Nutrition could easily be the most important part of any strength and conditioning program. The food that we eat helps to fuel the body as well as helps the body recover. “There are six classes of nutrients are considered necessary in human nutrition: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water” (Williams, Anderson, & Rawson, 1999, p. 38). Nutrition drives how well we perform.
Macronutrients
• Carbohydrate - This is the body’s principal energy source for fueling workouts. An inadequate supply of carbs will force the body to look elsewhere for fuel; the source it typically turns to is protein (often muscle), which is converted into glucose and then used as energy.
A diet lacking carbs can leave you feeling drained …show more content…
You really do not have to look for fat sources. Fat is already in the food we eat and the products that we cook with in such as cooking oils.
Water, Water, Water
Water should be a staple in your everyday diet. Water helps the body regulate energy production, fat metabolism and the metabolic process. Water keeps us hydrated and healthy.
Look at your water intake like this: It is recommended that the average person (someone who does nothing but sit behind a desk all day) drink (8) 8 ounce glasses of water a day. That is 64 ounces of water or ½ a gallon. Now figure your activity level and adjust your consumption from there. If you are working out and being active throughout the day you should be taking in more water.
Juices are okay but be cognizant of the sugar intake. Coffee is okay, along with tea, but also be conscious of the amount being consumed throughout the day.
Multiple Meals
Eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day is better than eating only a couple big meals. Your body uses and breaks down the calories as needed. Eating smaller meals throughout the day keeps your metabolism working which is always a plus when trying to burn fat and put on lean …show more content…
When you do not eat for extended periods of time your body goes in a catabolic state and it stops burning calories. It stops working essentially. If you do not eat on a regular schedule then your body never knows when it is going to be fed and so it never knows when to get rid of the calories or if it needs to store them. It is recommended that you eat somewhere around every three hours. If you eat every three hours and you get your metabolism trained to know that, then it will burn what it needs to before the next three hours because it knows that it is going to be fueled again with the next meal. If you don’t then it is just going to hold onto it because it is guessing when you are going to feed it next. Your body cannot guess like that. It is going to store for anything it thinks might come up. A regular scheduled eating plan that trains your metabolism will take the guess work away and allow your body to do what it needs with the calories as they come