Sports nutrition : learn to calculate your nutrition needs for physical activity | eating plan, diet for athletes - teenflixs

SPORTS NUTRITION: LEARN TO CALCULATE YOUR NUTRITION NEEDS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

How important is nutrition to maximize your performance when practicing physical activity or a sport? Now think, how important is it to learn about nutrition?

Exact! We know that you answered that it was essential for both of you. That is why we have created this Sports Nutrition guide to help you calculate your nutrition needs for physical activity.

IMPORTANCE OF NUTRITION FOR SPORT

Let's start by understanding that sports nutrition is responsible for improving the physical performance of the human body during physical activity, leading to greater work intensity and duration and promoting recovery after these.

Taking an adequate diet is vital for the proper functioning of the body in the sport since, during physical activity, it becomes more relevant by improving or worsening the results of training or competition.

However, dietary recommendations must be personalized since the variety of sports or physical activities must be considered, as well as the particular characteristics of each individual (sex, age, body composition, training volume, etc.).

All these variables make each case unique in sports nutrition since each of these variants must be considered to obtain better results.

EATING PLAN, DIET FOR ATHLETES

A good eating plan that involves nutrition and physical activity must meet the following characteristics:

• Provide enough energy to meet nutritional demands without exceeding them through carbohydrates and lipids.
• Provide sufficient amounts of protein so the body can repair tissues and increase muscle mass when it is the objective, without exceeding the contribution.
• Provide enough inorganic micronutrients and vitamins to avoid deficiencies.
• That food is pleasant in terms of flavor and also nutritious.

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR NUTRITION NEEDS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

And although the variants to form a suitable diet for athletes can be many, below we share some recommendations to calculate your energy and nutrient needs for adequate sports nutrition.

Energy

You must calculate your energy needs regarding nutrition and physical activity using predictive formulas for basal energy expenditure (GEB) such as Harris-Benedict or FAO/OMS.

For this, you must consider the current weight in people with average weight or fat-free mass in people with overweight and obese.

The thermic effect of food is added, corresponding to 6% of the GEB, and caloric expenditure for physical activity will be calculated according to the discipline and the time practiced. We share a table with some disciplines and their caloric expenditure per minute:

Discipline                                                      kilocalories/minute

Athletics (Speed)                                             6.8

Athletics (medium background)             7.2

Athletics (Marathon)                                     6.8

Cycling                                                             8.6

Soccer                                                                     6.7

Strength training (weights)                      7.9

cross training                                                      10.8

Zumba                                                               3.2

Important: Keep in mind that the values ​​of this table of sports disciplines and their expenditure of kilocalories per minute are approximate and may vary from person to person.

proteins

Protein is one of the nutrients that causes the most controversy in sports since its consumption is directly linked to mass muscle gain.

However, an adequate supply of protein will allow adequate muscle synthesis, increase strength, improve post-exercise recovery and reduce the probability of injury.

There are also myths about when proteins should be consumed to make the most of the so-called anabolic window, when the protein consumed will be used to the maximum.

This anabolic window is now known to last approximately 6 hours post-workout. It was previously believed that you only had a 30- to 1-hour window.

The protein requirements by type of training are:

Training Type                                            Request

resistance activities                                   1.2 to 1.5 g /kg of weight/day

Strength activities (maintenance)         1.6 g /kg of weight/day

strength activities (hypertrophy)         2.0 to 2.6 g (maximum) /kg of weight/day

carbohydrates

Remember that carbohydrates are the primary energy source in exercise, mainly in moderate intensity (mainly racing) or high-intensity intermittent exercises (soccer, basketball, tennis).

This is why an adequate intake of Carbohydrates will be essential to have total glycogen reserves, both muscle and liver; in this way, we also make sure that proteins are used mainly in muscle formation.

The recommendations for carbohydrate consumption range from 5 to 7 grams per kilogram of weight in training and up to 10 grams per kilogram in endurance sports.

lipids

The lipids will also be a source of energy; these are used mainly in moderate training sessions; their contribution will depend on the contribution of carbohydrates and proteins, that is, the remaining calories after calculating these will be from lipids, making sure to provide a minimum of 1 gr/kg of weight/day.

Water

It is essential to consume enough water since, during the practice of physical activity, there is a significant loss through sweating.

Remember that sweating helps us regulate body temperature, efficiently use nutrients in our body, and helps us improve physical performance.

The needs depend on factors such as intensity and duration of the training and temperature.

The water supply should be at least 2 liters.

vitamins

Vitamin B

Thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin are involved in the regulation and synthesis of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. At the same time, cobalamin and folic acid are necessary for forming red blood cells and protein synthesis.

Vitamin D

It is necessary for the proper absorption of calcium.

Vitamins C and E

They are potent antioxidants protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage as it increases with exercise due to increased oxygen consumption.

micronutrients

It's essential to pay attention to the following micronutrients because of their relationship with muscles:

Calcium

In addition to its role in the maintenance and repair of bone tissue, it is involved in muscle contraction.

Iron

It is essential to transport oxygen from the lungs to the muscles and tissues of the body. Thus an iron deficiency will significantly affect exercise performance.

Sodium

This electrolyte helps us regulate water balance.

Magnesium

Participates in muscle contraction and metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Zinc

It plays a vital role in muscle energy production, protein synthesis, growth, and immune function.

DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS?

As you can see, there are many variants to take into account when making a diet plan for an athlete or whether you practice a discipline with specific objectives, take into account that for your plan to be the right one, it is recommended that it be prepared by a professional.

However, there are still many myths about sports nutrition and physical performance about what foods to eat or when to consume them to improve physical performance.

That is why the specific needs of your diet must be distinct from flavor and variety; remember that one of the characteristics is that the food is pleasing to your senses.

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