A TRUE STORY
This is a true story about a football athlete I have been working with for over the last 10 months.
It all began when I gave a post season sport nutrition presentation to his football team on “Fueling for the Competitive Edge”. Upon completion, he and his parents decided to come in to figure out a Sport Nutritional Road Map© for his goals and dreams.

At the time he was coming off a shoulder injury which required surgery. He knew the clock was ticking because he was in his junior year of high school and he wanted the opportunity to play in college.  He was already trying to eat healthy to maximize recovery and striving to put on any muscle he could within the restrictions set forth.  After coming to my presentation he was not clear if he was consuming the right nutrients, at the right times in the right quantities.  He was also curious where his lean weight was.  Lean weight is everything but fat weight.  Unless you grow, an increase in lean weight is mainly muscle.
 
AT THE OFFICE
Metabolism
First we measured how many calories he needed to build muscle by administering a test called indirect calorimetry or also known as resting metabolic rate.  Through the testing and a detailed nutrition recall we found out he was under eating by 800 calories a day.  It is difficult to put on muscle if you are chronically under eating.

Body composition
Next we did a body composition test via Bod Pod™ to see how much lean weight to body fat he had.  With football there are charts per position to guide you on how much lean weight and body fat you should have at the collegiate level.  The body fat percentage number definitely can be less than the average goal but not higher. 

Playing Position
When he came in his goal was to play offensive line, defensive line or defensive end.  His height was 6’2 and was weighing 244lb. He informed me he wanted to weigh at least 270lb by start of football season. He had only one year to get to this goal. He ended up being 30% body fat with 169lb of lean weight and 75lb of body fat. For college they average anywhere from 215-222lb of lean weight for those spots.  The average male in puberty can put on ½ -1lb of muscle a week if doing the nutrition and training at the same time.  THIS IS HARD WORK! The max I calculated was 179-189lb of lean weight.  However he was limited on how much he could lift due to the injury. 

A CHANGE IN DIRECTION
After reviewing the scientific data, it was clear that he needed to consider switching positions.  The numbers didn’t add up in the lean weight category. He fit a Linebacker or Tight End position perfectly. They required a range of 199-208lb of lean weight which would fit his 6’2 frame nicely. Secondly if we contained his weight at 240lb he would get closer to the 14-20% body fat averages and his speed and power would be enhanced greatly! Lastly if he reached at least 179-188lb of lean weight by the beginning of senior year, he then could work on the next 20lb of muscle in the post season leading into his first year of college. This would complete the lean weight requirements.  He quickly saw a change in goals would give him a better chance to reach one of his dreams. He never looked back!

A DETAILED REVIEW OF HIS FOOD INTAKE
Upon a detailed food assessment we found some holes.  He was consuming way too much protein, not enough healthy fats and complex carbohydrates and his timing was off.  These were all important scientific factors that impacted the goals at hand.

THE SPORT NUTRITIONAL ROAD MAP©
Now we had our Sport Nutritional Road Map©.  We changed his daily caloric intake from 2200 calories a day to 3000 calories a day.  We designed a customized meal plan that had the right amount of carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins at the right times, in the right quantities to maximize all his hard work. Lastly he was striving for ½-1lb of lean weight a week and minimizing any body fat gains.
Every 4-6 weeks he came back in to get reassessed using the MuscleSound™ (carbohydrate storage in the muscle) device and the bod pod (body composition).  In between those times we conversed frequently to make any revisions needed to the menu and worked on other factors that would impact the outcome.

THE END RESULT
By July 19, 2019 he weighed 241lb, with 183lb of lean weight!  He did it!  I was so proud of him.  Throughout the season he was a dominate force on the team.  He stood out.  It was not hard to find him on the football field, even from a distance.  He was quick, powerful and opponents had to develop a game plan to stop him.  Then the offers started to role in for tight end and linebacker positions at the Division I level.  He is still deciding what his next steps are.

IN CONCLUSION
For those football athletes out there, know your Sport Nutritional Road Map© and maximize your offseason. Dream big and go for it!

Side Note
He has already come back in, got reassessed and working on the next 20lb of lean weight.  Currently he is up to 189lb of lean! (Remember 199-208lb is his overall goal….For now!)

My Personal Closing
I love my job!  I love seeing athletes achieve their dreams.  Even if they fall short of them, they never failed. They put on lean weight, lose body fat, maximize growth and develop lifelong nutritional habits that will carry them for a life time.  Not one athlete has ever said to me this was a waste of time or that they were disappointed in being leaner!  Secretively that is my goal for them.  If they maximize performance then they maximize their health 100%!
 
REFERENCES

1. Burkhart SJ, Pelly FE. Dietary Intake of Athletes Seeking Nutrition Advice at a Major International Competition. Nutrients. 2016;8(10):638.
2. Hinton, P, Sanford, T, Davidson, MM, Yakushko,O, and Beck, N. Nutrient intake and dietary behaviors of male and female collegiate athletes. Inter J of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14: 389 – 390. (2004).
3. Andrews A, Wojcik JR, Boyd JM, Bowers CJ. Sports Nutrition Knowledge among Mid-Major Division I University Student-Athletes. J Nutr Metab. 2016.
4. J Sci Med Sport. 2016 Oct;19(10):778-83.
5. Rodriguez NR1, DiMarco NM, Langley S; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada; American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2013 Dec;113(12):1759.
6. Heyward, VH, Wagner, DR. Applied Body Composition Assessment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. (2004).
7. Jenner SL, Trakman G, Coutts A, et al. Dietary intake of professional Australian football athletes surrounding body composition assessment. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15(1):43.

Even though I am discussing the Sports Nutritional Road Map© to the Summer Olympic Games it also applies to all athletes, of all ages, to achieve their personal bests!
The first step is to reevaluate the previous year. Make any notes that you would have done differently and what was successful.
Next phase is to retest or test for the first time.  It is difficult to meet performance goals if you do not have a starting point.  Many athletes of all ages believe the magic is in the training.  If you train hard then you will have a successful outcome.
Those who believe that all aspects of training will accomplish their goals will not come close to maximizing their full growth, health and performance.  Did you know 75% of all athletes do not eat enough or consume the wrong mixture of foods and fluids at the wrong times to maximize performance (1, 2)? Sleep, Nutrition, Hydration and Recovery are imperative to all your health and performance goals.

The Sad Truth
The majority of athletes believe their nutrition is above average when in truth they are well below normal standards (4).   So the first step is believing that food, hydration and recovery does matter.

Testing
To assess your personal requirements you need to do some testing. If possible I highly recommend at least these five tests.

1. Metabolism Testing:  Know how many calories you burn at rest.  That means how many calories you burn if you just slept for 24 hours.  This measurement allows you to customize a more accurate menu plan to meet the health and performance goals throughout the year. Some of the biggest error athletes make is not increasing their energy (calorie) needs as their training increases or others overeat or eat whatever they want because they burn a lot.  BIG MISTAKES!

 
    2.  Body Composition Testing:  Know how much lean weight to fat weight you have.  Total weight on
          a scale cannot even come close to setting accurate health and performance goals for the short and 
          long term.  It also helps guide your performance team on what needs to be worked on (6, 7).
 
     3.  MuscleSound®:  This measures     how many carbohydrates (glycogen) you currently have within
          the muscles.  You will be surprised how many athletes are chronically low.  This device has been a        
          game changer in my office, especially for monthly follow ups.  This guides me if my athletes need
          more fuel or what we are currently doing is optimal.  Also I have been doing pre and post competition
          readings so we know how much fuel they are using and how to replace optimally.  Like I said…..GAME
          CHANGER! 
 
    4.  Nutrition Assessment: This is a detailed nutrition consult to see what you are currently eating,
         when you are eating it and how much. It can also include food allergies, intolerances, sensitivities, any
         gut issues, fluid intake, sodium intake, stress, sleep, family and medical history, reviewing any blood
         work, supplements and medicines and any past or current injuries and pains (8).

    5. Blood Work: Most athletes should do a minimum of yearly blood work ups.  Just because they are
        young doesn’t mean they are in optimal standings. You will need to work with a Sports Dietitian or
        medical professional who is up to date on optimal lab values for athletes.  One of my many pet peeves
        is…”Everything is normal” I have no idea what that means.  Always get a copy of your labs.  Normal
        does not always equal optimal!  I want optimal!  Here is an online resource known as
        www.athletebloodtest.com.  (Use code: SportsNutrition2Go if you would like a 15% discount).  They are
        very thorough on the tests and explanations. I have found it very useful for my client base.

There are definitely more tests that can be done, but I believe these are the main ones for everyone in sports to do.

Sports Nutritional Road Map©
Now it is time to set goals based on everything collected and start a Sports Nutritional Road Map© that meets these goals.  The nutrition is always being adjusted to match training, body composition, blood work, energy levels and any other factors to customize.  The ones that usually get the best results are those who follow up on a weekly to monthly basis.  Anything outside of the nutrition piece gets referred back to their coach, strength coach and any other individual part of their performance team.  It is imperative to have a team approach to maximize your efforts.

In Closing
As you set goals for your next season or Olympic Dreams, make sure you have a sports nutritional road map as part of your success.  Just training hard lacks the vision and goal setting needed to optimize growth, health and performance!




REFERENCES

1. Burkhart SJ, Pelly FE. Dietary Intake of Athletes Seeking Nutrition Advice at a Major International Competition. Nutrients. 2016;8(10):638.
2. Hinton, P, Sanford, T, Davidson, MM, Yakushko,O, and Beck, N. Nutrient intake and dietary behaviors of male and female collegiate athletes. Inter J of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14: 389 – 390. (2004).
3. Von Rosen P, Frohm A, Kottorp A, Fridén C, Heijne A. Too little sleep and an unhealthy diet could increase the risk of sustaining a new injury in adolescent elite athletes. Scand J Med Sci Sport. 2017;27(11):1364‐1371.
4. Andrews A, Wojcik JR, Boyd JM, Bowers CJ. Sports Nutrition Knowledge among Mid-Major Division I University Student-Athletes. J Nutr Metab. 2016.
5. Raysmith BP, Drew MK. Performance success or failure is influenced by weeks lost to injury and illness in elite Australian track and field athletes: A 5-year prospective study.J Sci Med Sport. 2016 Oct;19(10):778-83.
6. Rodriguez NR1, DiMarco NM, Langley S; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada; American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2013 Dec;113(12):1759.
7. Heyward, VH, Wagner, DR. Applied Body Composition Assessment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. (2004).
8. Jenner SL, Trakman G, Coutts A, et al. Dietary intake of professional Australian football athletes surrounding body composition assessment. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15(1):43.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Having a certain body fat to muscle mass ratio is related to athletic performance. Research has shown that correct portion of muscle mass increases strength, power, and agility (8,9). Table 1 (see next page) provides recommend body fat percentages for both men and women. However, to gain lean muscle it is not just about the exercise protocol but nutritional intake and timing (2,7).

Research shows three out of four student athletes may not be getting enough to eat. It also shows that 70% of the women and 73% of the men are not getting enough total calories, only 81% of the women and 90% of the men are consuming enough carbohydrates, and just 68% of the women and 81% of the men are eating enough protein based on USDA guidelines. Intakes of salt, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol often exceed recommendations, even in diets deficient in major components (4).

To help you achieve your goals, you should know your body composition. But body composition is much
more than a body fat percentage number. Below are different ways the measurement can be utilized.

1. Knowing what percent body fat assists in the type of fuel mixture an athlete needs. If an athlete has a higher body fat they usually need fewer calories and fewer carbohydrates. The opposite is true if the athlete has a low body fat. They usually need more calories and carbohydrates due to more lean weight.

2. In any strength and conditioning or specialized nutrition program there needs to be a way to measure
its effectiveness. Body composition testing is an important measurement tool since most athletes want to gain muscle, lose fat, or do both.

3. When you are evaluating body fat percentages the challenge is not to just evaluate the percent body fat
number but to also evaluate the lean weight number. Even though you may have the appropriate body fat
percentage for your sport, you may still have room for improvement if you continue to gain lean mass.

4. When an athlete has encountered a severe injury where rehabilitation will take several months, measuring body composition on a monthly basis can be a tool to minimize a gain in body fat. Athletes can
gain body fat quickly when activity has been limited and eating habits are poor. It is difficult to get an athlete back to “full go” if they have lost muscle and gained body fat.

5. Body Composition testing can be a reassurance test. Many female athletes believe when they gain weight, they are gaining fat. Also an athlete can exchange fat at the same rate they gain muscle so the scale is not displaying the positive exchange.

6. Because female athletes are more vulnerable to developing an eating disorder (5), having biyearly
body composition tests can detect any significant changes. These changes could shed light on an unhealthy behavior with food.

The best ways to measure body composition are by hydrostatic weighing, Dexa Scan or Bod Pod testing. However many people do not have access or the funds to use these methods. The next best step is to use Lange skinfold calipers. They are easy to use, easy to learn, and very affordable. However you want to make sure you take the time and follow strict protocols to ensure accuracy (3). Take a minimum of three tests at each site and have at least two numbers that are within a millimeter. If you do not, then keep retesting the site until you do. The last thing you want is the body fat percentage to increase due to poor measuring techniques. Lastly you want to avoid going the easy route and buy a bioempedance device. These devices can be anywhere from 6 – 10% off because these techniques depend on the athletes hydration status(6). These tools start off by measuring how fast the current runs through the body. The more hydrated the athlete the lower the body fat will register. The more dehydrated the athlete is the higher the body fat will measure.  There are two bioempedance devices that are an exception that I am personally aware of.  Tanita Ironman scale and InBody.  They are closer to 3-5% off. 

Body Composition testing is not just about measuring fat weight and lean weight. It can be a very effective tool for menu planning, monitoring progress, improving current athletic status, part of a rehabilitation protocol, offering encouragement, and finding irregularities in behavior. Now that is a tool.

References
1. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing Prescription. American College of Sports Medicine,7th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. (2005).
2. Biolo, G, Williams, BD, Fleming, RY, and Wolfe,RR. Insulin action on muscle protein kinetics and amino acid transport during recovery after resistance exercise. Diabetes, 48:949 – 957. (1999).
3. Heyward, VH, Wagner, DR. Applied Body Composition Assessment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. (2004).
4. Hinton, P, Sanford, T, Davidson, MM, Yakushko,O, and Beck, N. Nutrient intake and dietary behaviors of male and female collegiate athletes. Inter J of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14: 389 – 390. (2004).
5. Kirk, G, Singh, K, and Getz H. Risk of Eating Disorders among female college athletes and nonathletes. Journal of College Counseling, 4(2): 122 – 132. (2001).
6. McArdle, W, Katch, F, Katch, V. Exercise Physiology. (4th Edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins. (2006).
7. Rasmussen B, Tipton, KD, Miller, SL, Wolf, SE, and Wolfe, RR. An oral essential amino acidcarbohydrate
supplement enhances muscle protein anabolism after resistance exercise. J. Appl. Physiol, 88:386 – 392. (2000).
8. Spaniol FJ. Physiological predictors of bat speed and throwing velocity in adolescent baseball players (Abstract). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(4): 1 – 18. (2002).
9. Spaniol FJ. Predicting throwing velocity in college baseball players (Abstract). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 11(4): 286. (1997).