The demands imposed by the rough and tough Navy SEAL training are quite profound. The only way to succeed is by stretching mental and physical strength to its optimum limit. If you are thinking about applying for SEAL training then you need to know that there is one factor that plays an important role – Nutrition. Navy SEALs eat healthy and there is no fast food in their menu – although a snake or two might be quite a treat!
The energy expenditure for a SEAL trainee is different each day. Some days involve strenuous activities like cold water exposure, running, calisthenics, swimming, carrying heavy baggage or load, and to top it there is sleep deprivation. In such a condition, the only thing that will keep you alive and going is nutritious food. Here’s a look at the Navy SEAL energy expenditure table.
|
Activity |
Time (Min) |
Energy (Kcal/min) |
Total Calories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 Mile Run |
32 |
14 |
448 |
|
14 Mile Run in Boots |
140 |
12 |
1680 |
|
5 Mile Ocean Swim |
175 |
9 |
1575 |
|
Obstacle Course |
30 |
10 |
300 |
|
Calisthenics |
30 |
8 |
240 |
|
5 Mile Hike with 80lb load |
100 |
14 |
1400 |
|
Weightlifting |
45 |
11 |
495 |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
6138 |
From the above table, you can see that a SEAL can lose anywhere from a minimum of 240 Calories to a maximum of 6138 Calories in a given day depending on the exercise schedule. The lost calories are compensated for with the intake of energy providing macronutrients like Proteins, CHO or carbohydrate, and Fat.
Here’s an insight into the amount of energy provided by each of the macronutrients:
- Protein: One gram of protein will provide 4 Kcal.
- Carbohydrate: One gram of carbohydrate will provide 4 Kcal.
- Fat: One gram of fat will provide 9 Kcal.
The important thing is to understand how much Kcal you require and fulfill that requirement. Never overeat!
Micro-Nutrients
The next most important nutrient that can compensate energy loss is micro-nutrients, which consists of vitamins and minerals. There are two basic types of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins include vitamin A, D, E, and K and water soluble vitamins include vitamin B and C. Similarly, minerals are basically inorganic compounds that already exist in the human body in small quantities. But during excessive energy expenditure, some amount of minerals is lost and hence mineral intake is the only way to compensate for the loss.
Here is a table of different types of micro-nutrients taken by Navy SEALs:
|
Type of Micro Nutrients |
Food |
|
Vitamin A |
Cheese, Milk, Egg, carrot, mango, apricot, spinach, and broccoli |
|
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) |
Wholegrains, yeast, pork, legume |
|
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) |
Cheese, milk, cereals |
|
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) |
Pork, beef, liver, eggs, cow’s milk |
|
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) |
split peas, green peas, Brussel sprouts, and beans |
|
Vitamin B12 (Cyano-cobalamin) |
Lamb, beef, veal, fish, eggs, chicken, and milk |
|
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) |
Orange, grapefruit, guava, raspberry |
|
Vitamin D |
Mackerel and eggs |
|
Vitamin E (Tocopherol) |
Spinach, almonds, fish, wheat germ |
|
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) |
Cabbage, canola oil, broccoli |
|
Copper |
Seafood and whole grains |
|
Iodine |
Shellfish, seaweed, and salt water fish |
|
Iron |
Red meat |
|
Magnesium |
Green vegetables |
|
Potassium |
Eggplant, banana, peas, tomato, zucchini |
|
Sodium |
Cheese and butter |
|
Zinc |
Meat, poultry and dairy products |
The bottom line is that you need to balance your intake of macro and micro-nutrients so that you can survive the SEAL training when you sign up!
This Article is written by James Kara Murat
