Dieting is a popular trend among athletic people to try to get in shape and get fit so that they will perform better. Diets such as Atkins, South Beach, Zone, and Weight Watchers are advertised on social media, TV commercials, and throughout the Internet promoting that their diet suggestions are unique and will unquestionably give someone their desired body. Each of these popular diets are designed in different ways and included a variety of nutritional plans. For example, the Atkins diet focuses on lowering carbohydrate intake, while the Zone diet looks at overall calorie consumption. It’s also very important to understand that not all diets work for everyone that tries them. Some people try dozens of different diets before finding one that meets their expectation. This is especially imperative to athletes. Many athletes that are in training and constantly exercising rely on their diets to help them get in shape and supply endurance. When athletes try these common diets they are often disappointed with the result because it could be slowing them down or having the opposite affect on their bodies. So, why is proper nutrition difficult for athletes to maintain? Mostly it is because not every diet plan works for every individual person. Diets are designed to improve endurance, motivation, and energy. There are nutritional differences among people that are important to emphasize because every athlete’s body functions differently and therefore their eating habits need to be individualized. Differences such as gender, age, weight, height, and genes play a role in determining what kind of nutritional diet an athlete needs. Some athletes might need more carbohydrates than others, while others might need to focus more on getting enough protein. People burn calories and have different metabolism rates that can also be a factor in determining a nutritional diet. It’s agreed that healthy eating will only enhance athletic performance, however it’s essential to convey that athletes need to strategically plan out their diets to fit their own body type in order to get the results they want.

Body systems work similar to machines. They run smoothly if they are taken proper care of. Every individual person has a certain amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that need to be consumed in order to function appropriately. The intake of nutrients depends on the amount of calories people consume daily. The range of calorie intake for the average man or woman is between two thousand and two thousand five hundred. For active individuals the range is from three thousand to four thousand calories per day because athletes are constantly burning off calories. 

Carbohydrates are specifically important to athletes because they are the main source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates are broken down by the body to a simple sugar called glucose, and are used first before any other nutrient as a source of energy. Glucose is then used by the body to fuel metabolic processes. Foods high in carbohydrates include breads, pastas, sugar, rice, and potatoes. Because an individual’s energy supply mostly comes from carbohydrates, an athlete’s diet should be majority healthy carbs. However, the con to eating a great amount of carbohydrates is that it can result in weigh gain. It’s very easy for people eating carbohydrates to complain about weight gain because foods high in carbohydrates do not keep you full. This is why when people eat foods like bagels or toast for breakfast they are usually hungry way before their usual lunchtime. Therefore, it’s extremely easy and common for people to over eat, causing them to gain weight. Depending on the sport, athletes need to maintain a certain size and body weight; so if they are over eating carbs their weight will be affected.

On the other hand, proteins work differently in the body. Similar to carbohydrates, most individuals also need a significant amount of protein in order to adequately function. This is because proteins are important building blocks for skin, bones, cartilage, and muscles. The body also uses proteins to build and repair tissues and muscle. Proteins consist of amino acids that get absorbed by the bloodstream and are distributed all throughout the body. Dairy, nuts, chicken and fish are all examples of foods high in protein.  Diets that are too high in protein or the general consumption of too much protein can result in dehydration, lack of energy, and weight gain. The lack of energy is due to eating more protein than carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy, but if protein over powers that then feelings of drowsiness and lethargy occur. Too much protein can also cause weight gain because the extra protein is stored as fat in the body, and will cause an increase of weight if there is too much. Too much protein for an athlete’s body could have a negative affect on them because they specifically need to be energized and motivated to exercise. Although, a balanced diet with enough protein can benefit the body because it will help maintain muscle structure and protect tissue. 

Most people would assume that fats in general are bad for you. However, fats are essential in a balanced diet. While there are different types of fats: saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats; they all help with absorption and digestion. Nutritionists recommend people consume plant-derived unsaturated fats such as avocados, nuts, and olive oils. The problem with consuming foods that contain a large amount of saturated fats is that they have a great amount of calories in small portions. So once again it is very easy to overeat and gain weight. Studies have shown that the amount of fat should only be twenty to thirty percent of a person’s total calorie count. 

Its important to emphasize that since all of these nutrients have different jobs within the body they vary in amounts. A diet must be personalized to fit certain body types. Most people do not realize that just because diets work for people that advertise them on television that it will personally work for them too. Studies have shown that there is a high chance that the first diet an individual tries will not be beneficial to them.

When it comes to athletes it’s hard for them to maintain a proper nutritional diet. There are many factors that go into determining their proper diets. Gender plays a significant role in influencing a certain diet style. Male athletes require a much greater amount of calories than female athletes do because their bodies are built differently. Female bodies can break down certain foods faster than males, and also have a high metabolism rate. This affects what kind of nutrition is needed for a female athletes body. 

Gender ties in with body size, which is another factor. Males generally have a larger body size than females and therefore body weight comes into play. Usually athletes have toned and muscular bodies. Males that are fit and have a larger body mass would need to consume more calories than a fit female. Because both male and female athletes are engaged in strenuous exercising, it’s important for them to be watchful of their weight and pressure lean tissue. It’s important that athletes are conscious of their weight because in most sports they are required to keep within a certain weight range in order to be deemed healthy. Football players and wrestlers are two examples of sports that specifically look at body weight. Wrestlers are divided into weight categories, putting pressure on wrestlers to stay healthy and maintain a healthy body weight. Football players too are expected to be in a certain weight range and are judged often based on their size. The men engaging in both of these high energy sports would therefore be suggested to have a diet that balances fats and proteins. This kind of diet is recommended because they would need healthy fatty acids to gain and maintain their weight, while having enough protein to help build muscle. 

Although people can try to loose and gain weight, or try to morph their body shapes by exercising, genetically body types cannot change. Genes can play a huge role in determining what kind of diet an athlete needs in order to remain healthy. If an athlete has a history of obesity or weight gain, then genetically they could possibly be affected. So, this means they need to be conscious of eating foods that could result in weight gain. Genes can also affect other parts of health such as developing high cholesterol or diabetes. If an individual has a family history of developing diseases that result from eating certain unhealthy foods than they need to alter their diet where they consume less of those types of foods. 

Genes are the key factor in arguing that diets really do depend on the individual. Everyone’s genes vary and are all composed of different DNA that can affect health and dieting. Genetically, some people are unable to loose weight quickly, while others have a high metabolism rate and can burn off fat easily. Genetics ties into nutrition because depending on the makeup of an athlete; they need to be aware of the foods they are eating so they can reduce their risk of gaining unhealthy weight and developing genetic diseases. 

Age is another crucial aspect that should be looked at when considering dieting. Younger athletes are suggested to have well balanced diets that will maintain muscle growth and maintain their desired weight. Thirty-year-old people are prone to weight gain and must be conscious of any foods that are high in too much fat and carbohydrates. Nutritionists suggest that people of that age focus on calories so they aren’t consuming too many extra calories that result in weight gain. Forty-year-old people are suggested to start eating healthy by focusing their diets on antioxidants and fruits and vegetables. This is to prepare for the decades to come and to limit chances of becoming obese or developing other unhealthy diseases.   

The main reason why dieting differs among athletes is because diets also depend on the type of sport and exercise. For example, it’s recommended that a body builder eat six small meals opposed to three big meals. This frequent eating throughout the day allows the body to store carbohydrates in muscles to fuel the body for the strenuous activity. It’s recommended that they eat high protein and low fat natural foods. Because protein is the foundation of muscle growth, body builders not only eat a lot of protein, but also drink protein drinks as well. Just like any other diet, it’s recommended to stay as far away from fast and fried foods.

On the other hand, a marathon runner whose main type of exercise is running would go for a completely different type of diet. Marathon runners focus on their speed and are constantly trying to increase and maintain it. Therefore they need a diet that will provide them with a lot of energy and nutrition. A marathon runner would typically eat a high carbohydrate diet with a balanced amount of protein. Foods high in carbohydrates will allow for more energy to be used and stored in the body, giving the runner more endurance and motivation. Protein is needed to balance out the diet and protect the muscles from being damaged. Low fat is recommended for a runner because the high intake of carbohydrates can already result in weight gain and fatty food would only make gaining weight easier. High fat foods and too much protein could also cause an athlete to become lethargic and unmotivated. 

All of these nutritional differences among different types of athletes show that it is very difficult for an athlete to maintain a proper diet. Dieting is difficult due to all of the different factors that form an individual’s body. Athletes are self-conscious about their figures and strive towards preserving their bodies for their sport. Because their health is so important to them, athletes will jump onto any diet that advertises that it will “get you your desired results”. After a few weeks of trying these common diets, people realize that it just doesn’t work well for them. It could possibly be having the opposite effect on some people. This is why athletes must acknowledge aspects such as genetics, body type, weight, and age when beginning a diet. If an athlete can manipulate a diet plan that is individualized to their body, they will get the expected results. 