Non-fiction:The Body Shop

The Body Shop

By Mackenzie Lobby
Fueling for sports and exercise
Imagine scarfing down 22 Big Macs in a 24-hour period. During training,
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps reportedly consumes as many as 12,000
calories dailynearly as many as are in those burgers. Amazing, right? But
as an athlete, Phelps cant live on fast food.
Good nutrition is important for an active lifestyle, whether youre on the road
to winning 14 Olympic gold medals or simply taking a yoga class a couple of
times a week. The basis of any athletes diet needs to incorporate a balance
of whole grains, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables, says Lindsay Langford,
a registered dietitian and specialist in sports dietetics at St. Vincent Sports
Performance in Indianapolis.
Seventeen-year-old Chelsey S. of Texas knows that well. One of her go-to
meals is a big bowl of whole-grain angel-hair pasta with spaghetti sauce.
Chelsey, who has won multiple national championships in both cross-country
and track, says, I pay attention to nutrition not just because of my running
but also because I feel better when I eat healthy.

Fueling the Tank

Think of your body as if it were a car. If you put the wrong type of gas in the
tank, you wont be able to move, at least not very fast. By understanding
what fuel you need before, during, and after exercise, you will be able to run
faster, jump higher, and get the best out of your body.
Glycogen is a molecule in your muscles that serves as your main source of
energy during workouts. You refuel your supply of glycogen by eating
carbohydrates. When you load up on carbs the day before a big game or an
intense workout, you are topping off the glycogen held in your muscles.
When youre not properly fueling the body, and you dont have enough
glycogen in your muscles and liver, the body pulls energy from two sources:
fat and protein stores, Langford explains. Then you can start to eat away
at muscle, and thats not what most athletes are going for. If you head
down that road, you may find yourself feeling overly fatigued, dizzy, or lightheaded. That is sometimes called hitting the wall.
How can you steer clear of the wall? Get your carbs from a wide variety of
sources, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Elliot R., a 17-year old
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Non-fiction:The Body Shop

high school soccer player from Indiana, says, We always have team pasta
dinners the night before games.
Another important part of fueling before activity is hydrationconsuming
enough liquid to keep your body working well. The general guidelines are
about 20 ounces one and a half to two hours before [a workout], but it
varies on size and sweat rate, notes Langford. The best sources of
hydration are plain water and sports drinks.
Chelsey always makes sure she gets enough hydration before running. At
the beginning of the day, I pour some apple juice in my sports bottle and
then fill the rest with water, she explains. I drink a whole lot before I even
get to practice because if Im dehydrated, its not going to be a good
practice.

In the Middle of the Action

Refueling during activity can be important for certain athletes. If you are
hopping on the treadmill for just 30 minutes, theres no need to inhale a
snack partway through your workout. However, if you are on the volleyball
court all day long with few breaks between sets, a granola bar or sports
drink could mean the difference between feeling full of energy and crashing
in the middle of a game.
The middle of a workout can be a really valuable time to fuel the body that
a lot of athletes neglect, says Langford. For hydration, she follows USA
Track & Fields guidelines. They suggest drinking one-half cup to a full cup of
fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise. Dianne Fagan, a registered
dietitian and teen nutrition expert who operates a Web site at
www.yourkidsdietitian.com, agrees. If you are dehydrated, she says, its
going to diminish your energy levels and impair your thought processes and
physical performance.

Winding Down and Fueling Up

Eating immediately after exercise is one of the best ways to prepare your
body for the next workout. The muscles are definitely most receptive to
replenishing the glycogen [supply] within the first 30 minutes after
exercise, explains Fagan. So as soon as you wrap up your karate class or
step off the soccer field, you should head straight for the kitchen.
Protein, [such as] lean meat and low-fat dairy, really helps with muscle
building and recovery, so for athletes looking to gain muscle mass, thats a big
component, Langford says. You really dont get the full benefit of your training
if youre not having that recovery nutrition. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich
or chicken breast with veggies are both great options after a workout.
2
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Article: Copyright 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Non-fiction:The Body Shop

Its also the time to gulp down a good amount of fluids. For every pound of
sweat you lose during your workout, you should drink 16 to 24 ounces of
liquid. Beverages such as chocolate milk and protein-rich sports drinks are
your best bet post exercise.

The Long Haul

Topping off your tank with the right nutrients and hydration will help your
body run longer and better. Good nutrition helps me to stay on top of
things like schoolwork and practice, says Elliot. [Exercise] takes a lot out
of you, so you need that energy.
By focusing on nutrition, Chelsey thinks she has an edge. It gives me extra
confidence during the race that Ive prepared for it in every way I can, she
says. Your bodys output will be only as good as what you put into it. So to
be at the top of your game, remember: You are what you eat.

What You Need

The amount of calories you need can vary widely based on your age, sex,
current weight, and activity level. These are dietitian Dianne Fagans
recommendations for a teen who is active 30 minutes to one hour each day.
She explains that the percentages are starting points, especially for people
who dont eat on a regular schedule: Start with the basics and adjust ...
percentages based on [your] food habits and schedule.
Girls 2,0002,400 calories
Boys 2,2003,200 calories
Where those calories should come from:
Carbs: 5060 percent of total calories
Protein: 1214 percent of total calories
Fats: 2530 percent of total calories

A Recovery Treat
Studies show that chocolate milk may be even better than sports drinks for
hydration after a workout. It is packed with all the carbs, proteins, vitamins,
and minerals you need to replenish your muscles, and it tastes great!

3
2012 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright 2009 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.

Questions: The Body Shop

Name:

_____________ Date: _______________________

1. What is one of the best ways to prepare your body for the next workout?
A
B
C
D

avoid water before and during exercise

eat carbohydrates throughout your workout
switch back and forth between stretching and running
eat immediately after exercise

2. The author organizes the text by dividing it into sections with subheadings. What is
described in the section with the subheading In the Middle of the Action?
A
B
C
D

the diet of seventeen-year-old Chelsey S.

refueling before athletic activity
refueling during athletic activity
refueling after athletic activity

3. Based on the information in the text, what should a volleyball player probably eat the
night before an all-day tournament?
A
B
C
D

whole grains, white bread, and fried chicken

fruits, vegetables, and Big Macs
Big Macs, whole grains, and French fries
whole grains, fruits, and vegetables

4. Read these sentences from the text:

When youre not properly fueling the body, and you dont have enough glycogen in
your muscles and liver, the body pulls energy from two sources: fat and protein stores,
Langford explains. Then you can start to eat away at muscle, and thats not what most
athletes are going for. If you head down that road, you may find yourself feeling overly
fatigued, dizzy, or light-headed.
What does the word fatigued probably mean here?
A
B
C
D

excited
exhausted
suspicious
confused

5. What is the main idea of this text?

A
B
C
D

Good nutrition is important for an active lifestyle.

You can think of your body as if it were a car.
Refueling during activity can be important for certain athletes.
The amount of calories you need can vary based on your age, sex, current
weight, and activity level.
1
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Questions: The Body Shop

6. According to Dianne Fagan, what will happen if you are dehydrated?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

7. Read this paragraph from the text:

Protein, [such as] lean meat and low-fat dairy, really helps with muscle building and
recovery, so for athletes looking to gain muscle mass, thats a big component, Langford
says. You really dont get the full benefit of your training if youre not having that
recovery nutrition. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich or chicken breast with veggies
are both great options after a workout.
Based on this evidence, why might eating chicken breast be a good choice after a workout?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

8. Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence.

Refueling during a short workout is not necessary; ________, refueling during a long
game can be important.
A
B
C
D

in particular
as an illustration
consequently
on the other hand

9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.

During training, Michael Phelps consumes 12,000 calories daily because he burns so
many calories.
Who? Michael Phelps
(does) What? ___________________________________________________________
2
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Questions: The Body Shop

When? ________________________________________________________________
Why? _________________________________________________________________
Directions: Read the vocabulary word and definition below to complete questions 10a,
10b, and 11.
Vocabulary Word: scarf (scarf): to eat quickly.
10a. Read the sentences below and underline all forms of the word scarf.
I only had 10 minutes until I needed to be at school, so I scarfed a piece of toast
and ran out the door.

1.

2.

We scarfed our dinners and then got stomachaches.

3.

Nutritionists and doctors do not recommend that people scarf down their food.

We watched as they scarfed their lunch, impressed at how quickly they finished
the sandwiches.
4.

5.

Before I knew it, I had scarfed an entire bag of chips while watching TV.

10b. Use the following vocabulary word in a sentence: scarf.

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

11. The winner of the hot dog eating contest ate 42 hot dogs in 15 minutes. Would you
say he scarfed his food?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3
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