NATURAL REMEDIES

Posted By Health on June 19, 2009

Two very important determinants for athletic performance are training and genetic makeup. However, athletes need an optimal individualized diet to supply the energy needed to carry on with activities. A good diet can not substitute for either genetics or training, but can enhance and maximize athletic potential.

On average energy use is about 5 to 8 kcal/minute for a moderate activity. A small person may need around 1800 kcal/day while a large and muscular individual may need 4000 kcal/day. Energy required for training or competition has to be added to the basal energy just for normal activities. The first consideration, if an athlete experience fatigue daily, should be that consumes enough food.

To know if an individual is receiving enough energy from food, one step is to estimate the daily intake. A second step would be to estimate body fat percentage of the athlete’s body by using one of the following methods.

a) Bioelectrical impedance: Use of painless low energy electrical current to and from the body via electrode patches and wires.

b) Underwater weighing: Requires a trained technician and complete submersion in a water tank. This is the most accurate method.

c) Skin fold thickness: A method most widely used to measure fat tissue percentage.
Calipers are used to measure fat directly under the skin in several sites.

When tests for body fat composition shows too much body fat an athlete must lower food intake, the equivalent to about 200 to 500 kcal/day, until the desirable fat percentage is reached. When there is need for weight gains an athlete must increase food intake, the equivalent of about 500 to 700 kcal/day, until the desired weight is achieved. Food intake need to be a combination of carbohydrates, fat and protein while maintaining exercise to ensure that weight gain is mostly lean tissue not added fat.

Some athletes often lose weight so they can compete in lower weight class to gain advantage over a smaller stature opponent. They achieve a weigh loss of up to 10 kg a day, mostly water, by sitting in a sauna and/or taking diuretic drugs. However, losses of as little as 2% of body weight by dehydration adversely affect endurance performance.

A continues pattern of loss and gain in weight of more than 5% of body weight by dehydration increases the risk of kidney malfunction, heat related illness and even death.

body fat composition, body fat, body weight

“Most of today’s mainstream medicine practices are nothing but a service to pharmaceutical companies. - “Vladimir Prelovac”

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Posted By Health on June 6, 2009

One-fourth of the men and more than half of the women you see daily on the street are straggling with weight control. Experts are talking about national commitment to address the growing weight control problem, in most if not all of western society countries. It has been estimated that about 1.5 billion people are overweight and despite all the efforts the number of the over weight and obese people world wide is growing.

On a daily bases people are bombarded with ineffective, confusing and even dangerous weight loss diets for groups such as pregnant women, teenagers and individuals with health disorders. A straighter, forward, logical approach to weight loss or weight control is eating less, getting regular physical activity and change problematic eating habits that are often overlooked. It is important for all to understand that a healthy and active life style is the best remedy to weight control rather than the long term of weight loss pain.

The total energy use by the body is accounted for by:

Basal metabolism: Energy expenditure during a state of rest and inactivity of the digestive system. Energy need for the functioning of the vital organs, such as the heart, brain, lungs.

Thermic effect of food: Energy expenditure in digesting food for storage and use.

Physical activity: Energy expenditure used for Physical activity

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): energy expenditure of all physical activities other than sporting-like exercise.

The first two account for approximately 80% of energy used. Humans have developed their ability to consume food and use it efficiently as part of their survival mechanism during their evolution. However, deciding what is an appropriate amount and type of food to match our energy needs over the long term is a challenge for many of us. Additionally, given the availability of food and the easiness in obtaining it is of no surprise that the average adult is about 4 kilograms heavier than only 10 years ago and has now a weight loss problem

When energy intake matches energy output over the long term it considerably contributes to weight control but also to the well-being by minimizing the risk of developing many health problems. Gaining more than 5 kilograms excess weight or approximately 5 cm in waist circumference should be time for weight control through a weight loss diet and behavior re-evaluation.

weight loss, weight control

“Most of today’s mainstream medicine practices are nothing but a service to pharmaceutical companies. - “Vladimir Prelovac”

Natural Remedies an online Health and Health Choice destination.

Category: Urinary Tract Infections, Weight Control | No Comments »
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