3. Maintain energy balance
ENERGY intake (the amount of food we eat) is a critical component of any nutrition plan for optimal recovery from injury. As during the healing process from injury, energy expenditure can increase by 15-50 per cent depending on the severity of the injury. This means that although the reduced physical activity and training may result in reduced total energy expenditure, the overall reduction may be less than you would assume. Similarly if an athlete uses crutches as a result of the injury, energy expenditure will increase. Therefore, if fighters restrict large amounts of energy intake to avoid increasing bodyweight during injury may in fact hinder the recovery process as a result of the negative metabolic consequences. However, large increases in energy intake are undesirable due to increases in bodyweight so it is important that boxers aim to consume energy balance, which means that energy intake (food eaten) matches the energy expenditure of the individual.
Twitter: @MarcFell1
Email: j.m.fell@2014.ljmu.ac.uk
