The ratio of energy requirements to calories intake is definitely one of the most tiring aspects to manage. On the one hand, you always have the desire to control and moderate the food you take in; on the other hand, the goal of having all the energy you need to sustain training and stimulate muscle growth.
Adequate energy intake is important for any athlete’s diet because it supports body functions and helps manipulate body composition.
Your energy needs generally depend on the stage of training you are in and vary from day to day, based on changes in the volume and intensity of each individual workout. Then there are the external factors, which can influence energy consumption in one direction or another. Factors that increase energy expenditure above normal baseline levels include exposure to cold or heat, stress, high altitude stays, certain medications or supplements such as Caffeine, an increase in lean mass, and if you are a woman, even the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Reduced requirements, on the other hand, may be brought about by aging, decreased lean body mass, and, in some cases, the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
Achieving energy balance
Get energy balance when total calorie intake equals total energy expenditure. Total consumption is the result of the sum of basal metabolic rate, energy consumption related to physical activity (sports, exercise, work, etc.) and, to a small extent, the thermal effect induced by food.
So the first step you need to address is to estimate your overall energy needs. Basal metabolism represents the amount of calories your body burns without doing anything at all throughout the day. For an accurate calculation you should go to a specialized center and use a metabolimeter or bioimpedance.
You can use your heart rate monitor’s estimate to find out the caloric consumption produced by your sports activity and thus by each individual workout. Otherwise, there are equations that are used to estimate calorie consumption based on the type of sport activity, duration and intensity. Controlling the overall training load that is best for you then becomes crucial.
More complicated, on the other hand, is to estimate the calorie consumption related to your daily life, and that includes all the time when, although you do not do sports, you are still active: when you walk, talk, work, etc.
TID, diet-induced thermogenesis, is definitely the least known aspect related to metabolism.
This is the energy dissipation that the body generates following the introduction of food: this dissipation is not constant but varies according to the type of nutrients ingested. Protein has the highest thermogenic effect. Calories contributed by fat generate almost no effect because our bodies are able to store fat using very little energy (about 2 to 3 percent of those ingested). Assimilating carbohydrates generates a metabolic expenditure of 8-10% of calories consumed. Eating protein has a cost of 30-35% in terms of heat. This phenomenon can in a small way raise the overall requirement. Proper protein consumption thus raises daily caloric intake. Be careful, however, not to overdo the protein. You must estimate your daily protein requirements well to take advantage of all the benefits without running the risk of overloading the liver and kidneys.
Monitor your body composition
Energy balance management is important not only because it must support your sports and personal activity throughout the 24 hours but also because it determines your body composition , which is the measure of the major components that make up your body. The simplest and most widely used measurement divides the body into two compartments: Fat Mass and Lean (fat-free) Mass. Body composition is a factor that you need to monitor periodically and manage as carefully as you track your training. There are situations, encountered frequently in my personal experience, where you can improve health and performance by reducing body weight or better yet body fat as part of an all-around training strategy. The goal is to gradually achieve “optimal” body composition based on your activity level and competitive goals.
Rely on a professional!
This is a multifaceted path that you cannot take alone-you definitely need a professional to set appropriate short- and long-term goals and to understand what nutritional practices can safely and effectively increase muscle mass or reduce fat and body weight. Do-it-yourself is very dangerous in these cases.
If you focus too much on weight reduction you may run the risk of not feeding yourself properly and adequately. On the other hand, you should not overdo your protein or other macronutrient intake so as not to overload your body. You have to find your individual path without following food strategies of friends and teammates or even worse, trendy methods. Also remember that aggressive strategies related to weight loss should always be away from the competitive period or periods of very intense training. On a daily basis, you need to organize the timing and content of meals to support not only the energy needs of training but also post-training recovery. Recovery is aided by both rest and adequate replenishment of fluids, macronutrients, and micronutrients. The recovery strategy is part of your training program and is essential to ensure consistency of performance and continuity.
In summary: You need to be careful to meet your overall energy needs not only to stimulate and sustain increased performance but also, and more importantly, for your health. Always prudently adopt dietary practices that limit energy intake or eliminate food groups without professional advice. The risk is to have energy or micronutrient deficiencies at the organic level (vitamins, minerals, etc.).
The goal of nutrition for competition is to build proper body composition and consequently promote optimal performance in major events. At the same time you need to avoid all those mistakes that may limit your muscle growth or impair your results.
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