The term nutrition is the overall process of ingestion, digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food. All of these processes allow the nutrients from food to be assimilated and utilized by the tissues of the body. The guidelines for healthy nutrition apply to both physically active and sedentary individuals alike.

The needs of athletes and physically active individuals are primarily different from sedentary individuals in the fact that physical activity boosts caloric needs. With an increase in caloric intake, the macro- and micronutrients typically follow suit (assuming the additional calories don’t come solely from soft drinks, candy, and desserts).

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