Off Season Gains Start With Fueling The Body – Know The Basics
By Aaron Thigpen, Owner Gamespeed Sports Performance Aug-2018
Summers over. So it’s that time again. Your journey to greatness has started again and your headed back to the gym. Your goal to get bigger, stronger or both will directly be affected on how well you eat. First you must understand the basic parameters that will allow your food intake to bring you to the next level.
So without getting into diets, recipes and all the minute details first make sure you understand the most basic concepts for “athletic eating”.
Know your caloric intake needs:
- Use this simple formula – Activity Level Rating x Body Weight= Calorie Requirements
Males 23 (Heavy Activty Level) x Body weight
Females 20 (Heavy Activity Level) x Body Weight
Example- 23 x 175lbs = 4025
Learn how to calculate daily calories:
1. There are a number of free apps you can use such as: My Fitness Pal or My Plate
For Athletes who want to gain size and strength:
Consume 500 more calories per day.
For Athletes wanting to loss weight but maintain strength:
Reduce your calorie intake by 500 per day.
Know the bodies Fueling Requirements
Proteins should be 12- 15% of you caloric intake.
Carbohydrates should be 55-60% of your caloric intake.
Fats should be 25 – 30% of your caloric intake.
Follow a Daily Eating Regiment
Eat 4-6 small meals per day
Snack between meals as needed to keep energy
Eat before and after workouts and training.
Water: Men 16 Eight ounce cups per day
Women 11 Eight ounce cups per day
Off Season Gains Start With Fueling The Body – Know The Basics
By Aaron Thigpen, Owner Gamespeed Sports Performance Aug-2018
Summers over. So it’s that time again. Your journey to greatness has started again and your headed back to the gym. Your goal to get bigger, stronger or both will directly be affected on how well you eat. First you must understand the basic parameters that will allow your food intake to bring you to the next level.
So without getting into diets, recipes and all the minute details first make sure you understand the most basic concepts for “athletic eating”.
Know your caloric intake needs:
- Use this simple formula – Activity Level Rating x Body Weight= Calorie Requirements
Males 23 (Heavy Activty Level) x Body weight
Females 20 (Heavy Activity Level) x Body Weight
Example- 23 x 175lbs = 4025
Learn how to calculate daily calories:
1. There are a number of free apps you can use such as: My Fitness Pal or My Plate
For Athletes who want to gain size and strength:
Consume 500 more calories per day.
For Athletes wanting to loss weight but maintain strength:
Reduce your calorie intake by 500 per day.
Know the bodies Fueling Requirements
Proteins should be 12- 15% of you caloric intake.
Carbohydrates should be 55-60% of your caloric intake.
Fats should be 25 – 30% of your caloric intake.
Follow a Daily Eating Regiment
Eat 4-6 small meals per day
Snack between meals as needed to keep energy
Eat before and after workouts and training.
Water: Men 16 Eight ounce cups per day
Women 11 Eight ounce cups per day
Preparation for your next obstacle course race (OCR) can be fun, but in our attempt to get ready we can sometimes over do it. Over training is a common problem among fitness athletes. We always think “more is better” and “no pain no gain”. This commonly leads to over training. The signs can be very subtle and easily over looked or misdiagnosed. It is very important that athletes be aware of over training, what leads to it and how to handle it. Otherwise you can leave your best race in the gym.
Symptoms and Warning Signs
- Frequent colds, headaches, and the swelling of lymph nodes in neck and groin. And other illness that result due to a lowered immune system.
- Frequent injuries, soreness, stiffness in muscles, joints and tendons that may last unusually longer than normal.
- Other signs include cloudy, dark or concentrated urine and pale, pasty skin, blemishes, or rashes.
- General feeling of flatness or low energy for extended periods of time.
Suggested Treatment
- Rest for a couple of days, until your body tells you it’s time to start again.
- Reduce training.
- Increase recovery times.
- Pay attention to nutrition and hydration.
- Have scheduled active rest periods. I suggest every four to six weeks where you change to lighter activities i.e. swimming, biking, or games for a few days.
Tips to avoid over-training
- Set realistic goals.
- Vary your training.
- Take breaks.
- Gets lots of rest and relaxation. And don’t work a muscle until it’s fully recovered.
- Eat a complete diet.
- Don’t become obsessed with training.
- Don’t neglect warming-up and cooling-down
At The Challenge Grounds in Concord we can help you monitor your body and time your workouts for their optimum effect, RACE DAY!
(925) 222-9612