Low body fat is an advantage in most sports and fitness activities, but even more so in sports where grace, composure, poise, artistic impression and from are required.
These sports include:
Ballet
Figure skating
Gymnastics
Horse riding (dressage)
Springboard diving
Surfing
Synchronised swimming
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Athletes participating in these sports often face an uphill battle to achieve or maintain the sparrow-like dimensions that are expected of them.
Although these athletes spend many hours in training each week, the training tends to be focused on skill and technique rather than on energy-burning aerobic exercise. As a result, the energy demands of training will not always tax the fuel reserves.
Physical demands and characteristics
Each sport has different requirements, but the relationship between performance and the condition of the body is not always a linear one. Lower levels of body fat are not always better.
Low body fat levels and long-term food restriction can have the following negative effects:
Depleted glycogen stores and incomplete recovery from illnesses
Slower tissue repair
Poor nutritional status (leading to various adverse consequences such as bone loss)
Chronic fatigue (burnout) and risk of infection
Injury
Decreased performance
Increased risk of disordered eating. Although not a direct consequence of low body fat levels, early studies on female gymnasts showed they were all dieting and many resorted to harmful weigh-control behaviours
Repeated cycles of weight loss and gain may decrease lean body mass and increase fat mass over time
Menstrual and endocrinal disturbances and, in males, lower levels of testosterone may make it more difficult to optimise lean muscle.
Skinfold measurement
Fat and skin are pinched away from muscle at various sites on the body so that subcutaneous fat can be measured in millimetres with a caliper. Body fat percentage is estimated according to a formula.
These measurements are taken at various sites on the body, including the triceps, biceps, just below the shoulder blade, calf, top of the hip bone, abdomen (next to the belly button), front of the thigh, and chest.
What is the ideal body fat level?
to determine your ideal body fat level, you need to consider not only the recommended range of body fat for your sport, but also:
the level at which you feel that you perform best. A very low body fat percentage is not always associated with improved performance – some athletes will perform well with body fat levels above the recommended range.
that you can maintain good health while pursuing the desired body fat level. You require a minimum fat intake and level of body fat for good health. Body fat levels below 3 - 5% for males and 14% for females is regarded as very low and are associated with poor health and performance. Very low body fat levels in females can lead to the interruption of the the regular menstrual cycle. This is accompanied by the negative consequences of increased bone loss and the development of bone diseases like osteoporosis.
that you can reach and maintain this body fat level without unreasonable effort and without compromising other important nutritional goals. Athletes becoming too lean can experience early fatigue, intolerance to cold, and have an increased risk of infection.
Anthropometry: How low can you go?
Height and weight are not appropriate for assessing athletes as these give no indication of body composition (muscle and fat mass). Many methods are used to estimate body fat.
Underwater weighing is considered the gold standard, but is very expensive. However, no method is completely accurate. The pinch test uses skinfold calipers to measure the amount of fat under the skin at internationally recognised sites and these are combined to give a total sum of skinfold in millimetres.
The initial assessment for weight (or fat) loss in an athlete should include measurement of weight, height, adiposity and muscularity by a trained individual who understands the error and assumptions associated with anthropometry. The errors inherent to any body composition method used is critical to the interpretation of the measurements collected. This is especially important for determining whether a true change in body composition has occurred, when subsequent measurements are taken.
Common nutrition issues Achieving lower body fat levels
The distribution and amount of fat are determined by genetic and environmental factors.
It has been estimated that 40 - 70% of the variability in adult weight-for-height is linked to genetic influences. However, making unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as selecting a high-fat diet, increases the likelihood of high fat mass.
Energy needs vary from person to person, and even two people of the same weight and height may have different energy requirements as a result of variations in family history, food choices, energy intake and levels of physical activity.
There is evidence that genes may even determine food preferences, appetite, energy expenditure and metabolic rate.
Methods used for fat loss
The most effective fat loss approach is to combine energy restriction (diet) with energy expenditure (exercise). Exercise, besides burning calories, has the additional benefits of increasing muscle mass, increasing the resting metabolic rate and thermic effects of food (TEF). It also has ‘feel-good’ benefits, which helps motivate dietary compliance.
Fad Diets
Unscientific dietary regimes have wide appeal, because they promise quick weight loss. However, such diets may result in fatigue and decreased performance.
High-protein/low-carbohydrate (Or Atkins and Sugar Busters) Claim
‘Low-fat diets don’t work; sugar and refined carbohydrates are the real culprits, because they cause an excessive insulin response. This may result in fat storage and low blood sugar levels causing hunger.’
The Atkins diet does not restrict protein, fat or calories in the belief that the combination of protein and fat promotes satiety resulting in individuals eating less and thus losing weight. Protagonists of the diet claim that fat will also be broken down by the body, resulting in the formation of ketones (ketosis).
Fact
Ketogenic diets, regardless of the level of energy intake, bring about significant metabolic changes that may affect kidney function through fluid and electrolyte losses. Ketosis is never a desirable state, as it might cause nausea, light-headedness and fatigue.
The Atkins diet is also high in total and saturated fat, which may over time increase the risk of heart disease and some cancers. There is also evidence that more total energy is consumed on high-fat diets.
Although weight may be lost initially, long-term studies are needed to assess efficacy. The minimal carbohydrate intake does not allow individuals to consume the fibre and phytonutrients found in fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Low-carbohydrate diets do not support the regular physical activity needed for sustained weight loss.
Fat-free/high-carbohydrate (X-Diet, Dean Ornish) Claim
‘Fat is the enemy and the cause of many health problems.’
The ‘X-diet’ only includes foods containing less than 3g fat per 100g, but allows sugar and other carbohydrates in unlimited quantities, whereas Dean Ornish promotes a 10% fat diet focusing on whole foods, fruit, vegetables, grains, beans and soya products.
Fact Fat has essential functions and cannot be excluded. Unlimited carbohydrate intake also provides additional energy. Controlled studies support the long-standing evidence that energy intake is a primary factor in weight gain.
The Dean Ormish programme, however, encourages a total lifestyle change and is not meant to be a quick fix.
Moderate-to-low carbohydrate (The Zone) Claim
‘The Zone is a metabolic state that can be reached by everyone and maintained indefinitely on a lifelong basis.’
The founder of the Zone diet, Barry Sears, believes that carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index (GI) in favour of high GI food. High-carbohydrate diets increase blood insulin levels, resulting in an accumulation of body fat.
There is some truth in the fact that insulin promotes fat storage, but this is generally well regulated unless you are insulin resistant.
The carbohydrate group is not the only culprit; excessive energy intake in general will lead to obesity. Keep in mind that protein often contains hidden fat, and fat supplies more than double the energy of carbohydrates.
Furthermore, the recommended energy and carbohydrate intakes are insufficient to support the exercise required for weight loss.
Recognising fad diets The diet:
recommends large quantities of a specific food (reliance of ‘miracle food’)
recommendd a particular supplement or food replacement
enforces food combinations and/or requires a very limited energy intake
excessively restricts carbohydrate-rich foods
has not been scientifically tested and challenges current scientific thinking
promises a quick fix
does not necessarily address the cause of the problem, such as lack of exercise or overeating due to boredom, loneliness or depression
Diet Ads
Like fad diets, the use of supplements and/or drugs to assist weight loss is a major temptation for athletes. Despite claims, dietary supplements promoted for weight loss lack scientific support. Furthermore, many of the over-the-counter aids or fat-cutters can contain banned substances and/or have unwanted side effects.
Nutrition game plan Long-term weight maintenance and the prevention of weight cycling can be achieved with simple strategies.
Goal setting and dietary assessment
The most effective approach to weight maintenance is an individualised programme addressing specific areas that contribute to weight gain, such as the a diet rich in high-fat fast foods and excessive alcohol consumption.
Energy intake The total energy intake recommended should not allow a weight loss of more than 0,5-1 kg per week. This can be achieved with an energy deficit of 2100 kJ per day.
Alternatively a body fat loss judged by skinfold measurements of a maximum of 20 mm - 40 mm per month, is also recommended.
Energy intake should not be less than 6300 kJ per day. Athletes who are energy efficient may require fewer calories, but should consult with a sports dietician.
Macronutrient intake
Carbohydrate intake should always be sufficient to cover training demands with enough protein to ensure satiety and to prevent loss of lean muscle tissue. Since fat is the most energy-dense nutrient, and hardly has any performance benefits in training, it makes sense to target and reduce fat calories in the diet.
The limited amount of fat included in the diet should be rich in polyunsaturated fats since these are more easily oxidised (burned). Alcohol is also a significant source of calories and needs to be reduced.
Fat in the diet may make weight control more challenging
Reasons to reduce dietary fat
Fat contains at least two and a half times more energy than starchy foods or animal protein. It is, therefore, easy to ingest excessive energy from fat, without necessarily having large portion sizes.
The body uses the energy from fat very efficiently and fat in the diet can easily be converted into body fat.
The body can store almost unlimited quantities of dietary fat. By comparison, only small amounts of starchy foods and sugars can be stored in muscle and the liver.
Fats have a weak effect on the long-term control of appetite and actually have little impact on the feeling of satiety or fullness. This can lead to overeating. Protein, on the other hand, has a positive effect on satiety, and, like carbohydrate, also has a low storage capacity in the body and tends to be readily oxidised.
Fibre intake
Add bulk, especially if you struggle to control appetite, by replacing sports drinks, juice and colddrinks with low-calorie drinks and fruit that provide fibre without additional calories.
Meal frequency
Avoid skipping meals. Regular meals ensure constant blood glucose levels and prevent overindulging at later meals.
Regulate portion sizes Consider pre-packed meals or meal replacement formulae with predetermined energy values. Familiarise yourself with typical portion sizes.
Be organised and have a plan Take appropriate snacks to training sessions and avoid the temptation to buy high-fat snacks at training venues.
Periodisation
When training is reduced in the off-season or due to injury, energy intake must be adjusted accordingly.
Other essential interventions Exercise
Modify your current training programme to increase your energy expenditure, but take into consideration access to specific facilities, time and the potential for overuse of certain muscle groups resulting in injury.
Behaviour modification Strategies to help you stick to your weight-loss plan include social support and problem solving. Stimulus control is also a useful tool. This means that you identify triggers that may lead to overeating, such as boredom or stress.
Core components for effective weight-loss diets Diets promoting effective weight loss and management should have the following core components:
The inclusion of a variety of foods that meat your daily nutrient requirements. Energy intake should not be less than 5000kL or vitamin and mineral shortfalls will occur.
The ideal daily menu should comprise 50-60% of calories from carbohydrate, about 15-20% from protein and 20-35% fat.
The diet should improve overall health without leaving you feeling hungry, faint or fatigued.
The diet should promote and establish long-term healthy eating patterns.
The diet should fit in with your tastes, habits and lifestyle.
Self-monitoring – the use of food diaries – can reinforce healthy eating patterns and help identify those foods or even situations (triggers) that can cause you to ‘lose control’ over your eating.
The support and involvement of close family and friends should be encouraged.
Body mass index Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body weight relative to height calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared. It can be used to determine if people are overweight or obsess and is a better predictor of health risk than weight alone. This formula is accurate for adults other than body. Builders, competitive athletes, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
A BMI of 18.5 up to 25 refers to a healthy weight, a BMI of 25 up to 30 refers to overweight and a BMI of 30 or higher refers to obese.
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