Any scheme that helps keep weight down has an eager audience these days. Most people hanker after a slim physique just to make them feel better about themselves, however, the evidence is mounting that being overweight is extremely bad for your health. If you have a significant body mass index or your body – regardless of weight – has a lot of body fat then you could be at risk of serious ill health. Athletes of course need to be fit and trim: extra pounds make your heart, joints and muscles work harder; if speed is you thing weight will slow you down and could also cause injury.
However dedicated they may be athletes live in the same environment as the rest of us, with the same temptations from fast food joints and unhealthy (but very tasty) snacks in every store. Pre or post-season is the real danger time for athletes who are unlikely to be at the full peak of their training regime and thus more likely to wear any dietary mistakes on their waists. Periods of rest, particularly while in recovery from injury are doubly dangerous to athletes; while they aren’t training there’s a temptation to relax the rest of the rules too.Often at a heavy cost when they do get back in action. So, just because you are an athlete you need to keep an eye on your diet, you are human like the rest of us and just as at risk from high cholesterol, triglycerides or even insulin resistance.
Athletes are also likely to be over-reliant on their own particular discipline and training methods and will turn to that process, pill, exercise or routine to answer weight problems as they do every other fitness problem. There are two principles that should be in your mind with any weight loss program. The first is the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the rate your body burns off energy while at complete rest. Secondly, it is important to build up lean muscle tissue, which improves metabolism and burns off body fat. Learn what you can about nutrition; it’s an important weapon in your sporting arsenal and it’s vital if you want to enjoy what you eat as well as eat well for your health.
Sports nutritionists say that weight can be managed through what we eat, how much of it we eat, and the frequency and timing of meals. The current expert view is that a few small meals beat a couple of blow outs. Here’s a recommended daily meal plan:
1: A high protein breakfast
2: A snack in the mid-morning
3: A high protein lunch
4: Another snack in the middle of the afternoon
5: Protein rich dinner with plenty of vegetables
Really well-motivated fitness enthusiasts and athletes will split this even further into up to eight meals a day, while most athletes who compete seriously will be on at least five or six. Don’t be fooled into thinking that these people are bound to be over-eating; most of these meals will be small snacks, which research shows raises metabolism levels. Try to think of yourself as a baby and eat a meal about every two hours (you can scream and soil yourself too if you want). Eating little and often also means that your blood sugar will stay high and you won’t be craving food, which is when you’re likely to give in to unhealthy snacks. Muscle mass is an important factor in metabolism so you must try and get enough protein for the demands your sport puts on you. A body builder for example, will want to take in a gram of protein per pound of body weight. However, this is about twice the amount most athletes in less power-based sports will need. This is to avoid something called catabolism; in which protein is used up to produce energy and this will have serious negative effects on physical and mental health. The ideal level of carbohydrates in your diet is around 30 percent and fat should be as low as you can manage it. Fiber however, is something you want to boost, up to 20 or 30 grams a day; eating fiber is good in so many ways: it cuts out cravings, attacks high cholesterol as well as being vital for digestive health.
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