Body
Building
Bodybuilding
refers to a process of developing the body’s musculature through certain types
of diets and physical exercises, such as weightlifting, especially for an
exhibition of a competitive nature. On the other hand, diet refers to the usual
drink and food consumed by an animal or a human .Sport is an activity that
involves physical exertion, as well as skills, in which a team or an individual
competes against each other or others for entertainment. In addition, leisure
refers to the time that an individual is free from work. A time when one can do
whatever he or she wants. This paper is an analysis of body building and diet,
and how they relate to sport and leisure.
Many
people do not know the importance of nutrition in the muscle building process.
One thing that individuals should know is that no matter how perfect their
training routine may look, they will not grow if they do not eat the correct
food. Therefore, people have to be serious about their nutritional habits as
they are about their training. In doing so, they can be sure of success. In
addition, meal preparation and planning must become a regular habit for a body
builder. Further, it is essential for natural body builders because if they go
without food for more than four hours, their bodies will progress into catabolic
states. This is an indication that the body will start breaking down the muscle
tissues. Losing muscles is the last thing that a bodybuilder would want to take
place in his or her body.
There
exist some bodybuilding nutrition fundamentals that all body builders should be
aware of. If one wants to increase the muscle mass in his or her body, he or
she must increase the food intake. To increase or maintain the body mass, it is
essential for a bodybuilder to have between six and seven meals in a day. This
is something that does not require a lot of meal preparation and planning, but
is essential if one is serious about achieving good results, and having a good
physique. Having many meals throughout the day is beneficial because the body
gets a continued supply of the nutrients required in the maintenance or
building of muscle mass. Moreover, drinking large amounts of water during the
day is essential because it ensures that bodily muscles are hydrated in a good
manner. It is essential for an individual to always maintain good levels of
water intake because the composition of muscles is about 70 percent water. If
muscles are dehydrated, they become catabolic, and this means that they will
begin breaking down, and the body builder will lose muscle mass quickly.
Another
bodybuilding nutrition fundamental that individuals should be aware of is that
it is essential to consume about thirty calories for each kilogram associated
with body weight every day. For an individual to build muscle, it is advisable
that one consumes a slight excess of calories every day. This suggests that the
amount of calories that a person consumes from food should be more than the
amount of calories the body expends every day. Having a slight excess of
calories assists the body in the muscle building process. If a body builder
does not eat enough food, then there will be no extra calories to help the body
in building muscle. The third body building nutrition fundamental is that one
should consume a minimum of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
every day, Of the three nutrients that consist of protein, fat, and
carbohydrate, protein is the most important to body builders. The reason is
that body muscle consists of about 20 percent protein. Most bodybuilding
experts recommend 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Body
building and diet relates to sport and leisure. For example, good nutrition is
essential for resistance sports, including strength and weight training. If an
individual maintains good eating habits, there are high chances of increasing
muscle strength and improving an overall performance. Athletes who engage in
resistance sports require diets rich in carbohydrates and moderate amounts of
protein and fat. The purpose of carbohydrates is increasing the levels of
energy in the body. Sports dietitians can assist individuals in the development
of personalized eating plans to meet the needs of a sport. Bodily energy needs
change, depending on how hard and often that individual trains. Diets that have
low levels of calories can contribute to loss of muscle and body weight. On the
other hand, diets that have high levels of energy intake can lead to an
increase in body mass, which includes fat and muscle. The process of gaining
muscle mass requires adequate protein and energy intake, appropriate hormonal
levels, and resistance training. According to scientific research, the physical
demands associated with athletic competition and training lead to unique
nutritional needs for the body. This means that the specific athletic
conditioning of an individual determines the supplements and foods that work
well for the person. All athletes must adhere to the general rules of healthy
eating. However, they must modify their dietary intake of some nutrients so
that they can achieve high performance in their chosen sport.
Body
building and diet relate to leisure in some ways. For example, there are people
who engage in sporting activities in their leisure time. Despite engaging in
such activities for leisure purposes, such people require a good dietary intake
so that they can build a good muscle mass. Some of the sporting activities that
people can engage in during their leisure time include gymnastics, dueling,
wrestling, cycling among others. In addition, individual’s needs for nutrients
and energy differ according to the intensity of energy use during physical
activity, as well as the basal metabolic rates. These are the main determinants
of daily energy use. When an individual decides to take up sports activities
during the leisure time, he or she also engages in body building. The physical
activities stimulate the muscles, leading to an increase in the muscle mass.
However, this has to be accompanied by a good dietary intake.
In
conclusion, individuals should know that the supplements and foods they require
are determined by the physical activities that they undertake. In general,
supplements related to sporting activities should include a good multi-mineral
and multivitamin formula that contains some antioxidants .These antioxidants
include bioflavonoid, vitamin C, and beta- carotene. Lastly, many studies have
shown that many athletes do not consume adequate amounts of dietary proteins.
Therefore, nutritional experts recommend a protein supplement, especially for
strength athletes. Some of the athletes targeted by this supplement include
football players, body builders, and weight lifters.
References
Gastelu, D. (2006, January 25). Bodybuilding.com.
Sports Nutrition Guide: Section 1
- An Overview of Sports Nutrition. Retrieved January 5, 2014 from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sportnutrition.htm
Healthy Eating
Plate and Healthy Eating Pyramid. (n.d.). The Nutrition Source.
Retrieved January 15, 2014, from
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/
Welcome, M.
(n.d.). Michele Welcome, Professional Figure Competitor: (No) Relationships and
the Bodybuilding Lifestyle. http://blog.michelewelcome.com. Retrieved
January 15, 2014, from
http://blog.michelewelcome.com/2011/10/28/balancing-relationships-and-the-bodybuilding-lifestyle.aspx
muscletech.
(2008, May 6). Muscle-Building Diet Essentials!. Bodybuilding.com.
Retrieved January 15, 2014, from
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/musclebuilding_essentials.htm
