Exercise and Nutrition-essential Role in Supporting Fitness
Energy is required for the body to carry out daily activities, like exercising. Energy is derived from the metabolic process, which involves the breakdown of organic molecules. These organic molecules include sugars, that is, glucose and fats, and are found in the food one consumes. As such, the food a person consumes before and after exercising plays an important role in the results of the exercise. For example, many athletes consume carbohydrate-rich meals before their activities because glucose, the main energy source, is derived from carbohydrates (Whitney & Rolfes, 2011). Notably, after an intense exercising activity, the body will have depleted its glucose sources, and one must consume another carbohydrate-rich meal to restore the glucose used up. Examples of carbohydrate sources include oatmeal, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.
When the body has no glucose, it turns to its fat deposits for energy. Therefore, suppose a person is exercising to lose weight; they must ensure that the body uses its fat deposits for energy, not glucose. To do this, such an individual will stick to a diet with fewer carbohydrates and fats. This way, the body’s main energy source will be its fat deposits, and over time, they get depleted, leading to one losing weight. Notably, after exercise, nutrition choices for such a person will also include a low-fat diet because consuming high-fat diets will restore the depleted fat deposits, and no weight will be lost. Examples of such meals include vegetables, olive oil, and coconut oil, to name a few. Further, proteins are also important for exercise. Even though proteins are not a major source of energy in the body, they are essential for muscle protein synthesis, which leads to muscle growth and other lean body tissue growth (Whitney & Rolfes, 2011). Consuming proteins before exercising is not as important because, as mentioned above, they are not used for energy. However, after exercising, protein synthesis is accelerated because the body is in a protein-building mode to try and build the structures that the body requires as a result of exercise straining. Best examples of protein-rich meals include fish, eggs, chicken, salmon, and beans.
As mentioned before, energy is derived from organic substances like carbohydrates, fats, and sometimes proteins. Sometimes during exercise, especially long-lasting physical activity, the body’s deposits of glucose and fats can get depleted. At such a time, it is important that an individual consume foods and nutrients rich in these substances. This diet-specific consumption ensures that the body increases muscle glycogen deposits and delays the onset of fatigue (Peinado, Rojo-Tirado & Benito, 2013). Consuming carbohydrate and protein-rich foods after exercise ensures the depleted glucose is restored and that muscle protein synthesis takes place since the proteins are provided. Further, physical activity leads to sweating, and prolonged exercise with progressive water loss can lead to dehydration. To prevent this from occurring, one should consume a lot of water as well as electrolytes. The latter helps in retaining the fluids in the body during exercise, thereby preventing dehydration (Shirreffs & Sawka, 2013). Further uses of electrolytes include aiding in muscle contraction and regulating heartbeat (Shirreffs & Sawka, 2013), all of which are essential during exercise, particularly prolonged exercise.
An appropriate nutritional plan for a physically active person includes five ounces of grains, one and a half cups of vegetables, one and a half cups of fruits, two and a half cups of dairy, and four ounces of proteins daily. Besides, oil should be limited to four teaspoons, sodium about 2300 mg a day, and about 120 calories daily. However, the calories should be taken in accordance with one’s weight. Assuming that the physical activity is equivalent to running about fifteen miles a day, approximately 1800 kcalories are required. Food intake depends on a person’s weight, so one should first record their weight and compare that with the recommended food intake for a person their weight.
References
Peinado, A. B., Rojo-Tirado, M. A., & Benito, P. J. (2013). Sugar and physical exercise; the importance of sugar for athletes. Nutr Hosp, 28(Suppl 4), 48-56.
Shirreffs, S. M., & Sawka, M. N. (2013). Fluid and electrolyte needs for training, competition, and recovery. In Food, Nutrition and Sports Performance III (pp. 47-54). Routledge.
Whitney, E., & Rolfes, S. R. (2011). Peggy Williams, ed. Understanding Nutrition.
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Question 
Nutrition plays an essential role in supporting fitness and exercise. If you increase your level of physical activity, your need for nutrients and calories will also increase. In addition, the foods you eat before and after you exercise will have an impact on your performance during the physical activity and on your recovery afterward.
Exercise and Nutrition-essential Role in Supporting Fitness
Perform some library research, and in a 2 page paper written in APA format using proper spelling/grammar, address the following:
Describe the importance of pre- and post-exercise nutrition choices. Provide examples of foods that are appropriate selections for each category.
Explain how foods and nutrients (including fluids and electrolytes) help improve a person’s performance during physical activity and their recovery afterward.
Consider your responses to items 1 and 2 above, and suggest an appropriate nutritional plan for a physically active person. Be sure to explain what the person should consume in an average day to support their caloric and nutritional needs.
Cite at least 2 credible references and present the resources in APA format on the References page.