Fluid Requirement
Up to 55% to 60% the
adult body is made up of water, equivalent in volume to 10 gallons or 40
liters. It is therefore vital in transporting nutrients and oxygen around the
body and getting rid of waste matter via the kidneys in urine. The sweating
mechanism enables the maintenance of body temperature. Water is needed for many
to the chemical reactions that take place during digestion, to keep joints and
the eyes well lubricated and to facilitate swallowing besides maintaining blood
volume and pressure.
- Importance to Performance
- Dehydration
- General recommendation
It is commonly
believed that energy is good and calories are bad or even fattening. This is
myth. In fact calories or more correctly referred to as kilocalories (kcal) are
just a way of measuring energy. The metric equivalents are joules and
kilojoules (1 kcal equivalent to 4.184 kjoules). The human body is like a car,
and as such, needs source of fuel or energy in other to function properly.
Individual energy requirements depend on a number of factors, based mainly on
energy expenditure. There are 2 components of energy expenditure namely basal metabolic rate (BMR) and physical
activity level (PAL).
Recommended Dietary Allowances for Energy
Age (year) Energy (kcal)
|
|
Infants
0.0 - 0.5
0.5 – 1.5
|
650
850
|
Children
1– 3
4 -
6
7 –
10
|
1,300
1,800
2,000
|
Males
11- 14
15 – 18
19 – 24
25 – 50
50 ++
|
2,500
3,000
2,900
2,900
2.300
|
Females
11 -14
15 -18
19 – 24
25 – 50
50 ++
Pregnant
Lactating
1st
6 mo
2nd
6 mo
|
2,200
2,200
2,200
2,200
1,900
+ 300
+ 300
+ 500
+ 500
|
BMR = 14.7 (54.4) +
496 = 1,296 kcal
TDEE = PAL x BMR
= 1.56 x 1,200 =
2,200 kcal
The BMR is the total amount
of energy expended when the body is apparently at rest : that is, it refers to
the work of breathing, contraction of the heart, circulation of the blood,
kidney function, and so on, including the metabolism of all the body’s living
cells. These are all essential functions and closely represent the minimal
total metabolism of the body, though it may be further reduced during sleep.
The BMR for an adult woman of average body size would be about 1400 kcal/day
and for an average man about 1700 kcal/day. These amounts account for roughly
60% – 70% of the total daily energy expenditure.
Physical activity
obviously affects energy expenditure. Its influence on energy balance can go in
either direction. With increased physical activity the extent of the greater
energy expenditure will obviously depend on the intensity and duration of the
expended is sufficiently large, this leads to a state of negative energy
balance and part of the energy which would normally be supplied by the food
will be obtained from the breakdown of energy stories (mostly from fat). The
consequence is a reduction of body weight, and increased physical activity is
indeed often prescribed as a treatment for obesity – albeit not always with
marked success.
On the other hand, if
physical activity is reduced, the requirement for energy is also diminished,
and less food needs to be eaten – which often causes dissatisfaction. Because
the situations is basically disheartening, the end result is often a gradual
increase if fatness and body weight.
What are the daily
energy requirements ?
Personal energy requirement = basic energy requirements + extra energy requirements
Basic energy
requirements (BER)
· For
every Kg of body weight 1.3 kcal is required every hour. (an athlete weighing 50 kg would require 1.3 X 24 hrs X 50 kg = 1560
kcal/day)
Extra energy
requirements (EER)
· For
each hours training your require an additional 8.5 kcal for each kg of body
weight. (for a two hour training session our 50 kg athlete would require 8.5 X
2 hrs X 50 kg = 850 kcal)
· An
athlete weighing 50 kg who trains for two hours would require an intake of
approx. 2410 kcal (BER + EER = 1560 + 850 =
2410)
