 | Nutrition, THE FUNDAMENTALS
There are three factors involved in maximizing athletic performance through training.
Strength and Conditioning
Sound diet, nutritional program
Proper Rest
Of the three factors listed, nutrition is the most important of the three. You can follow the best workout ever written, but if you are not eating properly, your athletic gains will suffer. The food you eat is your body’s fuel. The better the food, the better the body will perform.
The subject of nutrition and diet is saturated with misconceptions. To eliminate the greatest misconception about diet and its effects on training, there are no miracle foods or supplements that will generate fantastic training gains. The effectiveness that diet has on training is achieved by following basic sound nutrition stemming from the basic food groups. The basic food groups of meat, fruit, and vegetables, grain and dairy products supply the following six nutrients that are essential to body functioning.
CARBOHYDRATES: The primary source of fuel the body uses during intense activities. Carbohydrates provide energy for basic body functions, nerve transmissions and muscular contractions. They also assist in the digestion and assimilation of food.
FATS: Provide the body with a sustained source of energy utilized during moderate activity. They act as carriers for fat soluble vitamins and supply the body with essential fatty acids needed for growth and healthy skin.
PROTEIN: Necessary for tissue growth and development. It acts in the formation of hormones, enzymes and antibodies. Protein can also be used as a source of energy by the body when carbohydrates stores are depleted.
VITAMINS: Act as regulators and catalysts for body functions. They also assist in the utilization of other nutrients.
MINERALS: Act as catalysts for body functions. Included in these functions are muscle response, nerve transmission, digestion and utilization of other nutrients.
WATER: Probably the most important of the six nutrients. Water is essential in the digestive process and aids in the transport of nutrients in the body. It functions as a dilute and medium of elimination of toxic waste as well as being a regulator of body temperature. |