{"id":74567,"date":"2012-07-02T13:17:41","date_gmt":"2012-07-02T18:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/?p=74567"},"modified":"2012-07-02T13:22:39","modified_gmt":"2012-07-02T18:22:39","slug":"do-calories-count-for-olympians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/07\/do-calories-count-for-olympians\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Calories Count for Olympians?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Rachel Berman RD, Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com<\/em><\/p>\n

DietsinReview recently interviewed the dietitian team of the Olympics<\/a><\/strong> and they found that many athletes aren\u2019t aware of the amount of calories they are consuming. Calorie counting is not just relevant for weight loss. The more strenuous a sport, the more calories an athlete needs to refuel their bodies and muscles properly for the work they are doing. In addition, it\u2019s not as though an athlete can just copy the diet of someone else on the team. Calories burned at rest and during exercise depend on age, height, weight, body composition, among other factors. Therefore, it\u2019s important for an athlete to get an idea for the amount of calories they burn off personally so that they can consume that much in their diets. If not getting enough or proper nutrition, athletes can definitely put their energy, endurance and game at risk.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We know of at least one Olympian who is well aware of the calories he is consuming. Gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps<\/a><\/strong> has been reported to eat as much as 12,000 calories per day to match the 50 miles he swims per week during training. It is more than calories that count \u2013 getting enough complex carbohydrates from sources such as grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables help give athletes the energy they need during strenuous activity.<\/p>\n

So what does this mean for you? Chances are you are not an Olympian but may be active in your everyday life. It is important for you also to make sure you are not depriving your body of the nutrients it needs even if you are trying to lose weight. If you consume too few calories<\/a><\/strong>, especially with an active lifestyle, you run the risk of actually slowing down your metabolism and lacking energy when you need it most.<\/p>\n

How do you know how many calories you need to eat every day<\/a><\/strong>? One of the more accurate equations is the Mifflin – St Jeor where you need to input your weight in kilograms and your height in centimeters:<\/p>\n

Male<\/strong>: BMR = 10\u00d7weight + 6.25\u00d7height – 5\u00d7age + 5<\/p>\n

Female<\/strong>: BMR = 10\u00d7weight + 6.25\u00d7height – 5\u00d7age \u2013 161<\/p>\n

Then you multiply this number by a general activity factor to get your caloric needs for the day:<\/p>\n