Archives
Articles Related to Fitness, Health and Nutrition
The Importance of Proper Nutrition
Taken from Variables for Weight Lifting and Exercise © 2003 Anthony Sell - All Rights Reserved
Quite simply, if you do not eat correctly, you will not grow.
Furthermore, if you do not eat correctly you will end up doing more harm than good. The exertion and demands that are placed on the body during high intensity resistance training leave the body prone to illness and injury if improperly supplied with nutrients.
Chemical imbalances can also result, creating conditions such as somato-psychotic (literally, from body to mind) depression. This is often a symptom of severe overtraining, culminating after a high level of stress or physical exertion (remember, dealing with constant soreness is very stressful) combines with a chemical imbalance due to improper levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients (including water).
Your body can only accomplish so much in a given period of time. If you feel frustrated with your progress, it may be time to look at your schedule and see if you are getting enough rest and the right diet.
One of the most deceptively important pieces of direction that a professional trainer or coach can give an athlete is when to take time off from their training schedule.
Though it may not always feel like it, too much work will impair progress just as much as too little work. Many of the problems involved with overtraining, however, are largely caused by malnutrition.