21st Century Military Warfighter Reference: Warfighter Nutrition Guide, Fueling the Human Weapon, High Performance Catalysts, Secrets to Keeping Lean, Supplements for an Edge, Foods to Eat or Avoid
U.S. Military, Department of Defense
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Progressive Management
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The Warfighter Nutrition Guide
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1 * The Warrior Athlete
Nutrition for the Warfighter
The demands imposed by military service, training, and missions are unlike any athletic endeavor. Success requires the mustering of all strength and endurance—both physical and mental. Military service members, Warfighters (WF), are indeed “Warrior Athletes,” the ultimate athlete, at the top of the athletic pyramid. One factor that will contribute to mission success and life-long health is good nutrition. It is well known that appropriate nutritional habits and interventions can enhance performance, and these successful approaches need to be known.
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Warfighter / Professional-Olympic Athlete
Year-round training cycle. / Seasonal training.
Multiple skills. / One sport.
Volunteer. / Sponsored.
24/7 potential for deployment. / Well scheduled and orchestrated events.
Self-trained/Help yourself. / Full spectrum support.
Eat on the fly/Help yourself. / Sports nutritionist/Psychologists.
Military issue tents. / Pampered with 5-star hotels.
Covert ops. / Limelight and enthusiastic audience.
Life/Death. / Win/Lose.
Global impact. / Self-promotion/Local enthusiasm.
Unexpected is the norm. / Structured and controlled.
Private reflection and satisfaction. / Money, endorsements, Olympic gold, public approval, and appreciation.
Unit at risk. / Team effort.
Buddy-reliant. / Coach-directed goals.
All service members are Warfighters, regardless of duties. This manual is intended to be a resource for all Warfighters and includes a variety of materials ranging from short summaries to detailed information, with worksheets, links, and important tips for nutrition at home and when deployed.
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Looking Forward
This Nutrition Guide evolved into the final product after multiple conversations, discussions, and interactions with military, fitness, and nutrition experts. The Guide is dense, but each chapter starts with key information, and an executive summary provides a “shortened” version.
Chapters 2 through 4 provide general background information about energy expenditure, source of energy, essential nutrients and nutrition concepts. These are the backbone of the guide.
Chapters 5 through 8 will help you select a healthy diet: they contain menus for eating at home, menus for eating in ethnic and fast food restaurants, choosing healthy snacks, selecting appropriate military rations, and combining commercial-off-the-shelf products with military rations.
Chapters 9 through 13 review important information on being a warrior athlete. Detailed information and websites that discuss dietary supplements, combat rations and products to be avoided are also provided.
Chapters 14 and 15 explore nutritional strategies for various missions, how to optimize nutritional intake to combat challenging environmental and physiological conditions, and how to eat on the local economy when deployed.
Chapter 16 discusses nutritional strategies to regain pre-deployment health and fitness after returning home from extended deployments.
Chapters 17 and 18 provide information on how to be a warrior athlete for 20+ years and what the “high-mileage” warrior athlete should consider in order to maintain operational readiness and good health after years of physical abuse.
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Future Success
Warfighters are a select group of warrior athletes who can benefit from nutritional guidance. Each command has specialized missions, with the duration of deployments ranging from 30 days to 12 months. Long missions in locations far from the central support hub pose very difficult nutritional challenges to Warfighters, and unfortunately, good solutions are not always possible. Despite differences across military commands, this guide has been designed to cover the spectrum of needs, so performance under the most rigorous conditions is optimized. The success of Warfighters require effective nutritional strategies to optimize performance during operations and preserve health during the golden years of retirement.
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Balancing the Energy Tank
Key Points
Balancing energy intake and expenditure can be difficult when activity levels are very high and also when activity levels are very low, such as during isolation.
Typically, body weight remains constant when energy intake equals expenditure.
To lose or gain one pound of weight, 3,500 calories must be expended or consumed.
Calculating Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and the intensity of daily activities gives an accurate estimate of how much energy a War-fighter might expend in one day.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a clinical tool for assessing body fat composition and classifies individuals into underweight, normal, overweight, and obese categories.
Energy balance is one very important aspect of nutrition. Knowing how much energy is going to be expended allows one to calculate how much fuel the “tank” requires to function and how much fuel to take on missions. Energy expenditure must be balanced by energy intake to maintain body weight or “energy balance.” To determine how much fuel your tank needs, basic information about metabolic rate and activity level is needed. This chapter will address those issues.
Units of Energy
The unit most commonly used to describe energy intake and energy expenditure is the calorie. The terms kilocalorie (kcal) and kilojoule are also used when referring to energy intake and expenditure. For simplicity:
• 1 kcal = 1 calorie.
Throughout this book we will use the terms kcal and calorie interchangeably.
Sensitivity of Energy Balance
The energy balance equation can be “unbalanced” by changing energy intake, energy expenditure, or both. To gain or lose 1 pound, approximately 3,500 extra kcal must be consumed or expended. Believe it or not, the energy balance equation is very sensitive.
1 lb = 3,500 kcal.
Example 1:
One 32 oz Gatorade® has 4 servings of 8 fl oz. If you consumed the whole bottle, you would drink 200 kcal (8 oz = 50 kcal).
If you drank one 32 oz Gatorade® per day every day of the year without increasing your activity level, you would add 73,000 kcal (200 x 365 days/yr), which is 20.8 lbs in one year.
Example 2:
Eating one PowerBar® Protein Plus per day would provide 258 kcal of energy.
Eating one PowerBar® Protein Plus per day for an entire year without increasing your activity level, would add 94,170 kcal (258 x 365 days/ yr), which is 26.9 lbs per year.
Example 3:
Drinking one extra beer per day would provide an additional 145 kcal of energy.
Drinking one beer per day for an entire year without increasing your activity level, would add 52,925 kcal (145 x 365 days/year), which is 15.1 lbs per year.
Components of Energy Expenditure
The three major contributors to energy expenditure are:
Resting energy expenditure.
Physical activity.
Energy for digesting foods (TEF or thermic effect of food).
The first two are of interest here and will be discussed in detail.
Resting Energy Expenditure
Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) is the amount of energy required to maintain life—such as breathing, beating of the heart, maintaining body temperature, and other life processes. Measurements are made in the morning after waking with the body at complete rest. REE can be estimated by a formula to predict your daily energy requirements. The only information needed is your body weight in pounds.
Table 2-1
Determining Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) of Men from Body Weight (in pounds)
Age (years) / Equation to Derive REE (kcal/day)
18-30 / 6.95 x Weight + 679
31-60 / 5.27 x Weight + 9=879
Physical Activity Energy Expenditure
The amount of energy you expend during physical activity is different each day, depending on your training. Some days are very strenuous and involve running, swimming, calisthenics, cold water exposure, sleep deprivation, and carrying heavy loads. Some days you are in the classroom sitting a good portion of the day. Thus, determining your actual energy expended during activity is more difficult, but there are ways to estimate it. You would usually take your REE and multiply it by a number (or factor) based on your expected physical activity, as shown in Table 2–2.
Table 2-2
Physical Activity Factor for Various Levels of Activity
General Activity / Activity Factor (x REE)
Very Light: Seated and standing activities, driving, playing cards / 1.3
Light: Walking, carpentry, sailing, playing ping-or pool, golf / 1.6
Moderate: Carrying a load, jogging, light swimming, biking, calisthenics, scuba diving / 1.7
Heavy: Walking with a load uphill, rowing, digging, climbing, soccer, basketball, running, obstacle course / 2.1
Exceptional: Running/swimming races, cycling uphill, carrying very heavy loads, hard rowing / 2.4
Multiplying your REE by this physical activity factor provides a rough estimate of your total energy/calorie needs.
Example:
You are 21, weigh 175 lbs, and activity is moderate.
REE = 6.95 x Weight + 679 = 6.95 x 175 + 169 = 1895 kcal/day.
Total Energy Needs = 1895 x 1.7 = 3222 kcal/day.
Note: Formula for REE came from Table 2–1; 1.7 is the Activity Factor for “Moderate Activity.”
How to Calculate Energy Expenditure
You will need a calculator to complete this exercise.
Over a 24-hour period, different amounts of energy will be expended in each activity you engage in, be it watching TV, eating, running in boots, humping, or listening to teammates. The objective of this activity is to increase awareness of the energy actually expended.
Record your name and date on the Energy Expenditure Activity Form.
List all the activities participated in over the last 12 hours and the approximate length of time (in minutes) spent on each activity.
Sample Energy Expenditure Activity Form:
Activity / Time (minutes) / Energy Value (kcal/minute) / Total calories (kcal)
Obstacle course / 30 / 10 / 300
4-mile run, 8-min/mile pace / 32 / 14 / 448
Calisthenics / 30 / 8 / 240
Weight lifting / 45 / 11 / 495
14-mile run in boots / 140 / 12 / 1680
5-mile hike w/80 lb load / 100 / 14 / 1400
Grand Total 4563 kcal
Go through the alphabetical list of activities, and find the activity that most closely approximates the ones you listed on the form.
Write down on the form the kcal/minute (not per hour!) value in the appropriate column (Energy Value).
Multiply the energy value by the total time in minutes. For example, if you ran in boots for 25 minutes, then your energy expenditure for that activity would be 12 (energy value) x 25 (time) = 300 kcals.
Do this for five activities, or preferably all events in 12 hours. Then add up the numbers to get an actual energy expenditure estimate. How did you fare? Keep track of your weight if you are in doubt—it is the most accurate way to monitor energy balance.
Body Size and Body Mass Index
Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a measure commonly used to rapidly assess body composition and classify individuals as underweight, normal, overweight or obese. BMI is the ratio of (weight in kg)/(height in m)2, or [(weight in lb) x 704.5]/ (height in inches)2. Reference standards have been developed for the United States population by race and gender, so that individuals at risk for obesity can be easily identified. However, the reference values for the U.S. population do not always apply to special populations, such as Warfighters. As a result, unique populations often develop their own standards and references based on individuals within that population. A reference range based on a survey of over 800 SEAL Warfighters was developed. The average BMI was 25, and the average body fat was 13%.
BMI is a screening tool, and you can use it to keep track of changes in your body composition. If your BMI is high, have your body fat checked, and if your body fat is more than 20%, you should take action to lower your weight.
Fueling the Human Weapon
Key Points
Carbohydrates (CHO) are the vital fuel for endurance and resistance activities, competitive athletic events, mental agility, and healthy living.
Fats, the primary form of stored energy, are essential, but should be eaten in moderation.
Proteins are essential for building and repairing body tissues; however, excess protein is converted to fat.
Restore fluid balance by taking in enough liquids to replenish weight (pounds) lost plus an additional 25%.
Performance decrements begin when only 2% of body weight has been lost.
You Are What You Eat.” Although this statement has not been proven, it is known that the foods eaten make a difference in performance, longevity, and quality of life. A car engine typically uses only one source of fuel, but the body can use carbohydrate, fat, protein, and alcohol. To a certain extent, the source of fuel is dictated by availability. In other words, the body tends to use whatever it has. The macronutrients, or energy-providing nutrients, are important in this respect. Without energy the body would starve, and performance would be greatly reduced. The three main sources of energy are:
Carbohydrate.
Fat.
Protein.
These fuels are called “macronutrients” because they are eaten in large quantities unlike the micronutrients to be discussed later. This chapter will provide basic information about macronutrients and alcohol, which may be a dominant source of energy among Warfighters. In addition, information relating to portion size and hydration will be provided.
Fuels for Energy
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, or CHO, are the preferred foods for endurance and resistance training, competitive athletic events, mental agility, and healthy living. CHO foods are the preferred energy source for all athletes and for Warfighters. CHO should not be restricted. In the past, CHO have been considered “off-limits” and many Warfighters have blamed weight gain on CHO. In addition, many fad diets promote protein and fat at the expense of CHO, but as a vital energy source, and restriction can degrade performance. Chapters 5, 9 and 10 discuss the amount of CHO to eat with respect to nutrient timing and type of training.
Definition, Composition, and Classification
Carbohydrates exist in many forms, but the two major types of CHO are labelled simple and complex.
Simple CHO include table sugar, honey, fruit sugars, milk sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, corn sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup, and molasses.
Complex CHO include grains, fruits, seeds, potatoes, pasta, seaweed, algae, peas and beans, and all other vegetables.
Complex CHO, starches and fibers, come from plant materials. The body digests starches, but it does not digest dietary fiber. Fiber is discussed in Chapter 18.
Functions of Carbohydrate in the Body
CHO are used in the body mainly as:
Fuel for muscles, brain, heart, and other organs in the form of glucose; the brain requires 130 grams/day from glucose.
Building blocks to make chemicals needed by the body.
Chemical cement for joints and other structures in your body.
Glycogen is the only CHO stored in humans.
Glycogen, stored in liver and skeletal muscle, is limited to about 500 grams and is depleted by three to four hours of heavy exercise; a 24-hour fast will use up liver glycogen stores.
Carbohydrate in the Diet
Some people are phobic about eating CHO and believe that foods high in CHO are unhealthy and lead to weight gain. Fear not. That notion comes from muscle-building myths and low CHO diet fads that lack scientific evidence. No one has ever been able to show that performance suffers from consuming potatoes, rice and bread. To the contrary, performance is enhanced by such foods. Rather, high-fat toppings (butter on bread, sour cream on potatoes, cream cheese on bagels, cream sauces on macaroni) may contribute to the notion that CHO are bad. Also, CHO that are highly processed with high fructose corn syrup and other highly processed sugars, are less healthy than whole food products, such as baked potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and wheat bread. CHO-rich foods from around the world are shown below.