Introduction
Excess body fat will adversely affect performance in sports where the body is propelled vertically or horizontally. Dietary measures can assist with achieving optimal body fat levels, along with exercise, psychology and a positive attitude.
About
Body shape and size is determined by a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. While it is possible to alter body fat and muscle components to a certain degree by manipulating exercise and diet, it is important that realistic goals are set. A sportsperson should be encouraged to pursue sports suited to their body type and skills.
Assessing body shape
There are a variety of techniques available to assess body composition, including weighing, skinfold measurements, underwater weighing, bioelectrical impedence, and DEXA (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry). The only truly accurate way of assessing body composition requires the subject to be dead and this is obviously impractical! Other methods such as bioelectrical impedence and DEXA are not practical for routine monitoring due to costs and inherent errors. A combination of weighing, skinfold and girth measurements is the most practical field measurement for assessing a sportsperson's relative proportions of muscle and fat and for monitoring changes over a period of time. Any sportsperson concerned about body fat levels should be encouraged to have a professional assessment by a sports dietitian or exercise physiologist.
LOSING IT
The key to successful body fat loss is to lose fat without losing fitness. This means aiming for a dietary intake that meets carbohydrate and nutrient needs but allows the body to utilise some of its excess fat stores. There are no magic pills or potions for healthy and long-term body fat loss, just some simple commonsense guidelines.
GOOD FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Spread food intake over the day and avoid a starve/binge style of eating. Eating more food regularly during the day when it is required for fuel and less at night when it is not needed, helps develop an efficient metabolism, control appetite and promotes high energy levels. A good breakfast is particularly important and skipping meals may cause blood sugar levels to drop leading to cravings for sugary carbohydrates.
- TRIM THE FAT: Fat is the most energy dense of all the nutrients and is stored quite readily as body fat. Whilst fat is needed in the diet, excess amounts can contribute to high body fat levels. Most people trying to lose body fat should aim for a daily fat intake of less than 40 to 60 grams/ day. This can be achieved by limiting added fats such as butter/margarine, mayonnaise, oils, creamy sauces, fried foods, chocolate and pastries and choosing low fat dairy foods, lean meats and skinless poultry. (See the Fat Counter topic for further information).
- FILL UP ON HEALTHY CARBOHYDRATE-RICH FOODS, particularly those that are also high in fibre. Foods such as multigrain bread, pasta, brown rice, fresh fruit, legumes (beans, peas, lentils etc), vegetables, and wholegrain cereals are low in kilojoules/calories and fat and provide essential fuel to exercising muscles.
- DON'T DIET: Rigid low energy diets can be very detrimental to long-term weight control. Extreme dieting behaviour adversely affects metabolism, may lead to nutritional deficiencies and can be psychologically destructive. A positive approach to healthy eating incorporating a wide range of foods and appropriate exercise will have greater long-term success.
- TRAIN EFFECTIVELY: To keep body fat levels in check, the right balance of aerobic and anaerobic exercise is important. Speak to an exercise physiologist, physical educator or coach about an appropriate programme.
- BE REALISTIC: The most fat that can be safely lost in a week is approximately 1 kg. Losses of weight beyond this probably indicate loss of fluid and possibly muscle. Slow loss of body fat generally means longer maintenance of the loss. It is also important to remember that genetics play a large part in determining body shape and size and body fat levels are regulated by a number of factors, not simply by diet and exercise. Be realistic in what you can achieve and recognize that there are more factors to performance than simply low body fat levels. A healthy self-esteem is most important and recognizing that there are a range of body fat levels that are healthy and consistent with optimal fitness, is essential.
FAT COUNTER
If you are trying to lose body fat, you should be aiming for less fat in the diet than 40 grams/day on average. See the Fat Counter topic for the average fat content of a list of common foods. Use this guide to determine your daily fat intake.
Support
All information has been compiled by Lorna Garden, leading Sports Dietitian.
For further information or individual advice, contact Sports Dietitians Australia on (03) 9682 2442 for a referral to your nearest Sports Dietitian.
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