Chapter 10: Nutrition, Fitness, and Physical Activity
EXCI 204 — Food for Sport · Chapter Study Notes (with formulas & calculations)
Chapter Overview
Professional long-distance cyclists may ride six hours a day and need over 6000 Calories to maintain
their weight — and to stay healthy and perform their best, those calories must come at the right times
and from the right kinds of foods. Most of us face the opposite challenge: getting enough physical
activity in a world that demands less and less exertion. Fitness crazes (Pilates, kickboxing, spin, Zumba)
and fad diets (Wheaties, high-carb, all-meat) litter recent history, and fitness trackers now follow every
move and morsel. As technology eases everyday tasks, we must pay more attention to what we eat and
how much activity we get.
The chapter covers: (10.1) how food and activity interact to promote health, brain health, and weight
management; (10.2) the components of fitness; (10.3) physical activity guidelines, the aerobic zone,
active lifestyles, overtraining, and active communities; (10.4) how ATP is fueled by anaerobic and
aerobic metabolism, how duration, intensity, and training change fuel use, and fatigue; (10.5) energy,
macronutrient, micronutrient, water, and electrolyte needs of athletes; (10.6) what to eat and drink
before, during, and after exercise; and (10.7) ergogenic aids. Math in this chapter: maximum heart rate
and aerobic zone, g/kg carbohydrate and protein targets, mL/kg fluid targets, % body weight lost, % of
calories from macronutrients, caffeine mg/kg, and glycogen-water storage — each boxed where it
appears and collected at the end.
10.1 Food, Physical Activity, and Health
Learning objectives: Discuss how food and physical activity interact to promote health · Explain the
impact of physical activity on chronic disease · Describe how exercise affects brain health · Discuss the
role of physical activity in weight management.
Food and physical activity are both necessary for optimal health. The link goes beyond both promoting
health: physical activity burns calories and uses nutrients, which must be supplied by the diet, so the
foods you eat fuel your activity and optimize performance (Figure 10.1). This holds whether your goal is
a healthy weight, lower disease risk, completing daily activities, or peak athletic performance.
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
fitness — A set of attributes related to the ability to perform routine physical activities without
undue fatigue.
Physical Activity and the Risk of Chronic Disease ⭐
Physical activity includes both planned exercise and daily activities (cleaning, cooking, yard work,
recreation). Fitness from regular activity makes everyday tasks easier and can prevent or delay chronic
conditions.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 1
,Health benefits of physical activity ⭐
Benefit (Figure 10.2) How
Mood, sleep, brain health, Regular activity improves mood, sleep patterns, brain health, and
well-being overall well-being
↓ Cardiovascular disease Strengthens the heart muscle, lowers blood pressure, increases
HDL (good) cholesterol
↓ Cancer Including colon and breast cancer (text also lists bladder,
endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, stomach)
Muscle Increases muscle mass, strength, and endurance
Flexibility and balance Improved by physical activity
Joints Strength and flexibility help improve joint function
↓ Type 2 diabetes Increases the sensitivity of tissues to insulin
↓ Osteoporosis Weight-bearing activity stimulates bones to become denser and
stronger
• Also prevents/delays hypertension and bone and joint disorders.
• Adequate activity reduces overall mortality regardless of whether a person is normal weight,
overweight, or obese — its benefits can overcome some of the health risks of excess body fat, so
you benefit even if you can’t lose weight.
• People in very active jobs (construction, ski instruction) may get enough through everyday activity;
most of us must add exercise.
Physical Activity and Brain Health ⭐
• Improves mood and self-esteem; decreases depression and anxiety.
• Reduces the risk of dementia; improves memory, attention, academic performance, emotional
control, and the ability to plan, organize, and initiate tasks. Even a single session temporarily
improves cognition and reduces anxiety.
• Mechanism (not fully understood): exercise stimulates release of endorphins — natural mood
enhancers behind the “exercise high,” also aiding relaxation, pain tolerance, and appetite control.
Exercise may also affect dopamine and serotonin, which relieve muscle tension, reduce cortisol
(stress hormone), and improve sleep.
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
endorphins — Neurotransmitters that cause a natural euphoria and reduce the perception of pain
under certain stressful conditions.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 2
,Physical Activity and Weight Management ⭐
Activity helps maintain a stable weight and reduces the risk of gaining weight and developing obesity,
because it increases both energy needs and lean body mass.
Three ways activity raises energy expenditure
Mechanism Effect on total energy expenditure
During moderate–strenuous Expenditure rises well above the resting rate
activity
After activity Some of the increase persists for many hours
Long term Regular exercise ↑ lean body mass; lean tissue uses more
energy than fat even at rest → ↑ basal metabolism
EXAM EXAMPLE — FIGURE 10.3
Physical activity increases energy expenditure
Total energy expenditure = basal metabolism + physical activity + TEF. Bars compare sedentary,
sedentary plus 30 min of moderate activity, and regular exercise.
• Adding 30 minutes of moderate activity to a sedentary lifestyle can increase expenditure by as
much as 300 Calories.
• Regular exercise also increases muscle mass → higher basal metabolism → total expenditure
rises further (the basal bar is taller).
Ask Yourself — why does regular exercise increase basal metabolism? Because it increases lean
body mass, and lean tissue uses more energy than fat tissue, even at rest.
• As discussed in Chapter 9, exercise increases energy needs, promotes loss of body fat, and slows
the loss of lean tissue during energy restriction; it also reduces the risk of stress-induced weight
gain. The more energy you expend, the more food you can eat while maintaining a healthy
weight.
Concept Check (10.1):
1. What is the relationship between food and physical activity?
2. How does physical activity affect heart health?
3. How does physical activity affect mood?
4. Why does physical activity help in managing weight?
10.2 The Components of Fitness
Learning objectives: List the characteristics of a fit individual · Describe the overload principle · Explain
how aerobic exercise affects heart rate and aerobic capacity · Compare the amount of muscle in fit and
unfit individuals.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 3
, Fitness has multiple components: endurance, strength, flexibility, balance, and body composition
(Figure 10.4). A fit person can continue an activity longer before fatigue forces them to stop. With
exercise you breathe harder, your heart beats faster, and your muscles stretch and strain; over time you
adapt — continuing a few minutes longer, lifting a heavier weight, stretching a millimeter farther.
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
overload principle — The concept that the body adapts to the stresses placed on it.
• Examples: run a mile three times a week → run farther in a few weeks; lift weights a few days a
week → more muscle, heavier weights.
Figure 10.4 — The components of fitness ⭐
Component What it is How to improve it (Figure 10.4)
Cardiorespiratory Ability of the heart and lungs to Aerobic activity (jogging, bicycling,
endurance deliver O₂ and nutrients and swimming). Stay in the aerobic range:
remove wastes slow enough to carry on a conversation
but fast enough that you cannot sing
Muscle strength Force a muscle can exert against Heavy weights → hypertrophy (bigger,
resistance (lift a gallon of milk stronger muscles); disuse → atrophy
one-handed, carry a trash can,
move a couch)
Muscle endurance Ability to contract repeatedly Repetitive activity: rowing, lighter
without fatigue (climbing stairs, weights with more reps, shoveling snow,
raking leaves) pedaling
Flexibility Range of motion Static stretch (hold at farthest point ≈ 30
seconds) or dynamic stretch (controlled
leg/arm swings, torso twists, side lunges
— helps balance and agility)
Balance Maintain equilibrium stationary Walking backward, balance board →
or moving resist internal/external forces, prevent
falls
Body composition Proportion of lean tissue vs. fat Aerobic + muscle-strengthening exercise
→ ↓ body fat, ↑ lean tissue
Cardiorespiratory Endurance ⭐
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
cardiorespiratory endurance — The efficiency with which the body delivers to cells the oxygen and
nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from cells.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 4
EXCI 204 — Food for Sport · Chapter Study Notes (with formulas & calculations)
Chapter Overview
Professional long-distance cyclists may ride six hours a day and need over 6000 Calories to maintain
their weight — and to stay healthy and perform their best, those calories must come at the right times
and from the right kinds of foods. Most of us face the opposite challenge: getting enough physical
activity in a world that demands less and less exertion. Fitness crazes (Pilates, kickboxing, spin, Zumba)
and fad diets (Wheaties, high-carb, all-meat) litter recent history, and fitness trackers now follow every
move and morsel. As technology eases everyday tasks, we must pay more attention to what we eat and
how much activity we get.
The chapter covers: (10.1) how food and activity interact to promote health, brain health, and weight
management; (10.2) the components of fitness; (10.3) physical activity guidelines, the aerobic zone,
active lifestyles, overtraining, and active communities; (10.4) how ATP is fueled by anaerobic and
aerobic metabolism, how duration, intensity, and training change fuel use, and fatigue; (10.5) energy,
macronutrient, micronutrient, water, and electrolyte needs of athletes; (10.6) what to eat and drink
before, during, and after exercise; and (10.7) ergogenic aids. Math in this chapter: maximum heart rate
and aerobic zone, g/kg carbohydrate and protein targets, mL/kg fluid targets, % body weight lost, % of
calories from macronutrients, caffeine mg/kg, and glycogen-water storage — each boxed where it
appears and collected at the end.
10.1 Food, Physical Activity, and Health
Learning objectives: Discuss how food and physical activity interact to promote health · Explain the
impact of physical activity on chronic disease · Describe how exercise affects brain health · Discuss the
role of physical activity in weight management.
Food and physical activity are both necessary for optimal health. The link goes beyond both promoting
health: physical activity burns calories and uses nutrients, which must be supplied by the diet, so the
foods you eat fuel your activity and optimize performance (Figure 10.1). This holds whether your goal is
a healthy weight, lower disease risk, completing daily activities, or peak athletic performance.
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
fitness — A set of attributes related to the ability to perform routine physical activities without
undue fatigue.
Physical Activity and the Risk of Chronic Disease ⭐
Physical activity includes both planned exercise and daily activities (cleaning, cooking, yard work,
recreation). Fitness from regular activity makes everyday tasks easier and can prevent or delay chronic
conditions.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 1
,Health benefits of physical activity ⭐
Benefit (Figure 10.2) How
Mood, sleep, brain health, Regular activity improves mood, sleep patterns, brain health, and
well-being overall well-being
↓ Cardiovascular disease Strengthens the heart muscle, lowers blood pressure, increases
HDL (good) cholesterol
↓ Cancer Including colon and breast cancer (text also lists bladder,
endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, stomach)
Muscle Increases muscle mass, strength, and endurance
Flexibility and balance Improved by physical activity
Joints Strength and flexibility help improve joint function
↓ Type 2 diabetes Increases the sensitivity of tissues to insulin
↓ Osteoporosis Weight-bearing activity stimulates bones to become denser and
stronger
• Also prevents/delays hypertension and bone and joint disorders.
• Adequate activity reduces overall mortality regardless of whether a person is normal weight,
overweight, or obese — its benefits can overcome some of the health risks of excess body fat, so
you benefit even if you can’t lose weight.
• People in very active jobs (construction, ski instruction) may get enough through everyday activity;
most of us must add exercise.
Physical Activity and Brain Health ⭐
• Improves mood and self-esteem; decreases depression and anxiety.
• Reduces the risk of dementia; improves memory, attention, academic performance, emotional
control, and the ability to plan, organize, and initiate tasks. Even a single session temporarily
improves cognition and reduces anxiety.
• Mechanism (not fully understood): exercise stimulates release of endorphins — natural mood
enhancers behind the “exercise high,” also aiding relaxation, pain tolerance, and appetite control.
Exercise may also affect dopamine and serotonin, which relieve muscle tension, reduce cortisol
(stress hormone), and improve sleep.
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
endorphins — Neurotransmitters that cause a natural euphoria and reduce the perception of pain
under certain stressful conditions.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 2
,Physical Activity and Weight Management ⭐
Activity helps maintain a stable weight and reduces the risk of gaining weight and developing obesity,
because it increases both energy needs and lean body mass.
Three ways activity raises energy expenditure
Mechanism Effect on total energy expenditure
During moderate–strenuous Expenditure rises well above the resting rate
activity
After activity Some of the increase persists for many hours
Long term Regular exercise ↑ lean body mass; lean tissue uses more
energy than fat even at rest → ↑ basal metabolism
EXAM EXAMPLE — FIGURE 10.3
Physical activity increases energy expenditure
Total energy expenditure = basal metabolism + physical activity + TEF. Bars compare sedentary,
sedentary plus 30 min of moderate activity, and regular exercise.
• Adding 30 minutes of moderate activity to a sedentary lifestyle can increase expenditure by as
much as 300 Calories.
• Regular exercise also increases muscle mass → higher basal metabolism → total expenditure
rises further (the basal bar is taller).
Ask Yourself — why does regular exercise increase basal metabolism? Because it increases lean
body mass, and lean tissue uses more energy than fat tissue, even at rest.
• As discussed in Chapter 9, exercise increases energy needs, promotes loss of body fat, and slows
the loss of lean tissue during energy restriction; it also reduces the risk of stress-induced weight
gain. The more energy you expend, the more food you can eat while maintaining a healthy
weight.
Concept Check (10.1):
1. What is the relationship between food and physical activity?
2. How does physical activity affect heart health?
3. How does physical activity affect mood?
4. Why does physical activity help in managing weight?
10.2 The Components of Fitness
Learning objectives: List the characteristics of a fit individual · Describe the overload principle · Explain
how aerobic exercise affects heart rate and aerobic capacity · Compare the amount of muscle in fit and
unfit individuals.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 3
, Fitness has multiple components: endurance, strength, flexibility, balance, and body composition
(Figure 10.4). A fit person can continue an activity longer before fatigue forces them to stop. With
exercise you breathe harder, your heart beats faster, and your muscles stretch and strain; over time you
adapt — continuing a few minutes longer, lifting a heavier weight, stretching a millimeter farther.
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
overload principle — The concept that the body adapts to the stresses placed on it.
• Examples: run a mile three times a week → run farther in a few weeks; lift weights a few days a
week → more muscle, heavier weights.
Figure 10.4 — The components of fitness ⭐
Component What it is How to improve it (Figure 10.4)
Cardiorespiratory Ability of the heart and lungs to Aerobic activity (jogging, bicycling,
endurance deliver O₂ and nutrients and swimming). Stay in the aerobic range:
remove wastes slow enough to carry on a conversation
but fast enough that you cannot sing
Muscle strength Force a muscle can exert against Heavy weights → hypertrophy (bigger,
resistance (lift a gallon of milk stronger muscles); disuse → atrophy
one-handed, carry a trash can,
move a couch)
Muscle endurance Ability to contract repeatedly Repetitive activity: rowing, lighter
without fatigue (climbing stairs, weights with more reps, shoveling snow,
raking leaves) pedaling
Flexibility Range of motion Static stretch (hold at farthest point ≈ 30
seconds) or dynamic stretch (controlled
leg/arm swings, torso twists, side lunges
— helps balance and agility)
Balance Maintain equilibrium stationary Walking backward, balance board →
or moving resist internal/external forces, prevent
falls
Body composition Proportion of lean tissue vs. fat Aerobic + muscle-strengthening exercise
→ ↓ body fat, ↑ lean tissue
Cardiorespiratory Endurance ⭐
KEY DEFINITION ⭐
cardiorespiratory endurance — The efficiency with which the body delivers to cells the oxygen and
nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from cells.
EXCI 204 · Chapter 10 · Page 4
