The impact of combining nutritional counseling with Cardio Tennis on weight loss and body composition in amateur athletes

Introduction

Cardio Tennis is a relatively new and innovative training method based on playing tennis. It incorporates high-intensity interval training exercises (HIIT). This technique is highly recommended for enhancing cardiovascular functions and reducing weight. But even if the benefits of HIIT are there, the combined impact of HIIT with a dietary factor is still a gap in the body of knowledge, particularly in the context of a given sports training⁽¹⁾.

The current article aimed at focusing on the impact that nutritional counseling can add to the efforts of this particular type of training in weight loss and body composition, offering a proof base that can contribute to the building of integrated nutrition and exercise regimes in the enhancement of active populations’ health while fighting obesity and the like.

Methodology

Study sample. The study sample consisted of 20 men and women, aged between 30 and 36 years old, who were at a beginner or amateur sport level, had flexible schedules, and were committed to regular attendance.

The exclusion criteria were represented by the absence of adherence to the training program, improper completion of the food record diaries, lack of commitment, and old age from the range given.

Study protocol. The research was conducted for thirty-one days in a sports club in Belgrade, Serbia, and the data were analyzed in Târgu-Mureş, Romania.

The subjects kept a five-day food journal twice, over two months, to assess any likely errors or patterns of eating. Each participant was subject to anthropometry at baseline, and a Tanita weight 1280 scale was utilized in body composition analysis, which included information about the percentage of body fat, fat mass, muscle mass, hydration, and muscles’ interstitial body fluids.

The participants performed a 90-minute Cardio Tennis training program three times per week. The intervention group received two nutrition webinars and a nutrition guide, while the control group only participated in the training sessions.

Statistical analysis. The data were collected and analyzed in Excel, SENPRO, and MyFitnessPal. By measuring weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), muscle, and body fat percentage changes, the baseline and final measurements could be compared.

Results

The investigation provided encouraging results in the women’s batch for the intervention and control groups. However, the effect was more pronounced in the intervention group. Within this group, 4-6 kg weight was lost, as opposed to 1-2 kg weight loss in the control group.

The findings for the male group showed that weight loss was similar in the interventional and control groups. Although the interventional group achieved a sharper decrease in body fat percentage, around 2 kilograms of loss was associated with a decrease of 1.2-3 percent units in body fat percentage. It can be seen in Figure 1 that, regardless of age or occupation, women’s and men’s fat loss percentages had a higher decrease in the intervention group compared to the control group.
 

Furthermore, even in the control group, some reduction in fat loss can be noted, but it is less than the intervention group. In the interventional group, the women achieved a total fat loss percentage of 14.3%, averaging 2.86% per person. In contrast, the women in the control group reached a total of 5.48%, averaging 1.1% per individual. For men, the interventional group showed a total percentage of 11.40%, or about 2.28% per person, whereas the control group registered a 6.39% total, averaging 1.28% per person.
 

It should be noted that the intervention group was reported to have experienced considerable weight loss, positive changes in food behavior, and even sleeping patterns.

The intervention group also decreased the alcohol intake, and the participants improved their leisure time management, which greatly enhanced their quality of life. Sleep as part of therapeutic management contributed to the significant difference in weight loss between the two groups. 

The intervention group presented an average weight loss of 4.5%, with women achieving a mean reduction of 2.9% and men 3.1%. In contrast, the control group experienced a lower overall weight loss of 1.1%, with women losing 0.35% and men 1.78% on average.

Most subjects consumed alcohol (one portion) at least once a week. From the food diaries completed by the subjects, a portion for the male group consisted of approximately 3-4 glasses of alcohol (e.g., brandy, whiskey, vodka), while the female group preferred cocktail-type drinks, with a lower amount of alcohol, a portion meaning 1-2 glasses.

The intervention group had a lower intake compared to the control group. For alcohol consumption, women from the interventional group reported a total of 11 portions per week, averaging 2.2 portions per person. Men in the interventional group consumed four portions weekly, resulting in an average of 0.8 portions per person. In contrast, women in the control group consumed eight portions per week, averaging 1.6 portions per person, while men consumed nine portions, averaging 1.8 portions per person. The total weekly alcohol consumption for the interventional group was 15 portions, averaging 1.5 portions per person, whereas the control group had 17 portions, averaging 1.7 portions per person.

Water intake was insufficient; only 20% of subjects in both groups exceeded the daily water requirement. The remaining 80% of the subjects consumed between 21.1% and 82.3% of the daily requirement. This can influence appetite, digestion and water retention and, at the same time, increase the risk of a brain accident. Athletes, both amateurs and professionals, must hydrate adequately to avoid possible problems caused by lack of water.

In Figure 2, the differences between required and actual intake can be more easily observed in both target groups. The numbers 1 to 20 represent each participant, with blue color as intake and orange as needs calculated.
 

After the initial consultation and assessment of all participant’s water intake, the groups were encouraged to use phone applications to remind them to consume water at fixed times to avoid possible dehydration.

During the study, the participants filled out feedback sheets about the training program, hydration, rest status, and well-being. Following the questionnaires, a positive change in water intake was visible.

Discussion

The study participants reported significant weight loss and improved body composition in the group that undertook a combination of Cardio Tennis and nutritional counselling. This aligns with many studies that show the positive impact of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), such as Cardio Tennis, on overall health improvements and body composition enhancement.

Milanović et al. reported that one of the significant advantages of HIIT workouts among amateurs is the enhanced cardiovascular fitness coupled with lower fat percentages, which matches our results on Cardio Tennis’s impact on heart health⁽¹⁾. Keating et al. also stated that HIIT had a more favorable effect on fat mass loss than moderate exercise, further proposing that intensity in training is vital for fat burning⁽²⁾.

Rynders et al. conducted research on HIIT metabolic features and revealed that HIIT significantly improves aerobic and metabolic performance, possibly attributing to the advantages found in Cardio Tennis⁽³⁾. In other studies, Alkahtani et al. provided evidence that training intensity of intervals has a positive correlation with fat burn, suggesting that heavy training is ideal for weight loss, which is what we have experienced⁽⁴⁾.

In their work, Gibala and Little’s response, it was also demonstrated that HIIT improves insulin sensitivity and muscle oxidative capacity, which are also apparent in the Cardio Tennis program, where we noticed improvement in the health of participants in that program⁽⁵⁾. Likewise, Howe et al. provided such further information when they stated that regular weight-bearing exercise progressively enhances muscle mass and muscle strength, which also parallels the improvements in body composition that our intervention group participants experienced⁽⁶⁾.

HIIT training intervals raise the effects but also improve the overall fitness and body composition. This supported the additional nutrition counsel on the Cardio Tennis program that we employed⁽⁷⁾. Batrakoulis et al. demonstrated how tailored nutrition modifications and intense physical activity increased the participants’ motivation for the program, which in the current study has also been apparent as the participants adhered to the plan more strictly⁽⁸⁾.

Another exciting aspect is provided by Wewege et al., who stated that combining HIIT and nutritional counseling is the best strategy for visceral fat loss, and it illustrates integration in weight loss strategies⁽⁹⁾. Similarly, Støa et al. and Smith et al. also proved that high-intensity physical training enhances muscular strength and improves cardiovascular risk factors, corroborating the health benefits observed during our trials^(10,11).

Our study corroborates and adds to the existing literature^(2,7,9,12), making it evident that combining Cardio Tennis with dietary advice would be helpful for sedentary sportsmen looking to shape up. These results indicate that a more structured approach would benefit recreational and professional sportsmen.

Conclusions

This study proves that a Cardio Tennis program is more effective in promoting weight loss and body composition changes among novice athletes when coupled with nutrition counseling than training without nutrition intervention. In the intervention group, the participants achieved a higher decrease in body fat percentage and a higher increase in muscle percentage, which indicates that combining food and high levels of strength training is better than merely training.

These findings emphasize the necessity of comprehending a combined treatment strategy for amateur athletes seeking to enhance their health and fitness. I propose implementing this approach in gyms and fitness centers because of its potential long-term effects on participants and their health enhancement. Cardio Tennis and nutritional counseling could also be effective in future studies to enhance participants’ mood and metabolic health.

Autori pentru corespondenţă: Paula Oniţă E-mail: elite.sportdietetics@gmail.com

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: none declared.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: none declared.

This work is permanently accessible online free of charge and published under the CC-BY.