The Energy Plan

Focus on the fuels (the nutrients) and the calories will look after themselves

transformed from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed. So the body is constantly transforming energy from the food we eat to produce heat. Our cells need energy to function and our muscles need it for movement, and each part of our fuel provides different energy levels:

●Carbohydrates and protein each provide 4 kcal per gram

●Fat gives us a whopping 9 kcal per gram

●Alcohol, in case you’re wondering, isn’t far behind at 7 kcal per gram

intakes in the table below range from 1.2 to 2.0 g per kilogram body weight per day for the exercising person.9 Higher intakes may be required during periods of hard training or energy restriction (reducing body fat10

Think of amino acids as building a protein brick wall. You need all of the different types of brick for the strongest, most robust structure. Will it stand up without all of them? Yes, but over time the wear and tear will be more than if you included all the different bricks.

Omega-3
fatty acids are found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel, flaxseeds, walnuts and rapeseed/canola oil. As well as having positive effects on heart health, there is also emerging evidence on them supporting cognitive function5 and on reducing inflammation6 and muscle damage7 after hard training.

Omega-6 fatty acids – sources include vegetable oils such as sunflower, corn oil and cottonseed oil – are more commonly consumed. It’s thought that the higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in many people’s nutrition habits may increase inflammation and affect physical and cognitive function. This means making a conscious effort to increase omega-3 intake, which we will return to in the Ageing chapter, here.

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A diet rich in monounsaturated fats such as olive, rapeseed and groundnut oil, avocados, nuts and seeds (components of the widely talked about Mediterranean diet) has been associated with a lower incidence of heart disease.4

Saturated fat: solid at room temperature and common in red meat, whole-milk dairy, butter, ghee, lard, cheese, coconut oil and many commercially prepared baked goods. Limiting saturated fat to under 10 per cent of daily calorie intake is widely advised.2

Trans fats: traditionally found in margarines (though not so much these days), and in pastries, cookies, pies and French
fries.
They have been shown to increase harmful LDL cholesterol, reduce beneficial HDL cholesterol and increase inflammation, which is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

High-fibre foods include: wholegrains (oats, barley, rye), beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and root vegetables, which are important foods for your Energy Plan.

More processed foods have smaller particles and a higher GI; so cornflakes are higher-GI than porridge oats.