What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients are the nutrients that we need in large quantities to help maintain health and provide us with energy. They’re carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
What is energy balance?
Energy balance simply refers to the balance between energy taken in through the diet and energy expended through exercise.
How much energy does each macronutrient provide?
Carbohydrates and protein both provide 4 kcal per gram and fats provide 9 kcal per gram ingested.
What is keto?
Keto is a diet that provides the majority of its energy from sources of fat and protein as opposed to carbohydrates. Typically, high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate.
As a vegetarian/vegan can I still get in enough protein without meat and dairy products?
Yes. There are a wide variety of plant products, such as soy, nuts and legumes that provide us with great sources of protein. However, you will need to compliment these sources by combining them together to get all the 9 essential amino acids in the correct quantities.
What is glycaemic index (GI)?
Glycaemic index is a way in which we score carbohydrates, referring to how quickly they can be absorbed into the bloodstream for use by the muscles and the rest of the body. High GI refers to a source that can be absorbed quickly into the blood whereas a low GI source refers to those which are absorbed slowly.
Where can I find reliable information on daily calorie and macronutrient intakes?
Always look at the government published nutritional guidelines. These can be found on the British Nutrition Foundation page.
As an average female, what should my daily calorie intake be?
As per government guidelines a female’s daily calorie intake should be around 2,000 calories per day. However, this will also depend on factors such as daily physical activity levels.
As an average male, what should my daily calorie intake be?
As per government guidelines a male’s daily calorie intake should be around 2,500 calories per day. However, this will also depend on factors such as daily physical activity levels.
What should my pre-event/pre-match meal look like?
2-3 hours prior to the beginning of your event you should be intaking a high carbohydrate-based meal with moderate protein intake and low-fat intake. 30 mins to 1 hour prior to the beginning of the event/match you should intake a small, high GI snack to increase energy availability when heading into the event/match.