Assignment: Nutrition 2
Name:
1. Read the two articles below.
2. Do some research and find an article that compliments the information you gathered in these
first two articles. The article you find should both reiterate important points you learned, while
adding to and expanding on the information you have already read.
3. Cite the article you selected, including the URL.
4. Give a brief explanation of why you selected this particular article. (There are a LOT of articles
out there about this topic, why did this one stand out for you?)
5. Using the information you gathered, explain in 2-3 paragraphs how you would change or
enhance your current ideas about nutrition in combination with your fitness goals. Be sure to
reference and cite the information you gathered in these three articles to support the points
you will make about your own nutritional goals.
Article #1:
How To Build Muscles with Proper Nutrition
What you eat before and after your workout can help you build muscle faster
By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide
Updated February 10, 2011
In order to build lean muscle mass it's necessary to combine an adequate calorie intake with a
solid muscle strengthening program. While large numbers of calories are needed to fuel both the
workouts and tissue repair and muscle building, it's important to eat the right combination of
calories to encourage muscle gain.
Carbohydrate for Muscle Building
Carbohydrate is the predominant energy source during a strength training workout. Stored as
glycogen in the muscles, it is the fuel used to supply energy for short, intense bursts of power.
The harder and longer you work out, the more glycogen your muscles require. Once these stores
of glycogen are gone your energy level will drop and you will run out of fuel to power muscle
contractions. For this reason, athletes doing strength training exercise in the hopes of building
lean muscle need to have an adequate carbohydrates intake.
Your carbohydrate needs will vary depending upon the intensity and length of your training
sessions. For those doing moderate workouts of less than an hour, you may only require 2 grams
of carbohydrate per pound of body per day. Those doing long, intense training two hours or more
may require 3-4 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight each day.
Sports nutrition experts recommend up to 400-600 grams of carbohydrate per day for the average
male performing regular intense exercise and strength training workouts in order to keep the
muscle glycogen stores high. Personal carbohydrate requirements vary based upon the intensity
and length of workouts as well as your body size.
Protein for Muscle Building
All athletes need protein after vigorous exercise. Protein helps repair and rebuild muscle tissue
that is broken down during hard exercise. Because protein is the basic building material for
muscle tissue, if you strength train, or want to increase muscle size, you need to consume more
protein than sedentary individuals or non-athletes. However, most strength athletes may
overestimate their protein needs.
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) recommends that the average person
requires about 0.4 grams per pound per day. Sports nutritionists recommend that strength athletes
consume about 0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, not to exceed 1
gr/pound/day. That's about 90 to 115 grams of protein/day for the 140-pound athlete and 128 to
164 grams for those weighing 200 pounds.
You can get adequate protein by eating a healthy diet that includes low-fat dairy, eggs, lean
meats such as fish and chicken, and a variety of fruits, nuts, and legumes, but some athletes find
that a protein drink, or bar is another convenient way to increase daily protein intake.
Fat
After you've met your carbohydrate and protein needs there is room for fat. Fat is an essential
nutrient, however, you require a small amount of it to remain healthy. Less than 30% of your
total daily calories should come from unsaturated fat, such as olive oil, lean meats and fish, nuts,
seeds, and avocados.
Water
In addition to the regular eight glasses of water every day, you need to drink to replace fluids that
are lost during exercise. To be confident that you are well hydrated before workouts, drink 2
cups of fluid 2 hours before exercise. During your workout, drink 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20
minutes. After exercise, replace any further fluid losses with 16 ounces of water. If you want to
be precise, you can weigh yourself before and after workouts. For each pound lost during
exercise, you should be drink 16 ounces of fluid.
Eating After Exercise
Consuming some carbohydrate along with protein after your workout helps fuel muscle growth
and replenishes glycogen stores for your next workout. Research shows this carbohydrate-protein
combination within thirty minutes of exercise nearly doubles the insulin response, which results
in more stored glycogen. The optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is 4:1 (four
grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that, however,
has a negative impact because it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment.
Consult a registered nutritionist, physician or other health care provider for personal nutritional
counseling. This information is not intended as a substitute for appropriate medical treatment.
Source
USDA, DRI Tables. Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended Intakes for
Individuals[http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=2&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1342http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/
nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=2&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1342] last accessed Jan, 2011.
Lambert CP, Frank LL, Evans WJ. Macronutrient considerations for the sport of bodybuilding. Sports Med. 2004;34(5):317-27. Review.
Nutrition for Sport and Exercise, 2005, Jacqueline R. Berning, Suzanne Nelson Steen, ISBN 0763737755.
Article #2
It's About Eating Right
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Eat Right for Resistance Training
Proper nutrition is important for resistance sports like weight and strength training. Maintaining good
eating habits can improve overall performance and increase muscle strength. This is true whether you
lift weights once a week or multiple times a day.
Resistance athletes need a diet that provides carbohydrates for energy and moderate amounts of fat
and protein. You can easily meet these needs with a nutrient-dense, well-balanced diet. A sports
dietitian can assist you in developing personalized eating plans to meet the needs of your sport.
Energy
Your energy needs change based on how often and how hard you train, as well as your overall goals.
Diets that are low in calories can lead to loss of body weight and loss of muscle, while diets high in
energy intake can result in gains in body mass, including muscle and fat. Gaining muscle mass requires
adequate energy and protein intake, resistance training, and appropriate hormone levels.
When training in resistance exercise, take care to consume a diet that contains high-quality protein and
adequate carbohydrate and heart-healthy fat sources. While eating enough protein is critical to building
and repairing muscle, protein is used only as a minor energy source during exercise.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide energy so your body does not have to use protein as a fuel source. Getting
enough carbohydrates can prevent early fatigue and injury. If you follow a well-balanced diet, a
carbohydrate intake of 2.3 to 3.6 grams per pound (5 to 8 grams per kilogram) is likely enough. Even if
your focus is on body image and weight, your daily intake should not be less than 2.3 grams per pound.
Good sources include:
Whole grains like whole-wheat breads and pastas, brown rice and quinoa
Fruit
Dairy
Sports bars
Sports drinks.
Fat
When performing a high intensity, high power resistance exercise, fat is not used as a fuel source. Even
so, fat is an essential macronutrient. It aids your body in many ways, including providing energy for lowto moderate intensity exercise and insulating your organs. Aim for a diet containing 20 percent to 35
percent of energy from fat. Very low-fat diets are not recommended because they can lead to a
shortage of some nutrients and can hurt your performance.
Healthy sources include:
Fish
Nuts
Nut oils
Seeds
Vegetable oils and spreads made from a vegetable-oil base.
Limit your intake of saturated fat, which comes from full-fat dairy foods such as whole milk, butter, and
high-fat cheese, and animal fats such as lard and highly-marbled cuts of meat. However, since dairy and
meat contribute energy and nutrients to your diet, opt for leaner choices, such as low-fat or fat-free
milk, low-fat cheeses and lean, trimmed meats. These options provide protein and other nutrients with
much less saturated fat. Minimize consumption of foods that contain trans fats such as hydrogenated
oils.
Protein
Resistance training requires muscle strength and power. Protein plays an important role in building and
maintaining muscle. It also promotes healthy immune function. While the protein needs of athletes are
highly debated, most researchers agree resistance-trained athletes need more protein than the general
population.
The amount of protein needed depends upon where you are in your training. As training becomes
regular, your protein needs may decrease. Recommended amounts of protein:
Daily Protein
Needs per Kilogram
Daily Protein
Needs per Pound
(per kg body weight)
(per lb body weight)
Weight and body-focused sports
1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram
0.54 to 0.77 grams per pound
Body-building
1.4 to 1.7 grams per kilogram
0.63 to 0.77 grams per pound
Phase of Training
Good sources of protein include:
Lean meat, poultry and fish
Fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese
Eggs
Legumes (lentils, black beans, pinto beans, dried peas)
Soy products.