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Mind, Body, Soul day | Training | Nutrition
Nutrition
For every physical activity, the body requires energy and the amount depends on the duration and type of activity. Energy is measured in kcal and is obtained from the body stores or the food we eat. Glycogen is the main source of fuel used by the muscles to enable you to undertake both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. If you train with low glycogen stores, you will feel constantly tired, training performance will be lower and you will be more prone to injury and illness.
A well-balanced diet is the most important requirement for healthy living. Good nutrition helps reduce our risk of getting a large number of diseases, from diabetes to heart disease.
 Nutrient Balance
Carefully planned nutrition must provide an energy balance and a nutrient balance.
The nutrients are:
 Proteins - essential to growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues  Fats - one source of energy and important in relation to fat soluble vitamins  Carbohydrates - our main source of energy  Minerals - those inorganic elements occurring in the body and which are critical to its normal functions  Vitamins - water and fat soluble vitamins play important roles in many chemical processes in the body  Water - essential to normal body function - as a vehicle for carrying other nutrients and because 60% of the human body is water  Roughage - the fibrous indigestible portion of our diet essential to health of the digestive system  What are the daily energy requirements?
Personal energy requirement = basic energy requirements + extra energy requirements
Basic energy requirements (BER)
 For every Kg of body weight 1.3 kcal is required every hour. (An athlete weighing 50Kg would require 1.3 × 24hrs × 50Kg = 1560 kcal/day) Extra energy requirements (EER)
For each hours training you require an additional 8.5 kcal for each Kg of body weight. (For a two hour training session our 50Kg athlete would require 8.5 × 2hrs × 50Kg = 850 kcal) An athlete weighing 50Kg who trains for two hours would require an intake of approx. 2410 kcal (BER + EER = 1560 + 850)
 Energy Fuel
Like fuel for a car, the energy we need has to be blended. The blend that we require is as follows:
 57% Carbohydrates (sugar, sweets, bread, cakes) 30% Fats (dairy products, oil) 13% Protein (eggs, milk, meat, poultry, fish) The energy yield per gram is as follows: Carbohydrate - 4 kcal, Fats - 9 kcal and Protein - 4 kcal. (Note: 1 calorie = 1 Kcal)
What does a 50 kg athlete require in terms of carbohydrates, fats and protein?
Carbohydrates - 57% of 2410 = 1374 kcal - at 4 kcal per gram = 1374 ÷ 4=343 grams Fats - 30% of 2410 = 723 kcal - at 9 kcal per gram = 723 ÷ 9 = 80 grams Protein - 13% of 2410 = 313 kcal - at 4 kcal per gram = 313 ÷ 4=78 grams Our 50kg athlete requires 343 grams of Carbohydrates, 80 grams of Fat and 78 grams of Protein
   Carbohydrates for Performance
Following training & competition, an athlete's glycogen stores are depleted. In order to replenish them the athlete needs to consider the speed at which carbohydrate is converted into blood glucose and transported to the muscles. The rapid replenishment of glycogen stores is important for the track athlete who has a number of races in a meeting. The rise in blood glucose levels is indicated by a food's Glycaemic Index (GI) and the faster and higher the blood glucose rises the higher the GI. Studies have shown that consuming high GI carbohydrates (approximately 1grm per kg body) within 2 hours after exercise speeds up the replenishment of glycogen stores and therefore speeds up recovery time. There are times when it is beneficial to consume lower GI carbohydrates that are absorbed slowly over a longer period of time (2-4 hours before exercise). Eating 5-6 meals or snacks a day, will help maximise glycogen stores and energy levels, minimise fat storage and stabilise blood glucose and insulin levels.
Most people believe that they eat enough fruit and vegetables, but studies show that we usually don't.
Research proves that if you increase your intake of fruit and veg, you can reduce your risk of getting cancer or cardiovascular diseases and lower your blood pressure.
As a rule of thumb, everyone over the age of five should eat at least five 80g portions of fruit or vegetables each day.
How do I make sure I eat enough fruit and veg?
Follow the suggestions below and you will be able increase your intake to the correct amount of 400g a day.
Drink one glass of fruit juice with breakfast. Have one orange before lunch.  Include one large piece of cucumber in your lunch. Eat one apple in the afternoon.  Have an 80g portion of cauliflower or broccoli with dinner. How do I know if I've eaten enough?
Fruit and vegetables do not all contain the same amount of health promoting ingredients. Listed below is an approximate calculation of the amount needed to count as one portion.
One tomato, pepper or a large onion.A quarter of a cauliflower or cucumber.One bowl of lettuce.Three heaped tablespoons of any vegetable, eg peas, carrots, sweetcorn.Half an avocado. One apple, pear, banana, orange, nectarine or peach. One slice of melon. Half a grapefruit. Two plums. One glass (150ml) of pure fruit juice. No matter how many glasses you drink a day, it only counts as one portion. Three heaped tablespoons of beans or pulses. Again, no matter how much you eat, it will only count as one portion. How do I increase my daily intake?
There are lots of ways to increase your fruit and vegetable intake. For example, it's a good idea to always have a bowl of fruit set out - it has to be easy to grab an apple, orange or pear.
Take a look at your diet and think about ways to improve it.
Could you add an extra portion of vegetables to your evening meal?Could you snack on a piece of fruit or bowl of salad instead of a chocolate bar?Could you have a vegetable-based meal one night a week? Check your cookbooks for recipes or buy a vegetarian one.Could you swap a caffeine or fizzy drink each day for a 100 per cent fruit juice or smoothie?Could you skip the snacks section of the supermarket and instead stock up on fruit and veg (dried, tinned, fresh, frozen)?  Water
Water is perhaps the most important component of complex living organisms.
It forms the basic medium in which life processes take place - from intricate biochemical reactions inside cells to the removal of waste products from the body.
Even the smallest degree of water loss can impair physical and mental function.
How to top-up your water levels
Start the day with a mug of freshly boiled water and a slice of lemon. In summer add a fresh sprig of mint and fresh lemon slices to a jug of cold water.Replace some of your tea and coffee at work with plain water or one of the many herbal or fruit teas. Keep a bottle of water at your desk or close by if you are relaxing at home.Get into the routine of drinking water with your breakfast and other meals.Drink water before you go to bed.Eat fruit and vegetables, which have a high water content.For a specific Personalised Nutrition plan:
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