Fats are the slowest source of energy but the most energy efficient. Each gram of fat supplies the body with about 9 calories this is more than proteins or carbohydrates.
Measuring requirements
Body composition is the most commonly used classification for an individual’s bodies shape and size. There are three body types, even though a individual will not fit in the body type perfectly it is still a excellent method of classifying there body shape. The three body composition is ectomorph, endomorph and mesomorph.
Ectomorph classification consists of having narrow shoulders and hips. They carry little muscle and fat they tend to have thin arms and legs.
Endomorph tends to be a pear shape, with wide hips and shoulders and carrying a lot of fat mass.
Mesomorphs have a wide broad shoulders and narrow hips, they tend to carry a minimum amount of fat and carry a large amount of muscle mass.
Your age, sex, gender, diet and the amount of activities you do will have an affect on your body composition. For example many women thinks it is fashionable to be skinny so this will have an affect on there body composition making them ectomorph.
Lean body mass and body fat is how you work out your body composition. Lean body mass includes the bones, muscle, water and organ tissue. Whereas body fats includes your essential and non essential fat stores.
Athletes are normally concerned about there weight, generally for performance and health reasons. It is possible to alter your body composition by exercising and a correct diet. There are three methods of assessing your body fat. Skinfold callipers, bioelectrical impedance and hydrodensitometry.
Skinfold calliper uses callipers to measure skinfold thickness at several areas of your body. You will need a partner who pinches your skin at different areas and measures them with callipers. The measurements are used to calculate percentage of body fat.
Bioelectrical impedance is another good way to measure fat percentage they work by measuring the resistance of body tissues to the flow of a small electrical signal. The longer the electrical signal takes the more fat percentage you carry.
The last method of testing and most accurate is the hydrodensitometry this is where the athlete gets submerged under water, this measures the bodies density.
Energy intake and expenditure in swimming
Swimmers get most of the energy for their workout and performance from carbohydrates. Fat is the secondary energy source but it takes 20-30 minutes before the swimmer uses the energy. Swimmers don’t tend to use protein as an energy source, they tend to use it to build body cells, and only during starvation the body will use protein as an energy source.
A swimmer will need 12-15% protein whereas fat is 25-30% and a swimmer will need to consume 55-70% of carbohydrate in their diet. The longest swimming event takes less than 15 minutes to complete so you will be mostly using carbohydrates. Carbohydrates come in two forms simple and complex. Complex carbohydrates are the better source as they provide the best source of energy for swimmers because the energy they give is released slowly throughout the day.
Swimmers tend to be mesomorph build because swimming is a muscular endurance sport and uses most of your muscles. A low amount of fat will make the swimmer move through the water better.
Energy intake and expenditure in football
An ideal football player requires 55 to 60 percent of their daily caloric intake to come from carbohydrates, 15 percent from protein, and 30 percent from fat.
This is because football is a stop and go sport with short bursts of intense effort followed by rest. Therefore the primary fuel for football is carbohydrate and if the body burns all the carbohydrate storage the body will use fat as an energy source. Footballers tend to be in-between mesomorph and ectomorph making them quick and strong.
Energy intake and expenditure in cycling
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for all cyclists. Fats, an alternative energy source, are more important in slower endurance events. Protein, the third component, is used to maintain and repair cells and tissue, but can also be a backup source of energy.
A cyclist will require 70-75 percent of carbohydrates, 15-20% percent from fat and 35% fat. Because cycling is an aerobic sport the body will use up your glycogen storage fast and then your body will use fat as the secondary energy source.