Wasif H's List: Carbohydrates

• Yet they're doing the same thing you've been told to do your entire lifting career: Consume carbohydrates post-workout.
• While the idea of carbohydrate-laden post-workout nutrition is a sexy sell to athletes and physique enthusiasts alike, where does it come from, and what does it mean?

• Pretty much everyone who works out shares three basic post-workout recovery goals: 

   
   
   
  1. To begin the recovery process
   
  2. To support muscle growth
   
  3. To support our hormones and metabolism after a hard training session
• As a result, your goals are to optimize fat burning and muscle building alike.
• hat's because of the role that carbohydrates and insulin play in tumor development, cholesterol issues, diabetes, and various other factors¹¹.
• If you're an endurance athlete, I recommend consuming half of your daily carbs post-exercise. Assuming you're training for a upcoming endurance event, I'd advise consuming 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of your bodyweight.
• To sum it all up, if you want to optimize your physique and health, follow a strict low-carbohydrate approach post-workout for a few days, followed by a large refeed meal.

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• A carbohydrate-loading diet, also called a carb-loading diet, is a strategy to increase the amount of fuel stored in your muscles to improve athletic performance. Carbohydrate loading generally involves greatly increasing the amount of carbohydrates you eat several days before a high-intensity endurance athletic event.
• Your muscles normally store only small amounts of glycogen — enough to support you during recreational exercise activities. If you exercise intensely for more than 90 minutes, your muscles may run out of glycogen. At that point, you may start to become fatigued, and your performance may suffer.
• But with carbohydrate loading, you may be able to store up enough energy in your muscles to give you the stamina to make it through longer endurance events without overwhelming fatigue
• Carbohydrate loading may give you more energy during an endurance event. You may feel less fatigued and see an improvement in your performance after carbohydrate loading. But carbohydrate loading isn't effective for everyone. Other factors can influence your athletic performance or interfere with the effectiveness of your carbohydrate-loading strategy, including your fitness level and the intensity level of your exercise.
• Carbohydrate loading isn't right for every endurance athlete. It's a good idea to consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before you start carbohydrate loading, especially if you have diabetes.

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• If your workout is the key to your dream physique, then your diet is the key to your most effective workout. The food you eat is directly tied to the way your body performs, and an under-performing body won't burn as many calories or build as much muscle as one that is perfectly fueled.
• Timing is important -- even the perfect meal can leave you flat if you eat it too early or weigh you down if you eat it too late
• the most important factor is the mix of carbohydrates and protein.
• The actual amount of carbs and protein you eat depends upon how much time will elapse before your workout.
• No matter what volume of food you consume, dietitian Christopher Mohr recommends 5 g of carbs for every 1 g of essential amino acids -- about 1.6 g of a complete protein will provide 1 g of essential amino acids. Consuming these nutrients before your workout allows your body to take advantage of workout-induced increased blood flow to establish the amino acids in your muscles while boosting blood sugar for steady energy.
• Obviously, the closer you get to your workout time, the smaller the meal should be
• f your only pre-workout nutrition is a regular meal, eat it about three or four hours before you exercise so the food has time to digest. Otherwise, your full stomach will be susceptible to upset, and the nutrients won't be available in your bloodstream when your body needs them. Smaller meals can be eaten two or three hours prior, but stick to a small snack if you only have an hour to go.
• Whatever you decide to eat, keep the 5:1.6 g carb-to-protein ratio in mind.
• Supplements are by far the easiest way to ensure you get the proper ratio in an appropriately-sized food source.
• Many protein shakes and sports bars are designed specifically as pre-workout nutrition and have the precise nutrient ratio you need. They also have the added advantage of being portable, which can be convenient for those who hit the gym on the way home from work.
• If you are stuck without your favorite supplement at hand, fat-free chocolate milk will suffice -- according to Mohr, it provides the exact carb-to-protein ratio as a pre-workout shake. The fat-free part is important though -- fat digests slowly and can weigh you down when you least need it.
• Supplements are simply convenience products, and are not necessary to good nutrition. You can get the same benefit from whole foods, but this requires more planning and label reading. Fat-free yogurt with fruit and granola works, as does a whole-grain bagel with peanut butter.
• For a larger meal, a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with lettuce and tomato is a nearly perfect pre-workout meal, and bananas or fruit juice can be a last-minute snack for quick energy.

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  We know that for athletes to optimize their performance and be successful, they must consume efficient amounts of nutrients from carbohydrates... Here are a few facts and tips about carb loading, its importance, who benefits, and more.
     
     
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       <!-- <div wicket:id="description" class="dep-article-heading">  The goal in this article is to prime the body for an intensive two week program of twice-a-day training and  hardcore eating that could result in a shocking amount of new muscle. But don't jump into this program...  </div>  -->    By: Chuck Rudolph, MEd, RD  Nov 25, 2009              
         
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
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  Article Summary:   Endurance athletes will benefit from optimizing glycogen stores.    Performance athlete should keep glycogen stores packed at all times.    Carbs are the primary energy source for intense endurance exercise.
    
    
   

   Performance is defined as "the execution or accomplishment of work, acts, feats, etc." Today, we know a lot about how nutrition can affect the strength, speed and performance of athletes. We also know that for athletes to optimize their performance and be successful, they must consume efficient amounts of nutrients from carbohydrates, fats and proteins throughout the day. 

   

   The main question is, "How can nutrition go above and beyond for performance when taken pre, during and post intensive exercise/training?"  

   

   

  
  Click Image To Enlarge.
   Athletes Must Consume Efficient Amounts Of Nutrients From
  Carbohydrates, Fats And Proteins Throughout The Day.
   
   

   
   What Impact Does Nutrition Have On Performance? 
   

   

   Most of us already know that carbohydrates are the most readily available nutrient for e
• In fact, current research is advising endurance/intense training athletes to consume 0.5-1.0 grams of carbohydrate per minute (intensity pending) during training or competition. Trying to consume more carbohydrates has only indicated intestinal distress and it is believed that the type of carbohydrate is the limiting factor.

• The theory behind low-carb diets is that when your body is deprived of carbs, your fat stores are burned to provide energy. This causes you to lose fat and stay slim and trim. Another benefit of a low-carb diet is that you tend to eat more protein, which helps build muscle. Make the change to a low-carb diet with an eye on how you feel and how much energy you have during your workouts and other daily activities.
• The best way to reduce carbs in your diet is to restrict those foods that are comprised of simple carbs, such as snacks and foods made of refined sugar, white flour, white rice, snack foods, cakes, cookies and soda. Low-carb snacks or meals to eat before exercise include eggs, cheese, some fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• People with lower amounts of stored fat may find they do not have enough energy to get through the day. Low-carb diets also can cause “brain fog.”
• Finally, depletion of muscle glycogen may lead to muscle loss as there is not enough proper fuel to maintain them.
• f you feel weak, nauseous, or light-headed during your exercise, stop and rest. Drink some water. If the feelings persist, see your doctor.
• After you hit your ideal weight, you can raise your carb intake slightly to keep your body out of ketosis and to prevent muscle wasting.

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