Macronutrient Requirements For Exercise

PROTEIN

• Proteins are organic compounds made up of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen & Nitrogen.
• It is the presence of Nitrogen which sets Proteins apart from other Nutrients.
• The body can’t produce Nitrogen and Protein is the only way of introducing it to the body.
• Protein is broken down into Amino Acids in the body.

Protein Requirement of Athletes

• Protein requirements of Athletes are well above those of sedentary people.
• This is due in part to changes in amino acid metabolism induced by intense exercise.

Role of Protein & Amino Acids

• Muscle recovery; Immune suppression; Build proteins of new tissue; Support new growth
• Support maintenance of cells; Producing new parts of cells; Provide energy; Growth and maintenance
• Facilitating chemical reactions; Hormone production; Transportation e.g. Hemoglobin; Blood clotting
• Structural components

Importance of Sufficient Protein In A Swimmers Diet

Protein performs many important functions in the body, They contain Nitrogen which is essential for our wellbeing and as our body doesn’t produce Nitrogen our only source is from eating high quality Proteins. Without a positive Nitrogen balance Protein can’t be stored within our cells where it can also be converted for use as energy. Protein remnants that haven’t been broken down completely during metabolism cannot be removed efficiently without a positive Nitrogen Level. The Protein requirements of Athletes are well above those of more sedentary lifestyles. This is due in part to changes in the amino acid metabolism induced by intense exercise. If your diet doesn’t contain enough Carbohydrates for your energy requirements it will break down Lean Muscle Mass to use as an energy source. This process of breaking down the Amino Acids L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine and L-Glutamine from Muscles to be used as energy via the bloodstream to mitochondria within our cells is known as Catabolism. This is a process athlete’s should definitely take all necessary steps to avoid!

RDA or RDI of Protein

The RDA for Protein was never intended to provide for the more active lifestyles we now lead. Numerous studies have all concluded that Protein levels need to be increased. They increase even further for athletes or those that exercise regularly.

Calories

The precise definition is the energy needed to increase the temperature of a given mass of water by 1 degree Celsius. They are simply a Unit of Energy. In Nutrition Protein, Carbohydrates (Both Sugar & Fibrous) and Fats specific values are: Sugar 4.1 Cals; Fibrous 3.6 Cals; Proteins 3.8 Cals; Fats 9 Cals. When converting Calories to Grams Proteins and Carbohydrates are rounded to 4 and Fats are 9.

Generally the understanding of Calories/Caloric Intake is poor. It is essential that you take the time to self educate and gain a better understanding with regards to your body type and the accompanying macronutrient profile you require. Understanding the nutritional requirements that give you the energy to exercise, promote wellness, vibrancy and health is vital. There has been too much emphasis placed on counting calories which in my view is a message that doesn’t provide the full facts and is simply ineffective and basically doesn’t work for a number of reasons. It may work in part, dependant on your goal, but ideally an individually tailored nutrition plan tied in with an exercise program that works in unison is preferable to get good results.

The key that is not widely known and that truly fits the lock is that it’s not actually about the number of calories but the density of calories. Calorie Density simply means the Nutritional Value contained in each Calorie consumed. As an example there is a major Nutritional difference between 500 Calorie’s in a muffin purchased in a grocery store that has close to no nutrient value and 500 Calories from eating a combination of mixed berries and nuts which are nutrient dense.

Important points for Swimmers

The Protein should be all high quality from diverse sources, the Carbohydrates predominantly Complex and the Fats all Good Fats (Polyunsaturated, Monounsaturated and Saturated).The Ratios per day/per meal assume the individual’s body is utilising or absorbing their dietary intake at 100% which would be extremely rare. Therefore even higher intake levels may be required.

The ratios per meal of Proteins, Carbohydrates and Good Fats in the example are based on 5 – 7 Swim Training Sessions per week. For Athlete’s whose training is endurance based it’s normal to increase daily gram’s of Protein and Carbohydrates by 5% -10%. Competitive Swimmers can have up to ten (10) Pool Sessions per week plus gym resistance training, cross training and possibly school or other sport activities. Their daily requirements would be well in excess of the above and supplementation by small extra meals in between the standard Three (3) standard daily meals is essential and is the most common form used by athletes to ensure their required intake is met. If this proves difficult for an athlete they have no option than to add supplement’s to their diets as necessary.

The majority of Elite Competitive Swimmers have an Ectomorph Somatype. It’s really important to know which Somatype (Body Type) you are in relation to Nutrition, especially so when it comes to Nutrition, Exercise and Your Specific Goals. There are only Three (3) possibilities being Ectomorph, Endomorph and Mesomorph and they all have different Macronutrient Ratio’s of Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats dependant on your goal. E.g. The minimum amount a 60kg Ectomorph Swimmer with a Goal of Weight Maintenance has to eat each main meal is approximately 52gms of Protein, 115gms of Carbohydrates and 19gms of Good Fats. Anything less than this can disrupt many systems within the body including the proportion of lean muscle mass and fat. If your diet doesn’t fit in with your Somatype requirements for your goals and energy requirements for the intensity/duration/volume of exercise or training then your brain will send signals to breakdown and convert lean muscle mass from skeletal muscle into Glycogen, As previously mentioned this Catabobilistic response impacts everyone but for any Athlete it can be disastrous and will have a large impact on their performance and potentially their health if it continues over an extended period.

Water is 800% more dense than Training in Air!!

Intense training demands and stress are placed on a swimmers body for energy and adaptation. When combined with training volume, usually with insufficient quality rest/sleep ratios between sessions is vastly different to a majority of sports and needs to be taken into account in relation to dietary requirements.

Waiver Dietary requirements are very individualized as we all have unique variables about how our bodies function in many ways e.g. Digestion Time, Absorption %, Metabolic rates, Energy efficiency, Food cominations, Times we eat meals, Quality of Diet, Portion sizing, Form of snacks in between main meals, Times in between meals, Speed we eat meals, Whole foods %, Raw Foods %, Processed Foods % etc. Accordingly, while the Caloric Estimation Chart and Daily Working Example that follow are very accurate representations and an accurate model they are simply presented to educate and raise awareness of the complex nature that nutrition can be. They should be viewed as such and are provided as a general guideline and overview. A consultation with a Registered Dietician should always be sought.

Our guest blogger is Paul Barry an elite International High Performance sports and conditioning coach from Brisbane, Australia. He is qualified in diverse fields including Advanced Nutrition, Sports Supplementation, Massage, Anatomy and Sports Physiology. His email address is pbelitecoach@gmail.com.