1. Exercising regularly is good for health. However, one should not be erratic about it i.e. one should have a plan and stick to it. Fitness also includes the food intake. One should have a balanced diet that gives all nutrients in the correct proportion. Exercise and food together lead to a healthy body. At times an overweight person will not be prepared to expose himself to others in a fitness centre. However, one should realise that it is to change this very situation that one need to keep oneself fit. As a result, one becomes more confident about one’s own appearance as one becomes fitter.
2. A healthy diet could help in recovering faster when one falls sick. It may prevent diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The risk of developing some types of cancers can also be reduced. If one is obese or overweight, then he/she can follow a healthy diet. According to the Mental Health Foundation, UK, there is increasing evidence that diet and mental health are linked. Food is the causative factor for many mental diseases. Nevertheless, it can be used to control and prevent diseases such as depression, Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia etc. For a feeling of wellbeing, the diet should include vitamins, complex carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals, essential fats, water etc.
3.
An overweight client wanting to lose 20kg: can do so by maintaining a diet of 1500 calories per day for 12 weeks and exercising for 1 hour 6 days per week. Alternatively, a two hour exercise routine for a thrice a week programme could also be prepared.
A client who would like to build muscle: can do so if the right diet which is sufficient calories and exercise conditions i.e. the muscle conditioning exist. The approximate value would be in the range of 50 to 250 grams of muscle per week where the lower values of the scale are suitable for women and the higher levels would be apt for men.
4.
a) Obesity – The likelihood of obesity is higher if one consumes a diet that is dense in energy and/or has very less micronutrients. Similarly lack of breast feeding of infants i.e reliance on baby foods alone also could lead to obesity. Hence, one can reduce the fat intake to reduce the energy intake. Foods with lot of water content can give a person a feeling of fullness which prevents the craving for more food.
b) Diabetes – When one consumes too much sugar for a long period of time, there could be resistance to the insulin hormone which is needed to remove the sugar in the bloodstream. This resistance cause diabetes. Hence, one should try to reduce (if not avoid) food that contains added sugar for e.g. most of the fast food varieties.
5. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is the industry body that is entrusted with publishing the present Australian Dietary Guidelines.
6. The Australian Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) website gives information regarding health issues for e.g. the Australian Dietary Guidelines provides
1. Various guidelines relating to health for e.g. educator guides who coach clients which can include fitness professionals etc., indigenous guides for the aborigine population etc.
2. Various posters and brochures regarding issues of health. Poster and brochures can be downloaded and printed so that they can be used as promotional and awareness material in various parts of the country to spread the concept of healthy living.
3. Documents containing background information for diet related issues. These contain public consultation reports, reviews and modelling systems which form the basis for creating the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
7. There are five main food groups for which the Australian Dietary Guidelines are as follows
a) Breads & Cereals: 4 to 6 servings are mostly required every day. High fibre in these foods can provide vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, and fibre
b) Vegetables: 4 to 7 servings of vegetables would be suitable each day. A variety of different vegetables is needed to obtain vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and carbohydrates.
c) Fruit: 2 to 3 servings of fruit every day would be sufficient. One should eat a variety of fruits to obtain the same nutrients as in vegetables.
d) Dairy and Dairy Alternatives: 2 or 3 servings of dairy food that is low in fat and is high in calcium on most days would be suitable. Such foods provide calcium, protein and zinc.
e) Meats and Meat Alternatives: 1 or 1 ½ servings on most days would be suitable. Since meat is nutritious, consuming too much meat could mean that other healthy foods will have to be avoided.
8. A balanced diet implies that one enjoys a variety of food in portions according to one’s age, size, gender, and the level of physical activity. Hence, there is a balance between the food consumed and the energy expended due to physical activity. When the food consumed is in excess of the energy expended, the additional energy is stored as fat, which in excess leads to obesity and its health consequences.
9. Carbohydrates are the main energy source in the body. If the body has enough carbohydrates, proteins can be diverted to maintain muscles. They are needed for many of the metabolic processes in the body. Half a cup of raw oats or 3 slices of bread or 2 to three pieces of apple are examples of foods containing 50 gm of carbohydrates.
They are of two types viz. starches, which are found in breads, grains and starchy vegetables, and sugars which are available in milk, fruit, honey and processed sugars such as sugar cane etc. Sugars are also included in various processed foods such as ice cream, cakes, sweet buns, biscuits etc.
Legumes such as beans and long grain rice are examples of low and moderate GI carbohydrates. On the other hand, white bread and honey are examples of high GI carbohydrates.
10. Protein is a significant nutrient which is needed for muscle growth. It provides the nutrients to the muscles to react to resistance training, by increasing muscles and making them strong. It is also required to repair muscles and to recover from hard training. People training in weights for instance are always advised to eat a protein rich diet.
11. Proteins are needed for
a) the movement of muscles i.e. contracting muscles. Muscle degeneration can occur if proper intake of protein is not provided to the body.
b) and the growth and maintenance of cells. A deficiency of proteins can impair the generation of new cells in the body.
12. Those foods that contain all the Essential Amino Acids (EAA) in the correct ratios required for growth are called high quality or complete proteins. Two examples would be meat and fish.
13. Fats, also known as lipids are of two types viz. stored fat which already exists in the body and dietary fat which is what one consumes. Fat is a source of reserve energy source for low intensity exercise. Dietary fat is of four types viz. monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats. Of these the first two are healthy and the last two are unhealthy.
14.
1. Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are considered healthy and can be included in the diet. Two examples would be olives and nuts.
2. Polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats are healthy in their natural state. Two examples would be vegetables and oily fish. Both contain fatty acids which the body cannot create.
3. Saturated fats
Saturated fats are available in every animal product. Examples would be full fat milk and the visible fat in meat. Too much of saturated fats in the diet leads to cholesterol which is dangerous for health.
4. Tran’s fats
Tran’s fats are man made and hence are also known as processed fat. They are created when oils are heated at high temperatures. They are dangerous for health. Two examples would be margarine and hydrogenated oils.
15. Fitness professionals can only provide nutritional advice that is within the specifications of the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Clients who have any medical condition are strictly not to be advised in this respect by the fitness professionals who can only recommend in general and that too only to those who have no medical condition or complication of any kind. Hence, exercise instructors must refer clients who have medical concerns to allied health professionals only when the issue is outside their area of expertise. A particular medical condition cannot be managed just in term of nutrition; rather it must be handled holistically. The overall health and wellbeing of the client in the long run is of utmost importance.
Dieticians and/or nutritionists can care more effectively and holistically for the nutritional requirements and medical support needed by the client than fitness professionals. Hence, medical advice from GPs or nutritionists or dieticians should then be included with that of fitness experts in relation to the medical condition of the client to create a well-rounded solution for the client which can mitigate his problem.
16. If any client requires more information than is prescribed in the Australia Dietary Guidelines, then the fitness professional should refer them to a General Practitioner (GP) or a dietician. This is especially true if the client has already visited such an expert previously. It should be noted that a long as a client has not consulted a dietician before; it is always advisable to refer the client first to a general practitioner. The client’s GP should always be aware of the client’s physical and mental health along with any special requirements. Further referrals can be taken care of by the GP. The Allied Health Professionals, specifically Accredited Practising Dieticians, Accredited Sports Dieticians and/or General Practitioners have a role to play when clients have specific dietary requirements. These professionals should be consulted in such cases or when the client needs support relating to positive attitudes to eating. The allied health professionals should provide the support and individual/customised guidance that the clients require.
17. Social factors and cultural practices impact to a great extent what people eat, and the foods they prefer. One should gain a basic knowledge of the food habits and practices of the communities where one works. This can help one reinforce the positive habits, and potentially make clients aware of any negative ones. By and large, the diet in most cultures across the world is wholesome. Even where there are minor unhealthy aspects, these can easily be modified without creating any major upheavals to the food habits of people.
18. Religion shapes the food habits of its followers. For instance Islam and Judaism consider the pig to be a polluting animal. Hence, Muslims and Jews do not consume pork. On the other hand, Hindus do not eat beef as they consider the cow as a holy animal. Moreover, some Hindus are purely vegetarian. Jainism, a religion in India strongly believes in non-violence and hence, Jains are strictly vegetarian. Hindus on the other hand are predominantly vegetarian.
19.
Teenager guidelines
Following dietary trends guidelines
Older adult refer
Fad dieter guidelines
Pregnant refer
Wants nutritional supplements refer
Overweight guidelines
Requires sports foods refer
Desires ergogenic aids refer
Beginner guidelines
20. Metabolism refers to the several chemical processes going on continuously inside the body that allow life and normal functioning. It affects the amount of kilojoules one’s body burns at any given time. If the body uses fat for energy, then it should necessarily have more oxygen to meet the demand for oxygen. In case of intense exercise, carbohydrates can be used next. If carbohydrates too are exhausted, the intensity of the exercise should be reduced. Protein may contribute up to 18% of the requirement for total energy in case of prolonged activity.
21. One’s metabolic rate i.e. how quickly the body burns kilojoules is influenced by many factors such as age, gender, muscle-to-fat ratio, amount of physical activity and hormone function. The metabolism slows down in older people in comparison to children and the youth. The rate for men is usually more than it is for women. A person with lean mass will have a faster rate than one with more fat. Active people tend to have a faster rate than those with a sedentary lifestyle. Sometime, hormone imbalance can slow down the metabolic rate by causing fat to be burnt slower than the normal rate.
22. From childhood, one is taught to eat what is in one’s plate and not to leave anything behind. The solution for this is to inform clients to tart with smaller plates. Hence, the quantity served would be smaller than if it were to be in larger plates. This can reduce the portions consumed. Alternatively, one can serve all that one require from the kitchen rather than serve oneself from the table. If this were the case, one would end up eating more portions. Even if one start with lesser food in the plate, one could get tempted to eat more when one sees the food on the table. One may unconsciously serve oneself more due to the habit of serving again. Another method would be to avoid routes where one encounters food joints.
References
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Government, Australian Dietary Guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/
Fitness Case Studies
1. Jill
Jill should burn fat and not mass. Since she goes to the gym, she needs more protein intake (Maffetone, 2012, p. 92). One must maintain the present levels of strength and bring down how often or how much one trains. The meals that one eats before and after working out are significant. However, the calories should not be brought down drastically. One should eat more calories while training and less when resting. One can take a break from dieting to bring things back to normal. One can avoid cardio completely or do a little amount of it.
2. Mitchell
Mitchell is a healthy young adult and wants to reduce 10 kgs. The world is witnessing lesser fitness and more obesity (Kyröläinen, Santtila, Nindl, Vasankari, 2010, p. 907). A 3000 calorie diet plan will be ideal to gain muscle mass. Weight training and cardio at the gym should be included in this routine. There should be food from various groups in the high calorie diet. This will give nutrition, reduce fat and keep the person healthy.
3. Ruth
A person on yo-yo diets witnesses a cycle of weight loss followed by weight gain. After the first weight loss, the subsequent ones are not significant. There are psychological factors playing out in this case. Ruth has tried to manage her weight through passive measures all along. She is joining a gym only for social reasons. She feels that her method is wrong and is trying to mentally satisfy herself that she is making amends by joining the gym. She should first seek psychiatric help to correct her condition.
4. John
John is a 65 year old healthy male. Fit people reported lower subjective than chronological age (Öberg & Tornstam, 2001). He can have a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber, vitamin and mineral should be more in the diet and carbohydrates and protein should not change. Similarly, light exercises on a regular basis would keep him fit. He can also perform light cardio exercises in the gym as part of his routine.
5. Samantha
Samantha is basically confused since she is following two fitness routine simultaneously. She has a sedentary job which could be a cause for her being overweight. Before taking up a paleo diet, she should have consulted her physician. If she had consulted one at CrossFit, then she should be faithful to the CrossFit routine. If she is not sure about its efficacy, then she should enquire more about it. She should choose one of the two routines to start with.
6. Andrew
Andrew changed his diet to lose 30 kg which is noteworthy. It is also good that he joined the gym for weight training. However, it is worrisome that a considerable amount of weight had been in excess. More than nutritional supplements, he needs good dietary advice and it is better to divert him to a dietician/nutritionist who can give him expert advice in the backdrop of his weight history. He can continue weight training with expert advice from the fitness trainer.
7. Luisa
Luisa has everything going well for her at the present. However, ergogenic aids should be trod with caution. There are harmful and safe ergogenic aids available. Prolonged use of this aid can lead to long-term effects in the body. Hence, Luisa should be referred to a dietician as well as a sports coach since ergogenic aids are beyond the scope of a fitness trainer.
References
Kyröläinen, H., Santtila, M., Nindl, B.C. et al. (2010). Physical Fitness Profiles of Young Men. Sports Med, 40 (11), 907-920. doi:10.2165/11536570-000000000-00000
Maffetone, P. (2012). The Big Book of Health and Fitness: A Practical Guide to Diet, Exercise, Healthy Aging, Illness Prevention, and Sexual Well-Being. Skyhorse Publishing Inc. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=n4tDCgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=fitness+books&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=fitness%20books&f=false
Öberg, P. & Tornstam, L. (2011). Youthfulness and Fitness-Identity Ideals for All Ages? Journal of Aging and Identity, 6: 15. doi:10.1023/A:1009524612420
