How Swimmers Can Achieve Optimal Nutrition

Planning proper nutrition for swimmers can be a complicated process but it is a necessary step if one wants to achieve peak performance levels. Indeed, Dr. Joel Stager, swim coach and professor of kinesiology at Indiana University says that “[e]ating right…may be ultimately as important as swimming up and down the pool.”Swimming is an endurance sport that relies on proper dietary habits to provide its fuel, but these nutritional needs are constantly in flux. In order to achieve optimal nutrition for their sport, a swimmer must know what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat for any given training period.Basic Nutritional Needs of SwimmersAs for all athletes, nutrition for swimmers involves a proper mixture of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in their diets. Protein is essential for muscle development and repair, carbohydrates provide energy for high intensity exercise, and fats provide energy for extended endurance exercises. In the proper combinations, these three provide the energy and muscular needs of swimmers. To that end, experts recommend that 60 percent of a swimmer’s calories should be carbohydrates, 15 percent should be protein, and the remaining 25 percent should be fat.But these numbers can vary significantly depending upon the specific training needs of a particular training period.Nutritional Needs During TrainingA swimmer’s nutritional needs are greatly increased during the competitive season when swimmers are in training. According to the American Dietetic Association, while in training nutrition for swimmers should include:- A daily food intake of 3,000 to 6,000 calories- The majority of these calories should be derived from carbohydrates (2.3 to 3.6 grams of carbohydrates for each pound of body weight per day).- Protein intake should approximate 0.55 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight per day. (A quality rice and green pea protein powder is an excellent adjunct to aid in meeting these requirements).- Fat intake should comprise a minimum of 0.45 grams per pound of body weight per day. (Ensure that the majority of fat consumption is of the monounsaturated or polyunsaturated variety, as is found in canola oil and nuts).- Proper hydration in the form of sports drinks or water – 2 cups 2 hours before practice and 5 to 10 ounces every 15 or 20 minutes during the practice.In addition, some experts suggest that the diet should be supplemented with a pharmaceutical grade, standardized synergistic multivitamin/mineral complexPreparing for a Meet with Carbohydrate LoadingIn general, a swimmer’s nutritional needs while preparing for a meet, or competition, would be the aforementioned methodology. But there are additional ways to use the diet to significantly increase athletic performance. One of the most popular of such methods is called “carbohydrate loading.”Carbohydrate loading is only useful to endurance athletes, such as swimmers, who will be in competition for a minimum of 90 minutes, but it has proven to be remarkably successful.Carbohydrates (such as vegetables, grains, and beans) are the primary fuel source of the body. The body’s digestive system converts carbohydrates into sugar, which then enters the cells to provide necessary energy. Some of this sugar is stored in the muscles as glycogen. But the muscles only store enough glycogen to sustain normal recreational exercise. If one exercises intensely for more than 90 minutes, glycogen stores will be depleted and athletic performance (and stamina) suffers-but not if one practices carbohydrate loading.According to the Mayo Clinic, the process of carbohydrate loading is enacted in two steps.- Step One: A week before the planned meet, the swimmer will reduce carbohydrate consumption to about 55 percent of the daily calories, but increase protein and fat consumption to compensate for the reduced amount of carbohydrates. The training level and intensity, however, will remain the same, which will cause a depletion of the swimmer’s carbohydrate stores.- Step Two: Approximately four days before the meet, the swimmer will increase carbohydrate consumption to 70 percent of the daily calories and reduce some of the fat consumption to compensate for this increase. (Some of the training levels will also be reduced so as to conserve glycogen stores). The day before the meet, the swimmer will completely rest and will not perform any physical fitness or exercise activities.Studies have shown that, for a man, carbohydrate loading can increase the glycogen stores in his muscles by as much as twice the normal amount. Although he will still need to replenish his stores during the meet with a sports drink or a piece of fruit, this additional glycogen storage will increase his endurance levels. (Unfortunately, there are not many studies on the effects of carbohydrate loading on women to enable nutritionists to offer specific advice).Recovery Nutritional Needs Nutrition for swimmers, however, extends beyond the training and actual competition period. Indeed, the recovery period (the time immediately after training or competition, when the swimmer replenishes his energy stores and repairs muscle) is an essential part of this process.And the swimmer has only 45 minutes to enact this part of the process.The 45-Minute Nutritional AdvantageStudies have shown that athletes who eat and drink within 45 minutes after practice recover more quickly than those who do not. One 2004 study, conducted by Dr. Stager, showed that athletes who drank chocolate milk after their morning practice (during this crucial 45-minute period) were better able to perform athletically during their afternoon practice. It appears, said Stager, that muscles do not easily absorb nutrients after two hours. Although there are many reasons why chocolate milk, in particular, may have been so effective in this study (i.e., its sugar content boosted energy and its liquid content was more rapidly absorbed by the body), there is little doubt that there is, indeed, a recovery benefit for those swimmers who eat and/or drink after practice.The results of this and other studies have led researchers to propose a recovery diet for swimmers and other athletes. Within 45 minutes after practice, say experts, a mixture of carbohydrates (for energy) and protein (for muscle repair) should be consumed. The carbohydrates should be composed of colorful fruits, vegetables, and breads while the protein may be derived from from peanut butter, nuts, and high quality gprotein powder.Though proper nutrition for swimmers can be a complicated subject, scientific research is paving the way for a proper understanding of this process. Science has shown that those swimmers who know what, when, and how much to eat have a decided competitive advantage over their peers. Indeed, these studies have proven that proper nutrition for swimmers may be even more important than technique and practice in improving athletic performance.Fortunately, such nutritional choices are completely within a swimmer’s realm of control.

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Vocational Courses in Fashion Designing

Fashion designing has a mammoth scope. Today, a large number of young people are opting for fashion designing courses right after their school or college. Fashion designing is an upcoming career and promises a great return. As a designer (clothes, jewelry or interior) you are expected to give originality and freshness to your designs. You are being paid decent amount for your designs and apparels. Some of the vocational courses offered by the institutes are as follows:- Fashion Designing and Technology
- Garment and Manufacturing
- Industrial, textile and Apparel Design
- Textile Design
- Leather Design and Technology
- Fashion and Knitwear Technology
- Embroidery Fabric Painting
- Jewelry Design and Technology
- Apparel Production and Design.
- Interior DesignThere are innumerable career options in fashion designing. You can work with designer houses, garment and textile industry, jewelry houses, boutique, leather manufacturing stores, films, TV etc. All the top-notch designers are being paid an excellent amount for designing apparel, jewelry, accessories or sets for the movie and serials..In the recent years there India has witnessed an unlimited growth in fashion. Today, fashion has become global and has spread even in small cities and towns of India. India has seen maximum growth of fashion industry in the recent past and has now become one of the major hubs for many fashion companies. Fashion is no more restricted to elite classes and celebrities but today even the middle class society can afford to buy designer clothes, jewelry, accessories, footwear for special occasions such as wedding, parties, festivals etc. This has widened the horizon of fashion designers, now they not only concentrate on creme of the society but also cater with the taste and dislikes of the middle section of the society.This is true that fashion designing offers a plethora of other courses which opens the door of various career choice and prospects. However, to succeed in this profession you are expected to be give new creations and designs every time and also need to keep pace with the constant changing tastes of customers and clients. There are many other challenges that you may have to come across, such as- extensive pressure from the industry, long working hours, constant marketing threats and aggressive competition from rivals.To become a successful designer it is very imperative to choose the right institute. The some institutes in Delhi offer degree as well as diploma both but one must only seek admission in the reputed institute or college. There are many institutes who are only into the business of money making without any job assistance and proper training. Hence, one must be very alert before applying in any institute. It is advisable for every aspiring fashion student to spend a quality time on Internet which keeps all the record information of various institutes in Delhi and India.Besides many private institutes for fashion designing, today you could find a good number of government institutes offering graduate degree and post graduate diploma in fashion designing. An admission test is conducted before you take admission in any government college.

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The Benefits of Modular Home Design

If you are in the market for a new home, you have probably invested a good amount of time in researching available properties in your area. Maybe you have looked at condominiums, homes in new residential developments, and some older, historic homes in established neighborhoods. You can weigh the advantages of buying a house with historical significance against getting something newer, but there is something to be said for a more contemporary design – in particular, the modular home.What is a Modular HomeAs the name implies the modular home is a construction that is built in parts, or modules. Similar to a manufactured home, the modular design comes together through different parts of the house which are built in factories, rather than constructed onsite. As sections of the house are created, they are transferred individually to the site and pieced together, not unlike a large puzzle. The end result is a beautiful house ready for residence.The Benefits of a Modular HomeIt is not uncommon these days for developers to use modular homes to populate a new residential community. In the time it takes to individually build houses in a neighborhood, a company specializing in modular buildings can have the area ready for new homeowners more quickly. This in turn allows the investor to see a return in a more timely manner, and perhaps allow for plans for another community. A home buyer looking for a fast sale has the advantage of closing and moving in as soon as possible.Another benefit to such a house is design flexibility. If you are working with a homeowner who wants a specific layout, you can structure the home to his/her preference and have the modules ready in no time. Home buyers can choose carpeting, fixtures, closet plans, windows, and other components easily.From a greener perspective, modular homes tend to be more energy efficient than older houses. Section are built with saving money in mind – meaning better sealants are used to guarantee decreased loss of heat, and construction materials are environmentally friendly. With less time spent to build, less of a mess is created on the site.Modular home design helps bring home owners to a new place economically and efficiently. With new innovations in house construction, one can enjoy a home built to code that offers all the features one desires. Take the time to look at your options for modular home design.

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