Before you hit the gym, the trail or the wall, make sure your body has what it needs to perform at its best. Learn which macronutrients and micronutrients matter, and how to best utilize them to perform at your peak. After all, you’ve got fuel to burn! Plus: Test your fitness personality…

MACRONUTRIENTS
High intensity training requires an adequate energy supply. Inadequate energy intake can lead to decreased muscle mass, menstrual dysfunction, decreased bone mineral density, and increased risk of fatigue, injury, and illness. Vegetarian athletes may be at risk for low energy, protein, and micronutrient intake.

Carbohydrates
Function: Energy; maintain blood glucose; replace muscle glycogen
Daily Requirement: 6-10 grams/ kg /day 70 kg = 420-700 g/day
Percent of Diet: 55-60%

Protein
Function: Build/ repair muscle; synthesize hormones; source of micronutrients
Daily Requirement: 1.2-1.4 g/ kg /day 70 kg = 84 -98 g/day
Percent of Diet: 12-15%
FatFunction: Energy; cell membrane synthesis; fat soluble vitamins; essential fatty acidsDaily Requirement: Women – 45-60+ g/day; Men - 60-95+ g/day Percent of Diet: 25-30% For an athlete in training Resting energy consumption is 37-41 kcal/kg/day or 70 kg = 2590 – 2870 kcal/day. Activity increases metabolism as does gain in muscle mass for any given weight. A 70 kg (150 lbs.) runner, who runs 10 miles at 6 minute/mile pace, burns 1063 kcal. Tips for Endurance CompetitionBefore exercise: A meal or snack low in fat and fiber and high in carbohydrate; consume 14-22 ounces of fluid within 2 hours During exercise: If greater than one hour duration, poor energy intake before activity, excessive heat or cold, or high altitude, then: 30-60 g/hr of glucose and 6-12 oz of fluid every 20 minutes After exercise: 1.5 g of glucose per kg body weight during 1st 30 minutes, and every 2-4 hours thereafter
MICRONUTRIENTS Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids, supplements) play an important role in energy production, maintenance of bone density, hemoglobin synthesis, immune function, building and repair of muscle tissue, and protection from oxidative damage. Exercise stresses the metabolic pathways, increases micronutrient needs, increases turnover of micronutrients, and increases the loss of micronutrients from the body. The need for some micronutrients may double as a result of intensive training. Micronutrient supplementation may be useful for restricted energy intake, severe weight loss practices, elimination of food groups (vegetarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians, high protein diets, high carbohydrate diets), sick or recovering from injury, lactose intolerance, food allergies, or specific micronutrient deficiencies.
Micronutrient functions related to exercise:B complex vitaminsEnergy Production: B1 –thiamin; B2 – riboflavin; B6 – pyridoxine; niacin; pantothenic acid; biotin Hemoglobin production; protein synthesis; tissue repair and maintenance: B12; folate Antioxidants
Protection from oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation of cell membranes*: Vitamins A, E, C, beta carotene, selenium * At greatest risk – low fat diet; low energy intake; decreased fruit and veggies Minerals
Bone mineral density: calcium
Hemoglobin production: iron Building and repair of muscle tissue; energy production: zinc; vanadium; chromium
Amino Acids / derivatives
Exercise recovery: carnitine; glycine; d-ribose Other co-factors: Energy production: Co-Enzyme Q10 What's Your Fitness Style?Some people find it easy to set the alarm clock for 4:30 a.m. and jump out of bed for a five-mile run, while others hit the snooze button so many times that the chance of a morning workout becomes obsolete. There are specific aspects of your personality that determine what kind of exerciser you are, so if you've found yourself in a fitness rut, it's time to put your unique interests back into the equation.