Sports Training - Managing Carbohydrates

So if you have been training for a while I am sure by now it's been drilled into your head many times that you need Protein to recover from your intense training workouts. Whey isolate protein three times a day especially after workouts blah blah blah. This is true but what about the rest of your diet? Have you ever gone to the gym feeling flat, tired or just lacking that spark of intensity you need to push yourself?

Say hello to my little friend, the Carbohydrate.

Carbs are the energy source your muscles use to get the job done. Don't eat enough or the right type of carbs going in and you can bet you're better off staying at home playing some Madden or NBA2K. What to eat and when should be as much a focus of the training session as the reps, sets, weight and plyos you are about to do.

Good carbs, bad carbs and the just plain ugly.

Once consumed, carbs breakdown into smaller sugars (glucose, fructose and galactose) and are then absorbed and used as energy. Any glucose not needed right away is stored in the muscles and the liver in the form of glycogen. These glycogen stores are the fuel your muscles will use for intense exercise. If you are running low because you haven't consumed enough calories or too much of the wrong calories you will run out of energy quickly and fatigue will set in. If you are low in glycogen your body can also turn to protein for it's energy source and this could result in loss of muscle, the exact opposite of why your'e training in the first place, sayin?

So now that we know we need enough calories in the form of good carbs pre workout, how do we manage this? Below are some good and not so good choices for your

training diet in general as well as pre workout meals.

The good – These carbs are complex meaning they are slow release. They will provide a steady release of fuel for the muscles.

·Whole grain pasta – Spinach – Whole Barley

·Oatmeal – Zucchini – Broccoli – Navy beans – Garbanzo beans

·Sweet potatoes – Artichokes – Museli

·Cabbage – Brown rice – Yams – Cucumbers – Pinto beans – Potatoes

·Brussels Sprouts – Cauliflower – Kidney beans

·Whole grain cereals – Multi-grain bread – Carrots

·Apples, bananas, grapefruit, cherries, plums, oranges, grapes, kiwi

·Whey protein shakes that have additional carbs added

The not so good – These are simple carbs that are broken down into sugars quickly. This can lead to blood sugar spikes and early fatigue.

·Table sugar

·Corn syrup

·Fruit juice

·Dairy including milk, cheese etc…

·Bread made with white flour

·Pasta made with white flour

The ugly – Avoid these as much as possible up to three days before training or a game.

·Candy, cookies and chocolate

·Doughnuts and pastries

·French fries

·Potato chips

·Soda

·Ice cream

Tips for managing your carb intake.

·As a general rule try to eat your pre workout meal 2 to 3 hours before.

·If your training will last longer than 60 minutes, consume simple carbs in liquid form ie.. sports drink during the workout or game.

·Load up on good carbs 2 to 3 days before training or a game to ensure adequate glycogen stores.

·Drink several glasses of water 1 to 2 hours before training. Urine not clear? drink more water.

Scott Bias

BallinUSA.comhttp://ballinusa.com