NUTRITION

TOOL-KIT
Parker Kennedy

EPHE 455 | UNIV ERSITY OF V ICTORIA

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Table of Contents

Carbohydrates……………………………………………………………3

Fats………………………………………………………………………….4

Protein……………………………………………………………………..5

Supplements………………………………………………………………6

Eating for Weight Loss………………………………………………….7

Water Intake………………………………………………………………8
Cooking for Health……………………………………………………....8

High Performance Nutrition……………………………………………9

References…………………………………………………………………
10

Appendix A…………………………………………………………………11

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the preferred source of fuel for the central nervous system. Carbohydrates can be classified by

their glycemic index (GI).

§ Foods with a higher GI are digested and absorbed faster than foods with a low GI
§ There are several benefits of consuming foods with a low GI

§ Reduced levels of cholesterol and triglycerides
§ Increases levels of high-density lipoproteins (helps lower cholesterol)
§ Decreases risk of type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and heart disease

The Recommended Daily Allowance of
Carbohydrates in Canada is 130g per day
§ Carbohydrates should make up 45-65%
of your daily calorie intake



Carbohydrates
45-65%






Many sources of carbohydrates are rich in fiber.
§ Fiber can reduce the risk of colon cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes
§ Increased fiber intake can enhance weight loss
§ Also helps decrease the risks of hemorrhoids, constipation and diverticulosis (Dahl & Stewart 2015)

Fruits and Vegetables are great sources of carbohydrates and fiber.
§ Consuming fruits and vegetables can provide increases in motivation, decrease depression and anxiety and
increase happiness and life satisfaction (Conner, Brookie, Carr, Mainvil, & Vissers, 2017)

The recommended daily intake of fiber is 38g per day for men, and 25g per day for women.

Fats

There is a lot of misinformation about fats in the media. Fats are not
“bad” for you and are needed for many biological functions.

Fats should make up 20-35% of your macronutrient distribution.
It is important to know what types of fat you are consuming.
There are two types of fats; saturated fats (solid form) and
unsaturated fats (liquid form). Fats
20-35%

When consuming fats, it is important to prioritize consuming
omega-3 fatty acids over omega-6 fatty acids.
§ Omega-6 fats are linked to cardiovascular disease, cancers
§ Sources of omega-6 are; sunflower oil, canola oil, peanut oil
Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids are;
§ Fish
§ Flax Seeds

It is important to remember that many low fat items will typically contain more sugar. High-fructose corn syrup
is typically added in the place of fat to help with test. High-fructose corn syrup is linked to many adverse health
effects.

Trans Fats
Trans fats are a form of unsaturated fat in meats, dairy and highly processed foods. Artificial trans fats are found
in processed food and are hazardous to your health. By limiting your intake of processed foods, you can
significantly decrease your risk of heart disease and cholesterol build up.

Keto Diet
The keto diet has become popular recently as a ‘fad’ diet to lose weight quickly. The modern model of the keto
diet is made up of 60-70% fat, 20-25% carbohydrates and 15-25% protein. The keto diet lacks many of the
minerals and vitamins typically found in carbohydrates. Because the keto diet was previously used as an epilepsy
treatment in the 1960s, the side effects are well known. Side effects include; hyperlipidemia, coronary artery
disease, growth failure, gastrointestinal disorders and nephrolithiasis (Bergqvist, 2012). It is important to note
that the most efficient way to lose weight is by a small calorie reduction in combination with exercise and a well-
balanced healthy diet.

Protein
Proteins are required in the body for the building and maintenance of tendons, ligaments, muscles and most
tissues of the body. Proteins are also important for many processes within the body such as cell signaling,
transport and cell receptors. On average, you synthesize 200-500g of protein every day! In your life span you will
synthesize approximately 10,000 kg of protein.

The amount of protein you should consume each day will depend on your
objective. The AMDR recommends that 10-35% of your macronutrient
consumption should be from protein (“Dietary Reference Intakes - Canada.ca,” n.d.).

In order to achieve high quality weight-gain or weight-loss it is important Things that can affect
that you are consuming enough protein to prevent skeletal muscle protein intake
breakdown. recommendations
§ Age
Weight-Loss § Physical Activity
Consuming 1.6-2.4g of protein per kilogram is shown to § Amounts
§ Timing
result in minimized skeletal muscle mass loss, and maximum fat loss
§ Quality

§ Co-ingestion
Weight-Gain § Other factors (SES)
Optimal intake is 1.6 g per kg a day
Results in optimal protein synthesis rates (can consume up to 2.2 but not optimal)

Protein Timing
Refer to the high-performance nutrition section for more information on this

Meats
Good source of iron but can be high in fat (red and dark meats) 20g Protein Sources
Contain little sources of other nutrients

Vegan Protein Sources
Vegan protein sources can provide protein for a low price,
but are often incomplete protein sources. It is important to
supplement vegan protein sources to make a complete protein
sources (must have all 9 essential amino acids). Examples of this are;
beans and rice, peanut butter and whole wheat bread, and
macaroni and cheese.

Supplements
There is little evidence to prove that most supplements provide any performance benefits, recovery benefits, or
help with body weight or body composition. Many supplements are falsely advertised, have no process to prove
effects, and may be contaminated with banned substances, fillers and substitutes. All athletes who use
supplements must weigh the risks against the advantages before consuming. There are five supplements that the
research has shown to provide significant performance benefits. They are; caffeine, creatine, nitrate, beta-alanine
and sodium bicarbonate (Maughan et al., 2018).
.
Caffeine
§ Caffeine is a stimulant that affects metabolic and psychological processes. It is generally safe but
moderation is recommend (1-2 cups of coffee per day)
§ Caffeine can increase lipolysis (fat burning), excitability of muscle fibers (increased strength), and signal
transduction from brain to motor neurons (improved reflexes)
§ Side effects include; sleep deprivation, twitching, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, dehydration and
frequent urination
Creatine
§ Can provide greater gains in lean muscle mass, strength and power. Enhances performance during
repeated high intensity exercise
§ Consume 20g/day (4 equal doses for 5-7 days) for loading phase. After 3-5g/day (single dose) for
maintenance
§ No known negative side effects
Nitrate
§ Improvements of 4-25% of time to exhaustion in activities lasting less than 40 minutes
§ 310-560 mg 2-3 hours before exercise
§ Can provoke gastrointestinal irritation
§ Performance gains are harder to see in highly trained athletes
Beta-alanine
§ Naturally found in many foods (especially “white” poultry and fish)
§ Has positive effects of sustained high-intensity exercise - can prevent muscle fatigue.
§ Recommended dose is 0.8-1.6g every 3-4 hours over a 10-12-week time frame
§ Side effects include skin rashes and/or transient paraesthesia
Sodium Bicarbonate
§ Improves performance of short high-intensity sprints of approximately 60s
§ Single 0.2-0.4g/kg of body mass consumed 60-150 mins before exercise
§ May cause gastrointestinal distress
Protein Powders
§ Protein powders can be an effective way for reaching your daily protein goals. Protein powder should not
be used in place of whole foods, but can be a great addition to oatmeal, smoothies and baked goods
§ As with other supplements, athletes need to be aware of the risks associated with consuming

Eating For Weight Loss

In order to lose weight, you must expend more calories than you eat. Different macronutrients contain
different amounts of calories. Carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram, fat contains 9 calories
per gram, and alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. That’s why high fat dishes like pastas can contain upwards
of 2000 calories.

When trying to determine how many calories you must eat to lose weight, you must first calculate your resting
metabolic rate (RMR). You’re RMR could be described as the amount of calories you would burn sitting upright
in bed watching Netflix all day! Several things affect RMR such as; body size, body composition, age and sex.
Once you calculate your RMR it must be added to the calories you burn through physical activity, plus the
thermic effect of food. If your confused thus far, don’t worry, there are equations for all of it located in
appendix A. Feel free to ask for help if you have any questions.

Once you have determined how many calories you burn per day on average, you need to decide how much
weight you want to lose per week. Because one pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories, you must eat 500
calories less than you burn per day in order to lose one pound per week (500 calories/day x 7 days per week =
3500 calories).

According to the ACSM weight loss guidelines, weight loss should be achieved through;
§ A well balanced diet
§ Weight loss should not exceed 2 pounds per week
§ No more than a deficit of 100 calories per day
§ You must eat a minimum of 1200 calories per day
§ 3 meals per day minimum, more is better


While losing weight you should strive to be active for at least 60 minutes per day and to eat at least five times
per day. Each meal should contain protein and fiber to slow your gastric emptying rate (this will keep you full
longer).

When counting calories, it is important to use a scale to weigh your food. It is difficult to be accurate using
measuring cups as certain foods will pack differently. Under-reporting your calories could be the reason you
are not losing any weight.

Water Intakes
How much water should you be drinking per day? For sedentary males it is recommended to consume 3.7L of water
per day. For sedentary females it is recommended to consume 2.7L per day. Both these numbers increase with
exercise as water loss can increase by more than 50% with exercise. When exercising longer than 60 minutes at a
time it is important to consume approximately 125-250ml of water every 15 minutes (Sawka et al., 2007).

Can you drink too much water? Exercise induced hyponatremia (EAH) occurs when there are abnormal levels of
sodium in the blood. It is often referred to as water intoxication(Almond et al., 2005).
People who are at a higher risk of EAH typically;

§ Consume excessive fluid before, during, or after event § Have a low body weight
§ Gain considerable amount of weight over the event § Are poorly trained
§ Are slow finishers § Have a high rate of sweat loss
§ Females


It is important for high-level and endurance athletes to determine their individual sweat loss rates to ensure they
rehydrate properly.

After long strenuous exercise it is important to rehydrate with drinks that include sodium. This can be in the form of
a custom made or branded sports drink. You can also consume water and get your salt from an accompany snack.

Cooking For Health
Although many dads love to cook food on the BBQ, grilling is not a great way to be cooking your food. The
healthiest way to cook your food is by lightly steaming in the microwave in the absence of plastic. When you cook
your meats (beef, pork, fish, poultry) using high-temperature methods, such as pan frying or grilling directly over
an open flame, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are created. Although
only shown in animal models, there appears to be a link between HCAs, PAHs and cancer (“Chemicals in Meat
Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk - National Cancer Institute,” n.d.).

Several ways to avoid HCA and PAH formation when cooking your food are;
§ Avoid direct exposure to flame or long cooking times
§ Use microwave oven first before cooking to reduce cooking times
§ Continually turning meat over while cooking
§ Scrape off any burnt or charred sections on the meat

High-Performance Nutrition
When eating before an event it is important to consider the rate of gastric emptying. Certain foods will slow or
speed up the rate of emptying. Things that can affect the rate are;
§ Volume of drink
§ Energy density of drink (Slower)
§ Temperature (Slower)
§ Fat, carbohydrate and protein content
§ Particle size
Smoothies are a great way to get the nutrients required before an event without feeling full and sluggish during
due to a full stomach.

Carbohydrate Timing and Loading
§ Experiment before race day consider days, hours, during and after
§ Slowly increase carbohydrate intake leading up to event (8-10g per kg)
Have large meal 3-5 hours before exercising
§ (4-5g of carbohydrates per kg of BM)
1 hour before
§ 1-2g of carbohydrates per kg of BM (Focus on Low GI foods to prevent blood sugar spike)
Immediately before
§ Mixed reviews –find what works for you
During Exercise
§ 60-90 g/hr of mixed CHO
After Exercise
§ Important to consume CHO within the first hour after high intensity exercise to promote muscle glycogen
resynthesis

Protein Sources and Timing
Consuming Foods high in leucine is shown to promote muscle protein synthesis.
§ Chicken, beef, fish, dairy, eggs, soy, legumes.

It is important consume approximately 20-35g of protein every 3-4 hours to prevent muscle protein breakdown.
• Small snacks in between larger meals can continue to keep muscle protein synthesis rates optimal
• ex. Apple and 10 almonds

References

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References

Almond, C. S. D., Shin, A. Y., Fortescue, E. B., Mannix, R. C., Wypij, D., Binstadt, B. A., …
Greenes, D. S. (2005). Hyponatremia among runners in the Boston marathon. New
England Journal of Medicine, 352(15). https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa043901

Bergqvist, A. G. C. (2012). Long-term monitoring of the ketogenic diet: Do’s and Don’ts.
Epilepsy Research, 100(3), 261–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2011.05.020

Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk - National Cancer Institute.
(n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2020, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-
prevention/risk/diet/cooked-meats-fact-sheet

Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Carr, A. C., Mainvil, L. A., & Vissers, M. C. M. (2017). Let them eat
fruit! The effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological well-being in
young adults: A randomized controlled trial. PLOS ONE, 12(2), e0171206.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171206

Dahl, W. J., & Stewart, M. L. (2015). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
Health Implications of Dietary Fiber. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,
115(11), 1861–1870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.09.003

Dietary Reference Intakes - Canada.ca. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2020, from
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/healthy-
eating/dietary-reference-intakes/tables/reference-values-macronutrients-dietary-
reference-intakes-tables-2005.html

Maughan, R. J., Burke, L. M., Dvorak, J., Larson-Meyer, D. E., Peeling, P., Phillips, S. M., …
Engebretsen, L. (2018). IOC consensus statement: Dietary supplements and the high-
performance athlete. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism,
28(2), 104–125. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0020

Mulligan, G. (Spring, 2020). EPHE 455:Nutrition for exercise and health [PowerPoint slides].
Coursespaces. https://coursespaces.uvic.ca/course/view.php?id=73856

Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S.
(2007, February). Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597

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Appendix A















Figure 1. Use the above calculations to determine your daily total energy expenditure.















Figure 2. Use the above PA values for the equations in figure 1.