Training for Health, Fitness and Sport Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Training for Health, Fitness and Sport - Essay Example Moreover, endogenous and exogenous fuels for energy production are considerably dissimilar. Aerobic exercise lasts for a relatively long period and involves the working of the heart and lungs. Dubbed as endurance exercises, it implies that it lasts for a long time. The type of race the cyclists specialize in is categorized as endurance and therefore aerobic. It would therefore, be important to consider the efficiency of their heart and lungs in taking the oxygen and conveying it to the muscles, that is, their aerobic fitness. The cyclists would derive energy from aerobic energy systems or metabolism. The aerobic system is quite slow in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Energy requirements and intake of macronutrients varies across gender and sports. This paper is a report, which discusses factors that affect exercise performance based on empirical evidence. The paper will also discuss the nutritional requirements of five cyclists and the importance of macronutrients and micronu trients according to the specific demand of each track-cycling event. The relevance of participation and development in the success and performance will be discussed. Macro and micro nutrients functions and sources Macronutrients in foods provide a rich source of energy and they include carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Sources of simple carbohydrates include fruits, dairy produce, confectionery, soft drinks, and cakes and biscuits. Sources of complex carbohydrates include rice, wheat, oats, corns, vegetables, and pulses. Wheat products such as bread, pastry, pasta, and biscuits provide rich sources of complex carbohydrates. Sources of proteins include eggs, poultry, dairy products, cereals, wheat, rice, oats, meat and fish. Sources of fat include dairy products, oils, cakes, confectionery, and meat. Micronutrients include vitamin and minerals. They do not provide energy although perform key functions. Foods rich in vitamin include vegetables, nuts, fish, seeds, bran, whole grains, beans, and legumes. Water is also required in addition to macronutrients and micronutrients. Endurance cyclists are involved in aerobic exercise, which entails use of oxygen. Oxygen tends to have adverse effects on the body including increasing chances of contracting certain cancers and heart diseases. Antioxidants tend to nullify such adverse effects on the body. The antioxidants such as Vitamin A, C, and E, and some minerals such as zinc and selenium are obtained from fruits and vegetables. Water is also important in diet (Donnelly 2008). Dunford and Doyle (2008) observed that dietary supplements that contain vitamins, amino acids, and minerals would have less significant impact on exercise performance. Ergogenic supplements having the necessary vitamins, proteins and minerals would therefore, be more appropriate. Importance of the nutrients to cyclists and their specific needs concerning physical demands of sport cycling Nutrition is an important extrinsic factor that influences physical training and recovery. Endurance cyclists train for endurance, power, and strength (Seebohar n.d). Donnelly (2008) observed that dietary proteins provide rich source of energy, which is necessary for preserving body’s basal metabolic processes. Proteins provide amino acids that are necessary for the production of broad range of proteins vital for the body functions. Petrie, Stover, & Horswill (2004) indicated that intense and constant exercise tends to increase daily protein demands for adult cyclists. Heavy training coupled