Weight Reduction, Weight Gaining, Body Fat

Weight Reduction

The obese individual may reduce his weight by limiting the amount of fat and high caloric carbohydrate foods in his diet. The protein foods need not be diminished because of their property of specific dynamic action (stimulation of general metabolic processes). An increased amount of daily physical activity increases the katabolic processes and aids in weight reduction.

Weight Gaining

The underweight individual may increase his weight by increasing the amount of fat and high caloric carbohydrate foods in his diet. More frequent feeding may be desirable, but excessive fat taken between meals may decrease the appetite due to its slow rate of digestion. Additional hours of sleep, perhaps including an afternoon nap may be helpful. A pleasant environment and a serene mental attitude are also important in a weight gaining program.

Body Fat

Various types of competitive athletics require different proportions of fat to muscle for maximum performance. A minimum amount of fat is desirable in the distance runner, the high jumper and the gymnast. These athletes must move their own weight in a highly economical fashion and any added weight taxes the strength and endurance. Distance swimmers need a certain amount of fat distributed near the skin surface to diminish the heat loss to the water, Football players, especially linemen, employ the fat portion of their mass in achieving momentum and also as a cushion to absorb the shocks of repeated contact.

In severe athletic training the normal amount of fat is reduced to a minimum because this tissue is considered an incumbrance. It is an extra load to be carried and it impedes the violent contraction of muscles, In this highly trained slate man is best fitted for framing, jumping, climbing and fighting. As stated before, however, he is not in the best condition to resist an exhausting infection like typhoid fever where an individual's fat stores are a valuable asset.

During a season of athletic training a slight loss in body weight may be expected at first due to a loss of fat. The initial loss is followed by a slow gain attributable to increased muscular development. One evidence of staleness or overtraining is a gradual loss of weight, i.e., the weight lost during exercise is not regained as it should be. Rest and feeding are indicated when the weight continues to decline.