The division of the diet is a fundamental step in the preparation of any food therapy.
After having calculated the basal caloric requirement (basal or MB metabolism) and the specific one (hypo, normo or hyper caloric that is), it is necessary to divide it in two different ways:
- Breakdown into nutrients
- Energy distribution of meals
- Recommendations for a correct and balanced diet
- Specific and subjective nutritional requirements in relation to physical activity
- Possible presence of metabolic pathologies
A CORRECT food regime boasts the following energy percentages:
- Proteins: on average 12-13% of calories or better 0.75-1.5g each kilogram of desirable physiological body weight (which includes NORMAL body mass percentages). Proteins must be calculated with reference to age and level of sporting activity, furthermore, it would be appropriate for at least 1/3 of the protein intake to be of animal origin to ensure a good overall biological value.
- Lipids: ranging from 25 to 30% of calories; They MUST include 2.5% of essential fats and should consist of 2/3 of unsaturated lipids and 1/3 of saturated lipids.
- Carbohydrates: they represent the remaining calories (MAX 63%), that is: kcal of CHO = kcal TOT - kcal of Proteins - kcal of Lipids; NB only 10-12% of the total energy should derive from simple carbohydrates (glucose-fructose-galactose-saccharose-lactose-maltose)
With a similar "starting point", the nutrition professional is able to PLASMARE the nutritional distribution on the basis of specific and subjective needs; in the event that the level of physical activity is VERY high and is characterized by the practice of intense and frequent sports, it is possible (and desirable!) to manage the percentages and grams of macronutrients in the most congenial manner. For example, a cross-country athlete who shows serious difficulties in maintaining muscle trophy due to the high volume of aerobic activity (for example from 6 to 10 hours per week), could make use of a DOUBLE protein coefficient with respect to a sedentary subject, or : 1, 5gxkg instead of 0, 75gxkg of desirable physiological body weight.
The other fundamental aspect that should be taken into consideration is the possible presence of metabolic pathologies or concerning the efficiency of the kidneys, liver, pancreas, stomach, intestine and so on. This means that, for example, treating a diabetic subject could be useful to keep the percentage of carbohydrates (50-55%) to a minimum, in particular the simple ones (10%); the same could be applied with regard to saturated or hydrogenated fats with reference to a hypercholesterolemic subject, or for proteins in some cases of renal failure.
By energy distribution of meals, instead, we mean the overall caloric subdivision in the different meals of the day. We recall that, although in practice we take into account above all subjective needs (work habits and sporting activity), there is a general scheme that is easily applicable in most cases. It provides for an energy distribution of:
- 15% of calories at breakfast (not less than 12-13% and no more than 20%)
- 05% of calories in mid-morning snack (not less than 4% and not more than 8-10%)
- 40% of calories in lunch (not less than 35% but absolutely no more than 40%)
- 05% of calories in mid-morning snack (not less than 4% and not more than 8-10%)
- 35% of calories in dinner (no less than 30% but absolutely no more than 35-40%)
It should be pointed out that the nutritional organization of the sportsman, and especially of the elite athlete, is independent of most of these percentages; this happens because in the presence of very high energy requirements (from 4000 to 6000kcal per day), the athlete often shows considerable digestive and organizational difficulties to which it would be appropriate (and convenient!) to ALSO comply with the use of food supplements; the consumption of single meals that often reach 2000kcal is not easy to manage.
