Body Weight | Body Fat Composition and Energy Needs
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
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