A smart and good looking body approves the mental smartness of that person. That is why it is right to say that “A sound body has a sound mind”. It is the desire of almost everyone to look charming and physically attractive and one of the key components of getting this target is taking “Proper Nutritional Intake”.
Nutrients are those substance that give energy and nourishment to our body. Without maintaining a healthy and well balanced diet, the goal of achieving an ideal body appears like a day dream. Moreover, like in every other profession, taking adequate quantity of nutrients is extremely pivotal in sports.
In sports, such as football and weight lifting, having a large and strong body gives an extra advantage. That is why; gaining weight is very desirable in sportsman. To gain weight, 500 to 1000 extra calories per day should be taken. Along with that, a strenuous training should be followed to promote increment in lean tissues and muscles of the body. The diet of a physically active individual contains same proportion of Carbohydrates (45-50%), Proteins (10-20%) and Fats (20-30%).
Carbohydrates are needed to maintain glucose level during exercise and to replace glycogen store after exercise. The recommended amount of intake for athletes depends on the total energy expenditure, type of sport, gender and environmental conditions. The average range varies from 6-10 grams per Kilogram of body weight per day. Most of the complex form of Carbohydrates is provided to the body by whole grains and vegetables while some naturally occurring simple sugars are present in fruits and milk. These food materials also provide vitamins, minerals, phyto chemicals and fiber.
During exercise, carbohydrates and fats are main energy sources. Fats provide essential fatty acids and play role in absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Though body can avail greater number of calories from fats, the digestion of fats is much slower than that of carbohydrates in our body. For this reason, a high fat diet is not recommended since it can be extremely hazardous and cause several diseases like heart attack.
When we talk in terms of energy, proteins are not significant energy sources. Normally, proteins provide about 5-10% of the total energy requirements of the body. Taking enough proteins is needed to maintain the tissues and muscles of the body. Sportsmen are advised to take an adequate amount of proteins that would support their muscle gain and physical activities. The recommended amount of proteins is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Though proteins can be taken from artificial sources in form of supplements, natural sources like milk, egg, fish is much more advisable and thoroughly suggested. Moreover, animal protein sources are better than plant protein sources.
Apart from the above mentioned nutrients, taking sufficient amount of water is essential in eliminating heat and waste products from the body. That is why; good hydration is necessary before, during and after the exercise to maintain the desired level of performance and to avoid serious body problems like dehydration and muscle pull.
Usage of supplements that are supposed to be beneficial for building body muscles do not work but some of the products like creatine, fluid and electrolyte replacer which are quality approved can have some positive effects on the strength building training and exercises of the athletes. Moreover, sport drinks and muscle bars that are easily available in markets now days also add the advantage for the athlete since they provide both water and energy required to carry out hours of exercises and physical drills.
Thus, in order to transform the dream of having a sound body into reality and to carry out both physical and mental activities effectively, we should take great care of our diet and should follow the principle of balance. We should consume sufficient amount of nutrients and should perform enough physical activities. Athletes and sports people should meet their energy and growth requirements effectively by understanding their needs and energy consumptions.
