All living things were created in such a way, a unique one that they cannot live without food since they will starve off, be malnourished and finally kick off the bucket. One important aspect one should remember while talking about food is water. It is a very essential aspect when it comes to its consumption in the body of any living thing. With the lack of water in any diet, one becomes dehydrated and weak and can easily die. Tell me of anything as long as its living, which does not require food and water, since they are basic needs and I will show you many of which have starved to death due to lack of food and water. There is still need for discipline in the consumption of food in ones body because it can harm when it is abused. This paper, based on Meggan’s experience as a soccer player who trains almost daily, tends to point out the kind of food that needs to be consumed for the effective functioning of the body.
Food entails the broad categories of carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, fats not forgetting water. The intake of large amounts of carbohydrates was essential for Megan in the sense that they give power and energy to the muscles. The carbohydrates are further divided into complex and simple (Heintz, para. 3). Complex carbohydrates are broken up once consumed, taking a relatively long time, and they are essential in providing energy for endurance activities while the Simple carbohydrates are broken down quiet easily and within a short span of time. Since Megan was carrying out her exercises almost daily, she could not have reduced the intake of carbohydrates from 65% to 40% of calories. Research clearly shows that as long as one is exercising, his intake of carbohydrates should not be something to worry about since all are broken down and effectively absorbed by the body. This is one of the reasons she is being exhausted much quickly than before, when she was consuming relatively large amounts of calories. Therefore, an intake of large amounts of carbohydrates is recommended for quick energy bursts (English, para. 5).
Sports like soccer mostly involve short periods of thorough exercise followed by recovery periods, which are done at times of rest. During the time of thorough exercise, the carbohydrates in the body are broken down to glycogen and as the exercise persists, the rate at which glycogen is absorbed and utilized by the muscles through glycogenolysis, decreases rapidly, which further increases the rate of aerobic metabolism. This is observed at times of panting during or immediately after an exercise (Food Agricultural Organization FAO, para. 9). Furthermore, carbohydrates are a source of fuel for the muscles. The carbohydrates present in the body are broken down to glycogen and glucose. Whereas glycogen is stored in the muscles, glucose is stored in the bloodstream. During an exercise, glycogen in the muscles is utilized more effectively than the glucose in the bloodstream. The glycogen is effective for energy provision during a thorough long time exercise and one is able to endure an exercise. The decrease in the level of carbohydrate intake by Meggan contributed in her early exhaustions. This was so because the level of glycogen in her muscles and glucose in her bloodstream had been greatly reduced leading to reduced power of her muscles and therefore she could not withstand the long time exercise and game. It is of great importance that instead of her reducing the level of carbohydrate, she could have increased it (RawFoodExplainaed, para. 7).
Meggan, being a soccer player meant that she burnt more calories than any other person who does not exercise and in return, she needed to consume more of them in order to maintain its high level (Perrie, para. 3). The fact that calories are not available in all types of food, she needed to take in more carbohydrates since they are the main source of calories. She could have even taken carbohydrate-rich food a short time before exercising. This is effective for preparation of the body for exercise and gives the muscles extra energy for the work ahead. Thus, Meggan could not have been exhausted before the exercise or the game was over (Holcomb, para.4)
In conclusion, experts say that it is of great importance to exactly know what to take and at what time. One is not expected to take too much of carbohydrates when he/she is not practicing since they may accumulate too much in the body to become toxic in the end just as an athlete is not supposed to take little amounts of carbohydrates. Therefore, learning from experts and perfect physiologists, it is good if we take the right diet at the right time in order to avoid disappointments.
References List
English, J. (2008). Running advice and news. Web.
FAO. (n.d.). corporate documentary repository. 2010. Web.
Heintz, K. (2006). Food for Fuel. Web.
Holcomb, J. (n.d.). Sports nutrition: the importance of a high carb diet. 2010. Web.
Perrier, L. (2007). Smart Carbohydrates for Athletes. Web.
RawFoodExplained.com. (2010). Fuel for the Human Body. Web.