Are you considering joining a gym for the first time in a while? Maybe you’re planning to take a 6-week bootcamp, or maybe you going from one walk a week to two walks. If so, taking a look at your nutrition is an excellent step to take before you lace up your sneakers.
While we know that food fuels us, the kind of food, and how much to eat may still be unclear, especially if you’re increasing your activity. Not to worry - we’re here to help! You’ll learn more about energy (calorie) considerations and how to adjust what you eat and drink to help your body get used to more activity. With baseline recommendations and a little experimentation, you’ll be rocking your workouts in no time. Let’s jump in!
Energy and calories
Picture this - you are 30 sweaty seconds away from finishing up today’s bootcamp class; your arms are burning, you are out of breath and you can’t wait to be reunited with your couch and fuzzy slippers. You know that in 30 seconds, you’ll finally be done and that much closer to the ice cold water you so carefully packed, but left in your car. With only 30 seconds left, you are committed to a strong finish to your workout, and are preparing yourself to keep going until class is over. Suddenly, your legs and arms feel 20 pounds heavier. Time is counting down, and before you know it, class is over and you’re totally zapped of energy.
Sound familiar? While many factors play a role in our ability to exercise, our nutrition choices are amongst the most important. Food contains calories, which is what is “burned” in our cells’ powerhouses to create energy! If we start exercising without enough fuel, we won’t have the energy to keep up, and those final 30 seconds (or more) of our workout will go unfinished. The amount of energy, or calories needed will differ from person to person because of age, gender, body composition, medical conditions, and activity level.
Let’s look at some examples so you can get an idea:
- Alice has set off on a new exercise routine, and plans to exercise at moderate intensity, 3 days per week x 30 minute per session. To determine Alice’s calorie needs, we’d look at a range of 25 - 35 calories/kg/day. If Alice weighs 150 pounds (68kg), calorie needs would range from 1,700-2,400 calories per day. It would behoove Alice to start somewhere in the middle of this range, then adjust based on progress towards their goals.
- Rachel has been doing high intensity training for years, and sticks to 5 days per week for 60 minutes at a time. Rachel’s calorie needs would exceed Alice’s by around 100-200 calories per day (assuming their stats are similar).
- Tom, who is a competitive athlete and trains heavily for hours each day, may require 50 - 80 calories/kg/day; if Tom weighs 200 pounds (91 kg), a range of 4,500 - 7,200 calories would be advised.
- Elite athletes, like Michael Phelps, eat upwards of 10,000 calories per day to support such a high work output! Hard charging athletes certainly require careful nutrition planning to ensure calorie and macro/micronutrient needs are met, but similar considerations can be taken when starting a new fitness regimen. Some of this planning includes the types of foods we eat that make up our total calorie intake for the day.
Macronutrients, explained
Have you heard the term “if it fits your macros”? Maybe you wondered how big macros (whatever those are!) need to be? The term “macros” is short for “macronutrients” - if we break down this word, we see “macro” (a large amount!) and “nutrients”. Macronutrients include the 3 groups of foods we need ample amounts of each day - carbohydrates, fat and protein. Together, our macronutrients make up the calories we eat to fuel our days!
Carbohydrates
We’ll start with carbohydrates, as they tend to get a bad rap. Carbohydrates’ role is to provide energy for daily living, and for higher intensity exercise. Glucose, a type of simple carbohydrate is also used readily by the brain for fuel. If you decide to go on a low carb diet, you would start to burn fat in the form of ketones. If not enough fat is available, the body resorts to protein (i.e muscle mass) for fuel - yikes! This means that when you start that 6-week shred, you’ll want to keep an eye on your overall carbohydrate intake and make sure your energy is feeling steady.
So, how much do you need? The recommended daily allowance (or RDA - the minimum requirement to meet basic needs) for carbohydrates is 130 grams for individuals older than 1 years old, per day.
- For Alice, our recreational athlete: 45-55% of total calories from carbohydrates are recommended. Alice, therefore, could look at a range of 190 - 330 grams of carbohydrates per day. In calories, this equates to 760 - 1,320 calories that would come from carbohydrates.
- Rachel, our seasoned gym goer would look at a range of 200 - 350 grams of carbohydrates (or 800 - 1,400 calories from carbohydrates) per day.
- Tom, who is in the gym multiple hours each day, would require greater amounts of fuel; Tom could look at a range of 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates. This would come out to 675 - 1,260 grams of carbohydrates per day (or 2,700 - 5,050 calories).
Fat
For exercise that ranges from low to moderate intensity - walking or cooking dinner, for example, fat is the main source of fuel! Fat also plays a role in fat-soluble vitamin absorption, body temperature regulation and cell membrane, skin, and hormone production and is essential for health. Being so calorically dense at 9 calories per gram, each pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories, and can be used as a source of energy during exercise. Although fat provides a dense source of energy, athletes are generally not advised to consume more than the normal RDA of fat, which ranges from 20-35% of total daily calories per day.
- Alice can aim for a range of 38 - 93 grams of fat (or 350 - 835 calories worth) each day to meet the range of 20-35%.
- Rachel could aim for 40 - 97 grams of fat (or 360 - 875 calories) per day.
- Tom would want to aim for 100 - 280 grams (or 900 - 2,520 calories worth) of fat per day.
Protein
And now for protein, our final macronutrient! Protein plays an essential role in tissue repair, including muscle tissue; this is especially important when exercising, as microtears are created in muscle tissue during exercise. Protein’s building blocks, called amino acids, are dispatched to damaged muscles to help them recover and grow. Although protein is necessary for repair and muscle growth, it is often over-consumed by athletes looking for an edge. A higher protein intake may be beneficial for individuals looking for weight loss or for highly active individuals, but the current RDA is 0.8 grams per kg body weight. Percentage-wise, 10-35% of total calories are advised to come from protein.
- For Alice who weighs 150 pounds, around 55 grams of protein would meet the RDA.
- Rachel, who also weighs 150 pounds, would meet the RDA at 55 grams as well. However, Rachel would want to consider increasing their protein intake due to their exercise habits. Aiming for 10-15 grams of additional protein, or 65-70 grams per day would be an excellent starting point for Rachel.
- Tom would meet the RDA at 73 grams, though like Rachel, Tom would be advised to increase this amount. A starting point of 93-103 grams per day would help Tom recover from hard training sessions.
Micronutrients and fluids
Micronutrients is another fancy word that can be broken down to “micro” (small amounts) and “nutrients” - these are the vitamins and minerals we consume that keep internal processes functioning optimally. Below are a few micronutrients that play key roles in stable energy during exercise.
- Vitamin B12: helps with red blood cell production and brain and nerve development. This vitamin is only found in animal-based foods, and may need to be supplemented on a fully vegan diet; if this is of concern to you, a quick blood test will let you know if you are deficient.
- Vitamin D and calcium: in support of strong bones
- Iron: helps transport oxygen from the lunges to active tissues
- Antioxidant vitamins C and E: help neutralize the temporary damage done by the “stress” of exercising
Fluids and hydration status is very closely monitored by the body, and kept within a tightly controlled range for many reasons: temperature control, or thermoregulation, is one of them. When it comes to exercise, our muscles create heat as they move, which needs to be transferred up to the skin for release via sweat. It’s important for people who exercise to drink fluids after a good sweat session to replenish losses. In terms of the RDA, it is recommended that you drink between 2.7L (11.5 cups) - 3.7L (15.5 cups) per day, depending on body size, activity level, medical needs, etc. While this may seem like a lot, it can be noted that around 20% of this may come from fruits and vegetables, which contain large amounts of water! In our sample meal plan below, you’ll see plenty of high water content fruits and vegetables and fluids at each meal.
Putting it all together
Let’s walk through a balanced and nutritious full day of eating for someone like Alice, our recreational athlete. As a reminder, Alice exercises 3 days per week, at a moderate intensity and for 30 minutes at a time. Think spinning, bootcamp, a run or walk 3 days per week. Below is a sample meal plan that would help keep Alice fueled and ready to go!
Breakfast smoothie:
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 large handful of spinach
- ½ cup mixed frozen berries
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
- 1 scoop pea protein
Nutrition: 367 calories, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 31 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat
Lunch:
- Thistle’s Agrodolce Salad with herb cannellini beans + dressing
- Large glass of water
Nutrition: 535 calories, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein and 25 grams of fat
Mid-afternoon snack:
- 1 gluten free pita
- 2 tablespoon hummus
- Cut up carrot and celery sticks
- Large glass of water
Nutrition: 200 calories, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat
Dinner:
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup tofu
- 1 cup of broccoli, roasted in olive oil
- Large glass of water
Nutrition: 361 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein and 25 grams of fat
Dessert:
- Thistle’s Dark Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Cookie Crumble
- Mug of herbal tea
Nutrition: 259 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat
Totals for the day: 1,722 calories, 211 grams of carbohydrates, 84 grams of protein and 71 grams of fat.
So, there you have it! We hope these nutrition tips are helpful as you (and our friends Alice and Tom!) work to include more activity and exercise into your routine.
Citations:
1) Mahan, Kathleen L., et al. Krause's Food and Nutrition Care Process. 13th ed., Elsevier Saunders, 2012.
2) http://samples.jbpub.com/9781284064650/9781284086379_CH04_Disco.pdf
Are you considering joining a gym for the first time in a while? Maybe you’re planning to take a 6-week bootcamp, or maybe you going from one walk a week to two walks. If so, taking a look at your nutrition is an excellent step to take before you lace up your sneakers.
While we know that food fuels us, the kind of food, and how much to eat may still be unclear, especially if you’re increasing your activity. Not to worry - we’re here to help! You’ll learn more about energy (calorie) considerations and how to adjust what you eat and drink to help your body get used to more activity. With baseline recommendations and a little experimentation, you’ll be rocking your workouts in no time. Let’s jump in!
Energy and calories
Picture this - you are 30 sweaty seconds away from finishing up today’s bootcamp class; your arms are burning, you are out of breath and you can’t wait to be reunited with your couch and fuzzy slippers. You know that in 30 seconds, you’ll finally be done and that much closer to the ice cold water you so carefully packed, but left in your car. With only 30 seconds left, you are committed to a strong finish to your workout, and are preparing yourself to keep going until class is over. Suddenly, your legs and arms feel 20 pounds heavier. Time is counting down, and before you know it, class is over and you’re totally zapped of energy.
Sound familiar? While many factors play a role in our ability to exercise, our nutrition choices are amongst the most important. Food contains calories, which is what is “burned” in our cells’ powerhouses to create energy! If we start exercising without enough fuel, we won’t have the energy to keep up, and those final 30 seconds (or more) of our workout will go unfinished. The amount of energy, or calories needed will differ from person to person because of age, gender, body composition, medical conditions, and activity level.
Let’s look at some examples so you can get an idea:
- Alice has set off on a new exercise routine, and plans to exercise at moderate intensity, 3 days per week x 30 minute per session. To determine Alice’s calorie needs, we’d look at a range of 25 - 35 calories/kg/day. If Alice weighs 150 pounds (68kg), calorie needs would range from 1,700-2,400 calories per day. It would behoove Alice to start somewhere in the middle of this range, then adjust based on progress towards their goals.
- Rachel has been doing high intensity training for years, and sticks to 5 days per week for 60 minutes at a time. Rachel’s calorie needs would exceed Alice’s by around 100-200 calories per day (assuming their stats are similar).
- Tom, who is a competitive athlete and trains heavily for hours each day, may require 50 - 80 calories/kg/day; if Tom weighs 200 pounds (91 kg), a range of 4,500 - 7,200 calories would be advised.
- Elite athletes, like Michael Phelps, eat upwards of 10,000 calories per day to support such a high work output! Hard charging athletes certainly require careful nutrition planning to ensure calorie and macro/micronutrient needs are met, but similar considerations can be taken when starting a new fitness regimen. Some of this planning includes the types of foods we eat that make up our total calorie intake for the day.
Macronutrients, explained
Have you heard the term “if it fits your macros”? Maybe you wondered how big macros (whatever those are!) need to be? The term “macros” is short for “macronutrients” - if we break down this word, we see “macro” (a large amount!) and “nutrients”. Macronutrients include the 3 groups of foods we need ample amounts of each day - carbohydrates, fat and protein. Together, our macronutrients make up the calories we eat to fuel our days!
Carbohydrates
We’ll start with carbohydrates, as they tend to get a bad rap. Carbohydrates’ role is to provide energy for daily living, and for higher intensity exercise. Glucose, a type of simple carbohydrate is also used readily by the brain for fuel. If you decide to go on a low carb diet, you would start to burn fat in the form of ketones. If not enough fat is available, the body resorts to protein (i.e muscle mass) for fuel - yikes! This means that when you start that 6-week shred, you’ll want to keep an eye on your overall carbohydrate intake and make sure your energy is feeling steady.
So, how much do you need? The recommended daily allowance (or RDA - the minimum requirement to meet basic needs) for carbohydrates is 130 grams for individuals older than 1 years old, per day.
- For Alice, our recreational athlete: 45-55% of total calories from carbohydrates are recommended. Alice, therefore, could look at a range of 190 - 330 grams of carbohydrates per day. In calories, this equates to 760 - 1,320 calories that would come from carbohydrates.
- Rachel, our seasoned gym goer would look at a range of 200 - 350 grams of carbohydrates (or 800 - 1,400 calories from carbohydrates) per day.
- Tom, who is in the gym multiple hours each day, would require greater amounts of fuel; Tom could look at a range of 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates. This would come out to 675 - 1,260 grams of carbohydrates per day (or 2,700 - 5,050 calories).
Fat
For exercise that ranges from low to moderate intensity - walking or cooking dinner, for example, fat is the main source of fuel! Fat also plays a role in fat-soluble vitamin absorption, body temperature regulation and cell membrane, skin, and hormone production and is essential for health. Being so calorically dense at 9 calories per gram, each pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories, and can be used as a source of energy during exercise. Although fat provides a dense source of energy, athletes are generally not advised to consume more than the normal RDA of fat, which ranges from 20-35% of total daily calories per day.
- Alice can aim for a range of 38 - 93 grams of fat (or 350 - 835 calories worth) each day to meet the range of 20-35%.
- Rachel could aim for 40 - 97 grams of fat (or 360 - 875 calories) per day.
- Tom would want to aim for 100 - 280 grams (or 900 - 2,520 calories worth) of fat per day.
Protein
And now for protein, our final macronutrient! Protein plays an essential role in tissue repair, including muscle tissue; this is especially important when exercising, as microtears are created in muscle tissue during exercise. Protein’s building blocks, called amino acids, are dispatched to damaged muscles to help them recover and grow. Although protein is necessary for repair and muscle growth, it is often over-consumed by athletes looking for an edge. A higher protein intake may be beneficial for individuals looking for weight loss or for highly active individuals, but the current RDA is 0.8 grams per kg body weight. Percentage-wise, 10-35% of total calories are advised to come from protein.
- For Alice who weighs 150 pounds, around 55 grams of protein would meet the RDA.
- Rachel, who also weighs 150 pounds, would meet the RDA at 55 grams as well. However, Rachel would want to consider increasing their protein intake due to their exercise habits. Aiming for 10-15 grams of additional protein, or 65-70 grams per day would be an excellent starting point for Rachel.
- Tom would meet the RDA at 73 grams, though like Rachel, Tom would be advised to increase this amount. A starting point of 93-103 grams per day would help Tom recover from hard training sessions.
Micronutrients and fluids
Micronutrients is another fancy word that can be broken down to “micro” (small amounts) and “nutrients” - these are the vitamins and minerals we consume that keep internal processes functioning optimally. Below are a few micronutrients that play key roles in stable energy during exercise.
- Vitamin B12: helps with red blood cell production and brain and nerve development. This vitamin is only found in animal-based foods, and may need to be supplemented on a fully vegan diet; if this is of concern to you, a quick blood test will let you know if you are deficient.
- Vitamin D and calcium: in support of strong bones
- Iron: helps transport oxygen from the lunges to active tissues
- Antioxidant vitamins C and E: help neutralize the temporary damage done by the “stress” of exercising
Fluids and hydration status is very closely monitored by the body, and kept within a tightly controlled range for many reasons: temperature control, or thermoregulation, is one of them. When it comes to exercise, our muscles create heat as they move, which needs to be transferred up to the skin for release via sweat. It’s important for people who exercise to drink fluids after a good sweat session to replenish losses. In terms of the RDA, it is recommended that you drink between 2.7L (11.5 cups) - 3.7L (15.5 cups) per day, depending on body size, activity level, medical needs, etc. While this may seem like a lot, it can be noted that around 20% of this may come from fruits and vegetables, which contain large amounts of water! In our sample meal plan below, you’ll see plenty of high water content fruits and vegetables and fluids at each meal.
Putting it all together
Let’s walk through a balanced and nutritious full day of eating for someone like Alice, our recreational athlete. As a reminder, Alice exercises 3 days per week, at a moderate intensity and for 30 minutes at a time. Think spinning, bootcamp, a run or walk 3 days per week. Below is a sample meal plan that would help keep Alice fueled and ready to go!
Breakfast smoothie:
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 large handful of spinach
- ½ cup mixed frozen berries
- 1 banana
- 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
- 1 scoop pea protein
Nutrition: 367 calories, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 31 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat
Lunch:
- Thistle’s Agrodolce Salad with herb cannellini beans + dressing
- Large glass of water
Nutrition: 535 calories, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein and 25 grams of fat
Mid-afternoon snack:
- 1 gluten free pita
- 2 tablespoon hummus
- Cut up carrot and celery sticks
- Large glass of water
Nutrition: 200 calories, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat
Dinner:
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- ½ cup tofu
- 1 cup of broccoli, roasted in olive oil
- Large glass of water
Nutrition: 361 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein and 25 grams of fat
Dessert:
- Thistle’s Dark Chocolate Mousse with Chocolate Cookie Crumble
- Mug of herbal tea
Nutrition: 259 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat
Totals for the day: 1,722 calories, 211 grams of carbohydrates, 84 grams of protein and 71 grams of fat.
So, there you have it! We hope these nutrition tips are helpful as you (and our friends Alice and Tom!) work to include more activity and exercise into your routine.
Citations:
1) Mahan, Kathleen L., et al. Krause's Food and Nutrition Care Process. 13th ed., Elsevier Saunders, 2012.
2) http://samples.jbpub.com/9781284064650/9781284086379_CH04_Disco.pdf
