In my last article I wrote about exercise and my running programme I had started in my life. In this article I am going to detail the important subject on diet to supplement the exercise programme. Most people have been on some type of diet at one point of their lives. This may involve a diet designed at cutting out carbohydrates or reducing these to an absolute minimum. These diets work on the factor that if you eliminate carbohydrates then you reduce calories which are the basis of any diet plan. When a diet is incorporated into a fitness programme, it is not usually designed on reducing calories but used to support the exercise programme giving the body the required calorie total to achieve your specific goals. An exercise programme depending on the level of exercise will require usually more calories but this is used up by the higher metabolic rate of your body during the exercise period. The body is an engine requiring specific fuel to run,if the body is not given this fuel then like an engine it will grind to a halt causing fatigue and exhaustion. A running programme is based around protein to support muscles and growth and carbohydrates for energy. Carbohydrates come in two different forms which are fast release which contain refined sugars contained in sweets, chocolate in fact anything usually containing artificial sugars. Fast release or simple sugars as I will refer to them here will give the body a quick release of sugar and carbohydrates into the blood stream, this is an artificial way of getting carbohydrates into the system as what usually happens is that the blood sugar level rises quickly then crashes making you feel hungry again resulting in you consuming more calories. The second type of carbohydrate is slow release carbohydrate which are better for the system as these give a steady flow of carbohydrate for a prolonged period of time. These types of carbohydrates usually are found in wholemeal bread, oats, wholegrain rice & pasta, natural cereals, potatoes. Protein is especially important as this provides support for muscle development and growth. People on an exercise programme are recommended to up their intake of good quality proteins. These are low fat sources such as skinless chicken and turkey breasts, lean cuts of beef, fish, skim milk & dairy products, protein powders. It is difficult to estimate a person's daily calorie requirement as this will be based on the individuals weight and height and the type of exercise programme they are on at the time. For more guidance in this area I would suggest investigating this on the internet or purchasing a specialist sport activity publication. |
