The Science of Strength Training - Part 3
Good nutrition is a crucial part of a strength training program. Training with weights creates the stimulus; your diet provides the raw materials for building muscle. Eating the right foods will increase your energy levels, maximize your gains in the gym and improve your health. It will also provide the fuel and fluids needed for intense training, speed up your recovery after training, reduce fatigue and help achieve a healthy body composition.
Nutrition for Strength Training
Fats
Athletes should consume 15-30% of their calories from fat. Eating too little fat puts you at risk of a deficient intake of ‘fat-soluble vitamins’ A, D and E, and essential fatty acids (EFA’s).
Essential fats
The two essential fatty acids – linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic – are vital to your health and cannot be made in the body. When you eat linolenic acid, the body converts it into a number of other fatty acids, including gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and decosapentanoic acid (DPA). Linoleic acid and its derivative fatty acids are called omega-6 fatty acids. When you eat alpha-linolenic acid, your body converts it into eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and decosahexanoic acid (DHA), and these are called omega-3 fatty acids.
How much?
There is no RDA for essential fatty acids, although the government advises eating at least one portion of oily fish per week, which will provide around 2-3 grams EPA and DHA. A separate recommendation of 0.65 grams EPA and DHA/day has also been made. Aim to eat one to two portions of oily fish (sardines, salmon, mackerel) a week or one tablespoon of an omega-3-rich oil (e.g. walnut, flaxseed, rapeseed, pumpkin seed) daily.
For good health and performance you need to consume a balance of omega-3’s and omega-6 – at least 1 gram omega 3 for every 5 grams of omega-6. Most people currently consume too much omega-6 and too little omega-3’s. Many experts believe that it is this imbalance of omega-3’s to omega-6’s that contribute to many health problems, such as heart disease, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis and pain, even slow post workout recovery.
Omega-3 and exercise
There is mounting evidence to suggest that consuming more omega-3 may reduce inflammation, pain and joint stiffness, and speed up post workout recovery. It may also enhance aerobic performance by optimizing oxygen delivery to your cells, reducing blood viscosity and making red cell membranes more flexible.
Which foods?
Oily fish – such as mackerel, pilchards, trout, salmon, herring and sardines – is the richest source of omega-3. However, alpha-linolenic acid (the precursor to EPA and DHA) is also found in other foods – like sweet potatoes, walnuts, almonds, rapeseed oil, walnut oil, soya oil, flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, chicken and beef. Alternatively, supplements and foods fortified with omega-3 (e.g. omega-3-enriched eggs, margarine and bread) can also help your intake. Supplement with 2 x 1000mg omega-3 and 6 once to twice a day and you should be well within your RDA.