Nutritional advice

Introduction

Nutrition is a key part of any exercise regime and plays a vital role in providing energy at the start and throughout exercise and replenishing/repairing the body after exercise. It is important when exercising to eat properly to fully gain the benefits. When designing a nutritional plan it is important to eat a range of foods and not just be a rabbit which some nutritionalists would favour.

What is a calorie?

A calorie is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1g of water 1°C from 14° to 15°C. A kilocalorie (kcal) is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1000g of water 1°C.

Key nutrients

Your daily nutrition should provide an equal energy and nutrient balance .

The key nutrients are:

• Carbohydrates including fibre - Main source of energy.
• Fats - Source of energy for long periods of exercise and helps dissolve vitamins.
• Proteins – Important for growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues.
• Minerals - Elements occurring in the body which are critical to normal body functions.
• Vitamins – They play important roles in many chemical processes in the body.
• Water - essential to normal body function - as a transport for carrying other nutrients and because 60% of the human body is water.

The diet should be divided accordingly (approximately):

• 60% Carbohydrates (sugar, bread, pasta)
• 25% Fats (meat, dairy products, oil)
• 15% Protein (nuts, poultry, fish)

The energy stored per gram is as follows:

•  Fats - 9 kcal

•  Alcohol – 7 kcal

•  Carbohydrate - 4 kcal

•  Protein - 4 kcal

A typical 75kg person training for an average 30 minutes per day would need:

Normal energy expenditure: 2340 kcal

Training energy expenditure: 319 kcal

Combined energy expenditure: 2659 kcal

This can then be divided into groups of foods (approximately):

Carbohydrates 400g

Fat 90g

Protein 80g

Glycemic index

Introduction

The rates at which blood glucose levels are increased are indicated by different foods Glycaemic Index (GI). It is important to use the GI table to select correct foods during the day, for example eating low GI foods in the morning will help prolong hunger until you have time to eat again. After exercise it is important to consume high GI carbohydrates within 2 hours after exercise to speed up the replenishment of glycogen stores which will speed up your recovery time.

High Glycemic Index level

• Glucose – 100%
• Honey – 80-90%
• Soft drinks – 80-90%
• Chocolate Biscuits – 80-90%
• Potatoes – 70-79%
• White Rice – 70-79%
• Wholemeal Bread – 70-79%
• Bananas - 60-69%
• Brown Rice – 60-69%
• Muesli – 60-69%
• White bread – 60-69%

Medium Glycemic Index levels

• Grapes – 50-59%
• Crisps – 50-59%
• Shredded Wheat – 50-59%
• Wholemeal Pasta – 50-59%
• Allbran – 50-59%
• Baked Potatoes – 40-49%
• White Pasta – 40-49%
• Carrots – 40-49%
• Porridge – 40-49%
• Oranges – 40-49%
• Baked Potatoes – 40-49%
• White Pasta – 40-49%

Low Glycemic Index levels

• Apples – 30-39%
• Yogurt – 30-39%
• Peaches – 30-39%
• Popcorn – 30-39%
• Baked beans – 30-39%
• Lentils- 20-29%
• Apricots – 20-29%
• Peanuts – 10-19%
• Soy beans – 10-19%

An example day's balanced nutritional plan for moderately active person:

• Breakfast e.g. 7.30 am: Allbran cereal with Greek low fat natural yogurt and apricots, two egg whites on two slices of whole meal nimble bread, a large glass of pineapple juice.

• Snack e.g. 10.00 am: A cereal bar, an apple, 500ml of water.

• Lunch e.g. 1.00 pm: Baked potato with baked beans and salad, 500ml of water.

• Snack e.g. 4.00 pm: 50g of natural nuts or 50g of low salted popcorn, a banana, 500ml of water.

• Dinner e.g. 7.30 pm: Grilled fish with steamed vegetables, fresh strawberries with small portion of low fat ice-cream, a small glass of red wine or orange juice.

Some of the benefits of this plan:

• 5 portions of fruit and vegetables.
• High in complex carbohydrates.
• Many natural products.
• Balanced nutrients between Carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
• Essential fatty acids included (unsaturated fat).
• High in dietary fiber.
• Optimum fluid levels kept constant throughout the day
• Blood sugar levels kept constant through eating at least every 4 hours.