candecreasebothmentalandphysicalperformance(seeChapter6).

Forceddrinkingof1to3cupsper30minutes,dependingonthetemperature,isrecommended.

Beveragescontaining5to8%CHOandsomeelectrolytesarebest.

DivingandImmersioninWater

Like exposure to altitude and a cold environment, water operations,especially cold water operations, are associated with increased energyexpenditure and fluid losses. Thus nutritional concerns for diving aremaintenanceof:♦Energyintake

♦Fluidintake

♦Replacingminerallosses

EnergyIntakeWhenworkingatthesamerateinwaterasonland,theenergyexpenditure

toaccomplish the same task isgreater inwater.The reasons for this increasedenergyexpenditureduringwateroperationsinclude:♦Greaterresistanceofferedbywater

♦Decreased efficiency ofmovementwhen thermal protective clothing isworn This is especially true in cold water. To meet the increased

energyrequirementsyoumayneedtoincreaseyourintakeofCHO.Ifthewateriscold,thisisveryimportant.

Tipsformaintainingperformanceincoldwater

♦Eatahigh-CHOdiet(seeChapters2,9,and11).

♦ConsiderCHOloadingforextendeddivesGlycogenstoresarerapidlyusedwhenperforminghardworkincoldwater.

These stores must be replaced between operations to prevent performancedecrements (seeChapter9).CHO loading before an anticipated dive has beenshowntoimproveandextendexerciseperformanceduringprolongeddivesandhasbeendiscussedinChapter9.

FluidIntakeImmersioninwaterincreasesurinaryoutputby2to10timesabovenormal.

Without adequatehydrationadiver canquicklybecomedehydratedand sufferperformancedecrements.Forexample,immersionduringasingledivefor3to6hours can result in a 2 to 8 pound loss in body weight by urination; this isequivalenttolosing1to3quartsoffluid.

Althoughfluidingestionduringimmersionhasnotbeenfoundtoimprovehydration status during short term dives (less than 3 hours), attempts to drinkfluidswithCHOshouldproceedwheneverpossibletomaintainbloodglucose.Adeclineinbloodglucoseisknowntoadverselyaffectperformance.

MineralNeedsImmersioninwater,especiallyincoldwater,canincreaseurinarylossesof

magnesium, calcium, zinc and chromium; see Chapter 3 and Appendix 6 forgoodfoodsourcesandrecommendedintakes.

Altitude

Ascent to altitude can cause a variety of disturbances, and adequatenutrition can play a crucial role in maintaining performance. The majornutritionalconcernsataltitudeare:♦Weightloss

♦CHOintake

♦Dehydration

♦Disturbancesindigestion

♦Vitaminandmineralneeds

WeightLossVirtuallyallpersonswhogotoaltitudeexperienceweightlossandlossof

lean bodymass. At altitudes below 5000mweight loss can be prevented byincreased caloric intake, whereas above 5000 m, a 5 to 10% weight loss isalmost inevitable. Some reasons forweight loss at high altitude are: ♦Energyrequirementsareincreased15to50%abovesealevel

♦Decreasedsenseoftastecausingareductioninfoodintake

♦Lossofbodywaterfromincreasedbreathingrateanddryair

♦Impairedabsorptionofnutrients

♦AcuteMountainSickness(AMS)whichcanresultinnausea,vomiting,headache,anddecreasedappetiteTheonlywaytominimizeweightlossisbyincreasingyourenergyintake.

Energyrequirementscanincrease15to50%aboverequirementsatsealevel.

Recommendedcaloricintakesrangefrom3500to6000caloriesperday;thisisequivalenttoeatingatleastfourMREsoroneRation,ColdWeatherdaily.

Table14-5.CalculatingEnergyRequirementsatAltitude

IfaSEALrequires3000kcal/dayA50%increaseinenergywouldbe3000X0.50=1500kcalGoal:Eat4500kcal/day

TipsforMaintainingEnergyBalance

♦Eatsmall,frequentmeals.

♦Proteinshouldconstitutenomorethan10%ofthedailycaloricintake.Higherintakeswillbeexcretedalongwithwater.

♦Fatty foodsmaynotbewell tolerated at altitude andmayexaccerbateAMS.

CHOIntakeHigh-CHOfoodsarethepreferredenergysourceataltitudebecausethey:♦

Repleteglycogenstores—glycogenstoresaredepleted inacoupleofhoursbystrenuousphysicalactivity♦Requirelessoxygen(whichisdecreasedataltitude)thanfattoburnandarethereforethemoreefficientenergysource.

♦Canbluntanddelay theprogressionor severityof symptomsofAMS(nausea,vomiting,headache).

Youshouldderive60%ofcaloriesorat least400g fromCHOdiet.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbyeatinghigh-CHOsnacks(seeChapter7)betweenmealsanddrinkingCHO-containingbeveragesduringstrenuousactivityandrecovery(seeChapter6forrecommendedrehydrationpractices).

DehydrationWater losses are increased at altitude and if these losses are not replaced

dehydrationresults.Asstatedseveraltimesbefore,dehydrationimpairsphysicaland mental performance and increases the risk of cold injury. Dehydrationoccurs at altitude for several reasons: ♦Increased respiratory losses due toincreasedventilation

♦Increasedurineoutputduetoaltitudeandcoldtemperatures

♦Possiblediarrhealfluidlosses

♦Failuretodrinkwater

♦Meetingtheincreasedfluidneedscanbeachallengesincethirstdoesnotalwayskeeppacewithneeds

Fluidrequirementsmaybe4.25quartsormoreperdayathighaltitude

Adrinkingschedulemustbeestablishedandhydrationstatusshouldbemonitoreddaily.

VitaminandMineralNeedsAsdiscussedinthesectiononcold,vitaminandmineralneedsarelikelyto

beincreasedataltitudewhereitiscoldandoxygenavailabilityisdecreased.Inparticular, increased metabolic rate and hypoxic conditions at altitude canincrease the production of harmful free radicals which may slow bloodcirculationand impairphysicalperformance.Preliminary findings indicate thattakingvitaminE (400 IU/day)athighaltitude reduces free radicalproduction,andhelpsmaintainbloodflowandaerobicenergymetabolisminmen.

Summary

Energy and fluid requirements are higher than normal during all thescenarios described in this chapter (see each section for estimated increases).Importantly,weightlossduetoinadequateenergyintakeand/ordehydrationcanresult in fatigue and impaired performance. Therefore, keys to beingnutritionallypreparedduringtrainingandmissionsinadverseenvironmentsare:♦Meet energy needs preferably by eating a high-CHO diet. Eat high-CHO

snackstomeetincreasedenergyneeds.

♦Be well hydrated. Follow a forced fluid replacement schedule sincethirstisnotagoodindicatoroffluidneeds.

♦Avoid protein supplements as the extra protein is excreted along withwaterandcanbedehydrating.

Chapter15

ErgogenicAgents—Lookingfor“TheEdge”

Ergogenic agents are by definition, substances or techniques thatenhance performance.Because SEALs are required to perform at a high levelbothmentallyandphysically,manyarelookingforsubstancesortechniquestoimproveperformanceandprovide“anedge.”Toperformlonger,tobefaster,tobestronger,andtobeleaner, ifnotamissiongoal,arepersonalgoalsofmanySEALsandeliteathletes.Peoplehavebeentryingtoaccomplishthesegoalsforcenturies through the use of ergogenic agents. It is the goal of this chapter topresent information and comments about certain products commonly found inretailstoresorbymailorder,thatclaimperformance-enhancingeffects.

The comments in this chapter are based on themost up-to-date objectivescientific information, although in somecases limited information is available,and most have not been tested for their ability to enhance SEAL or SpecialOperationsmission-relatedperformance.Someproductsareunlikelytohurtyou,andyouwillhavetodecideifyouwanttotrythem,whereasotherproductsmaybe harmful and youmay be strongly discouraged from trying them. Inmanycasesyoumaybeusingsupplementsthatareawasteofmoney.Thischapterwillassistyouinmakinggooddecisions.

NutritionalProductsAdvertisedasErgogenicAgents

This section lists many of the nutritional ergogenic agents sold bymanufacturerswithclaimsto“enhanceperformance”orhave“musclebuilding”properties.Somehavevalidclaimswhereasothersdonot.Itisoftendifficulttodifferentiate false claims from valid ones if you haven’t carefully researchedeach product individually. Many claims sound very scientific and convincingbut, unfortunately, they are often false or unproven. For each agent describedbelow,theclaims,theusualdoseused,andacommentareprovided.Remember,ifthecommentisNO,theproductmaybeharmful.

Table15-1.NutritionalErgogenicAgents

Table15-2.CaffeineContentofSelectedBeverages,Products,andMedications

*Sugar-free and diet versions of above sodas have same caffeine content asoriginal.

Table15-3.SummaryofErgogenicAgents

Agent Comment

DelaysFatigue/IncreasesEnergyLevels

Caffeine SomebenefitsreportedCholine NobenefitreportedCoenzymeQ10 NoprovenbenefitInosine NoprovenbenefitOctacosanol SomebenefitreportedSodiumBicarbonate Somereportedbenefit

Tyrosine SomebenefitsreportedduringSEALcoldweatheropsFatBurners/LeanBodyMassIncreasers

Carnitine LittleornobenefitreportedChromium Somebenefitreportedλ-Oryzanol/FerulicAcid Littleornobenefitreported

TestosteroneEnhancersGlandulars NotrecommendedHotStuff PossibleadverseeffectsSmilax Littleornobenefitreported

GrowthHormoneReleasersArginine SomebenefitreportedBranchChainAminoAcids SomebenefitreportedDibencozide LittleornoprovenbenefitLysine Somebenefitreported

Protein-CarbohydrateSupplements

Go into a retail or specialty store that caters to athletes and you maybecomeoverwhelmedbythenumberofdifferentproductsavailable.Oneofthemosthighlyvisibleandadvertisedgroupofproductsare thepowderedproteinandcarbohydratebeverages.“Weightgaining,”“anabolic,”“musclebuilding”—thesearejustafewofthevariousclaimsmadebymanufacturers.Theydoshareonethingincommonhowever:theyaresoldassupplementstoyourdiet.Theseproductsare intendedtofortifyyourdiet tomeet thenutrientdemandsofyourbody. In general, there are three basic reasons why people supplement:♦Compensateforlessthanadequatedietsorlife-styles

♦Meet unusual nutrient demands induced by heavy exercise and/or♦Producedirectpositiveeffectsonperformance.

Yourprofessionandlife-styleimposeuniquephysicaldemandsthatrequirestamina,power,andstrength.Consequently,yourcaloric(energy)expenditureisgreaterthantheaverageperson.

InChapter 1 you calculated your REE and then, based on your activitylevel, your total daily caloric expenditure. Do you think your caloric intakesupports your activity level? If not, you have two methods to increase yourenergy intake: ♦You can eatmore (which canbe difficult basedonyour dailyschedule)♦Youcanuseasupplementtomakeupfortheextracaloriesyouneed.

Supplementsareaquickandconvenientmeansforobtainingthenutrientsyou need. For example, some people find that after eating a normal breakfasttheyfeelillornauseousduringmorningPT.Ifyoucan’ttolerateexercisingonafullstomach, thenapowderedbeveragemaybe theanswerforyourbreakfast.Yougetthecaloriesyouneedinthemorning,butdon’thavethatheavyfeelingin your stomach. Remember that you may not need the full recommendedservingsize.Countthecaloriestosuityourownenergyrequirementsandgoals.

Itisalsoimportanttorealizethatitisnotthesupplementalonethatleadstobetter performance. Success lies in addressing your goals and analyzing andadaptingyourdiet tomeet thosegoals. Itwill takesomeworkonyourpart tocalculate howmuch supplement, if any, you need to use.Read the labels andfigure out how many calories you will expend before your next meal. Also,make sure you add up the vitamins andminerals you are getting from all thedifferent supplements you are taking.Many products provide similar nutrientsandyoumaybetakingTOOmuchofoneorseveralnutrients.

Anotherdecisiontomakeiswhetherornottouseaprotein,carbohydrate,orcombinationbeverage.Onceagain,italldependsonyourgoals.Ifyouwanttoincreaseleanbodymassthroughresistivetraining,thensomeproteinmaybetheway to go. Remember:All you need is 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein perpound body weight per day If you need more than you can eat, then asupplementwith proteinmay be for you.Many powders contain both proteinand carbohydrate in a good ratio. Find the one that has the most appropriateamountofeachtoaugmentyourdiet (Refer toChapter10fora listofProteinandCarbohydrateSupplements).

Hereisanexample:Thegoalofa24-year-oldSEALwhoweighs175lbsistoincreasehisleanbodymassthroughweighttraining.Heknowsthatheneedsbetween 0.6 and 0.8 and NOMORE than 1.0 grams of protein per pound toachievethisgoal.Hedecidestoeat0.8gramsofproteinperpoundtoseeifhe’llachievehisgoals.Hisproteinrequirementsarecalculatedasshown:

175X0.8gramsprotein=desiredproteinintake175lbsX0.8=140gramsofproteindaily.

NOMORETHAN175X1or175gramsofprotein.

Nowlet’sseehowmuchproteinheeatsonanaverage

day

MET-RxMET-Rxisanutritionalsupplementwithclaimsofdecreasingbodyfatand

increasingmusclemass,ifusedinconjunctionwitharegularexerciseprogram.The exercise program is primarily strength/resistive (weight) training.Aswithanysupplement,itisdesignedtoaugmentyournormaldiettomeettheincreasednutritionaldemandsof exercise.However, increasednutritionalneedscanalsoeasilybemetbydietarymeans.

The cornerstone of Met-Rx is that it is a high-protein supplement (seenutritional informationbelow).Theprotein is in the formofeggwhites,wheyproteinconcentrate,andMetamyosin™whichisclaimedtobea“uniqueblendofmilkproteinisolates.”

Table15-4.IngredientsinOneServingofMET-Rx

Energy-ProvidingNutrients

Carbohydrates 24gramsProtein 37gramsFat 2gramsTotalCalories 262kcal

SelectedVitaminsandMinerals(%USRDA)

VitaminA 40VitaminB6 60VitaminB12 50VitaminC 60VitaminD 60Chromium 50

Depending on your goals, MET-Rx may or may not be for you. Forexample,ifyouareinterestedinimprovingaerobicenduranceMET-Rxaloneisa poor source of the necessary carbohydrates for that kind of activity. If,however,increasingmusclemassisyourgoal,thenthisproductprovidesproteinfor that. Remember that you don’t need more than 0.8 grams of protein perpoundbodyweight.

OnemajordrawbackofMET-Rxisthecost.Eachservingisroughly$3.00andthedirectionsforusecallfor2to4servingsaday.Thataveragestoabout$9.00aday!Keep inmind that therearealwaysalternative sourcesofproteinthat are very easy to comeby and tend to bemuch lessmoney.For example,♦Onecanoftunafishhas36gramsofprotein,

♦One4oz.breastofchickenhas36gramsofprotein♦One8oz.glassofmilk(skim)has10gramsofprotein.

Remember: There is nothing “magical” about this product and all theingredients are found innature.Recordyour intakeand see if it isworthyourmoney.

Chapter16

ErgolyticAgents—“GoingBackwards”

Afterreadingaboutagentsthatarepotentiallybeneficialtoyou,itsnowtimetofocusonsubstancesthatcandestroywhatyou’vebeentryingtobuildup.Ergolyticagentsare thosesubstanceswhichdonotenhance,but rather impair,performance, be it physical, mental, or psychological. When using thesesubstances, you may be undoing the benefits and successes gained throughtrainingandtheuseofergogenicagents.Here’sanotherwaytothinkofit—youmaybewastingyourmoneyifononehandyouarebuyingergogenicagentsandontheothercontinuingtouseergolyticagents.Hopefully,bystayingawayfromergolyticagents,youcanmaximallyimproveyourathleticperformance.

Alcohol

Heavyalcoholintakecanleadto

severedehydration!

Drinkingalotofalcoholintheeveningcanleadtoastateofdehydrationthe next day if adequate fluid replacement does not occur. There have beenincidencesduringroadracesandregulartrainingwherepeoplehavediedafteranight of heavy drinking, without adequate rehydration prior to and duringexercise.Althougharareoccurrence,itcanhappen.

Someathletesbelieve thatdrinkinga small amountofalcoholprior toanevent can be relaxing and instill self-confidence.This is completely false. Infact,alcoholmaycompromisephysicalperformancebydecreasingthereleaseofglucosefromtheliver.Thiswillcauseadecreaseinbloodglucoseandpossiblyleadtohypoglycemia.

Numerousstudiesonyoung trainedathleteshaveshownthatperformancedecreases after ingestion of alcohol. The myth that alcohol can alter theperceptionoffatigueisalsofalse.Thereisgenerallynoeffectonperceptionofperformanceafterdrinking.

SmokelessTobacco

ManySEALshavebeenorarefrequentusersofsmokelesstobacco.Useofsuchproducts has been on the rise in the past 20 years with an annual reportedincreaseof11%since1974.Manyathletesbelievethatsmokeless tobaccowillimprovetheirperformanceorenhancetheirreactiontimebygivingthemaquick“rush” during the event. After a brief discussion of what nicotine (the activeingredientinalltobaccoproducts)doestoyourbody,youwillunderstandwhyperformanceenhancementandchewdon’tgotogether.

Nicotine is the major ingredient of smokeless tobacco and very, veryaddictive (as addictingascocaineorheroin). It is termedapsychoactivedrugwhich means it alters the normal functioning of the brain by stimulating thecentralnervoussystemandresultinginthenicotine“buzz”or“high.”It is this“mental state” that users claim enhances their reaction time and performance.However,studieshaveshownnodifferencesinreactiontimesbetweenusersandnon-users of smokeless tobacco. Remember: there are NO reaction time

improvementswithchew.

Nicotine has some very detrimental effects on an athlete. Nicotine is avasoconstrictor (makes blood vessels tighten). This action on the circulatorysystemraisesbloodpressureandheartrate,therebycausingadecreaseincardiacefficiency. In one study of young athletes, two parameters of cardiacperformance(strokevolume—theamountofbloodpumpedoutoftheheartwitheachcontraction, andcardiacoutput—theamountofblood theheartpumps inoneminute)bothshoweddecreaseswhileusingsmokelesstobacco.Thisisveryundesirableforanathleteandcouldcauseaseveredecreaseinperformance.

Antihistamines

Antihistamine use is prevalent among all groups of people since it is acommon over-the-countermedication.Many types of antihistamines are used,with the most common ones being Benadryl and Seldane. One of the mostcommonsideeffectsofmanyantihistaminesisdrowsiness.Thisisnottypicallyseenwithmanyofthenewer,“non-sedating”typesofantihistamines.

Antihistaminesmaycompromisementalperformance

Some of the detrimental mental effects of the sedating antihistaminesinclude:

♦Decreasedabilitytoconcentrate♦Increaseinreactiontime♦Sleepiness♦Decreasedscoreonrifletargetpractice—”moremisses”

Seldaneappearstohavetheleasteffectsintermsofdrowsinessandmentalperformancedecrements,soifyouneedanantihistamine,itmaybebesttotakethisone!

OtherSideEffectsofSedatingAntihistamines

DryMouth IncreaseinHeartRateBlurredVision Constipation

No clear-cut effects on physical performance have been observed, butcautionshouldbeexertedwhentakinganytypeofmedication.

Appendix1CarbohydrateContentofSelectedFoods

1Informationformeats, fish,andpoultry isnotprovidedsince thecontributionfromCHOistypically<1%oftheenergy.

Appendix2FatContentofSelected

1 Information for most fruits and vegetables is not provided since thecontributionfromfatistypically<1%oftheenergy.

Appendix3ProteinContentofSelectedFoods

1Informationforcookies,crackers,cakes,fruits,andvegetablesisnotprovidedsincethecontributionofproteinistypicallylessthan1%ofthetotalenergy.

Appendix4EnergyExpenditureforVariousActivities

Note:Theenergyexpenditurevaluesinthisappendixarefora70Kg(155lb)manandareintendedtoprovideyouwithanestimate.Yourvaluesmaybelowerorhigherdependingonyourbodyweight.

Appendix5GoodFoodSourcesofVitamins

Appendix6GoodFoodSourcesofMinerals

Appendix7SampleHigh-CarbohydrateMenus

SampleDayOne

MacronutrientAnalysisofDayOne

SampleDaytwo

MacronutrientAnalysisofDayTwo

MacronutrientAnalysisofDayThree

Appendix8

USNavySpecialWarfare10CommandmentsOfNutrition

1.Don’tbelieveanythingyoureadaboutnutritionwrittenbysomeonetryingtosellyousomething.

2.Readthelabelsonfoodproducts.Totalcaloriesandweightsofcarbohydrate(CHO),protein,andfatperservingareusuallyprovided.

3.MostAmericansneednosupplementalvitamins,butusetheinexpensive“onea-day”typeifyouwanttoincreaseyourvitaminintake.Megadosequantitiesofcostlywonder-vitaminsservemainlytoincreasethevitamincontentofyourbodywasteproducts.

4.Don’ttakeproteinandaminoacidsupplements.Onegramofproteinperpoundofbodyweightperdayisthemaximumrecommendedproteinintake,evenforweighttrainingandbodybuilding.Mostnon-vegetarianathletestakeinmorethanthisintheirnormaldiet

5.Limitfatintaketolessthan30%oftotalcalories(1gramoffat=9calories).Itemstowatchareredmeat,peanuts,soliddairyproducts,andfrench-friedanything.

6.Forspecificenduranceeventssuchasprolongedmissions,longcolddives,ortriathalons,CHOloadwith1500extraCHOcaloriesadayfor3daysbeforetheeventanddecreasefatandproteinintake.Cutbackonyourtrainingscheduleandavoidstressfulcoldexposuresduringthistime.

7.Forprolongedintenseaerobictrainingschedules(BUD/sortriathalontraining),takeinenoughextraCHOcaloriestomaintainyourdesiredweight.Thebestsourcesarepasta,fruits,breads,potatoes,andrice.

8.Eatfreshfruits,freshvegetables,andhigh-fibercerealproductseveryday.

9.Short-termweightreductiondietsaregenerallyuselessandoccasionally

dangerous.Lastingweightmodificationisaccomplishedonlywithlong-termchangesinyoureatingandexercisehabits.

10.Themostcommonnutritionprobleminthiscountryistoomuchnutrition.Don’teatwhenyou’renothungryandstopeatingassoonasyou’vehadenough,notwhenyourplateisempty.

FullMissionProfile,January1992ComplimentsofCAPTFrankButler

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