Posted: February 1st, 2023

Mechanism of diet manipulation discussion

Sportspersons, athletes, and bodybuilders practice diet manipulation to ensure that their bodies can cope with the demands of physical activities. Eating a balanced diet ensures the right proportion of all seven components of a healthy diet. The seven components include the following:

Fiber

Carbohydrates

Water

Minerals

Vitamins

Proteins

Fats

A properly balanced diet contains vitamins and minerals are 33%, carbohydrates are 33%, milk and other dairy products are 15%, fats are 7%, and protein is 12%.

Athletes practice continuous activities and high intensity of exercises. Therefore, a carbohydrates-rich diet is needed to provide energy. Fat is also crucial for the athlete when carbohydrates are deficient. On the other hand, weightlifters require muscle bulk, hence protein-rich diets are suggested for muscle repair. Athletes need to keep body fat percentage low.

Hydration is vital, which allows the body to function correctly. Endurance amount of exercise results in dehydration because of sweating and increased breathing rates.

Some instruction of habits like eating 45 minutes before any physical activities is a must.

After an exercise in an hour, athletes should start their diet to repair muscles and replace the energy shortage.

The essential maintenance calorie is 2000- 2200 to maintain weight; 200- 300 calories in a meal is needed for cutting muscle mass. The calculation of calories weekly is beneficial. Protein intake is a must in losing weight. A high intake of protein helps to burn calories.

Organizing meals before and after a workout is necessary and the basic demands of the athlete’s body. On the other hand, if someone has to go bulking, they need a surplus of 200- 300 calories more than maintenance calories. For example, if the maintenance calorie is 2200, he will start consuming 2600 calories according to weight and height. Here, the prominent role of diet manipulation is helping in cutting or bulking muscle mass.

Any bodybuilder participating in the competition increases carbohydrate intake before the event. It increases the amount of energy that athletes store in their muscles.

Advantages and disadvantages of diet manipulation
Diet manipulations have some advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

Low carbohydrate intake in diets is more accessible and can readily cause weight loss than in low-carb diet plans.

Diet manipulation helps in maintaining ideal body weight, and fast foods are prohibited.

A suggestion of a gluten-free diet if a person is not able to digest gluten, therefore it helps to maintain digestive health

A healthy and ideal lifestyle is achieved by the intake of proper dietary plans in routine.

Disadvantages:

Low carbohydrate in a diet without expert supervision for more than 12 weeks may result in nausea and fatigue.

Risk of developing gall stones, and they can be removed only through the surgical process.

It may be unhealthy to cut out high-fiber fruits and vegetables in the name of fewer carbohydrates as it will minimize nutritional value in the diet.

A gluten-free diet is not considered healthier because it is of less nutritional value.

Low-fat diets are not so recommendable as they do not directly help with weight loss. As some low-fat packed food contains extra flavor and ingredients which contain more number of calories.

Without a nutritionist and doctor’s assistance, diet manipulation can lead to malnutrition in the body and can cause weakness.