One of the more popular diet methods out there for athletes looking to improve performance is carbohydrate cycling. It is used by athletes with specific training goals and advising from experts. Not only does it help to ensure that your leptin levels (a hormone that regulates body fat and calorie intake) do not change drastically, but it helps keep energy levels up as well.
The body prefers to work off carbohydrates during exercise. While it can run effectively on fat if you work at a lower intensity, as soon as you try and perform high intensity work you will find yourself becoming fatigued, because your body needs glucose to rev up its engine for harder workouts.
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Athletes can expect to feel fatigued when their blood sugar levels drop. Researchers at Loughborough University, UK showed that athletes who did not take sugar during soccer competition lasting 90 minutes felt more tired, had less competitive desire, and had far lower blood sugar levels than athletes who took a sugared drink every 15 minutes during their game (Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, October 2007).
Your brain gets more than 98 percent of its energy from sugar in the bloodstream. However there is only enough sugar in the bloodstream to last about three minutes. The liver must constantly release sugar into the bloodstream, but there is only enough sugar in the liver to last eight hours during rest and far less than that during exercise. So athletes who do not take a source of sugar during events lasting more than an hour can suffer the psychological effects of low blood sugar levels what include a mental feeling of fatigue and lowered competitive desire.
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I’ve often wondered, who is the worse gas guzzler, you or your car?
My dependable 1999 Saturn SL-1 according to the Marketplace Fuel Survey Data (read the full story here), gets about 52 miles per gallon highway, and about 32 miles per gallon city driving with air conditioning and traffic.
Let’s take the human body for example.
Recently, I had no choice but to eat at McDonalds during a business trip. I had 2 Egg-Sausage-Cheese-McGriddle sandwiches for breakfast and a meduim orange juice. That’s about 1270 food Calories (or kCal) and it cost me $7.28. Here is the breakdown:
If you add the 3 items above, that’s 55% Carbs, 18% Protein, and 26% Fat! No wonder North America has an obesity problem!
Since an average human body burns about 100 kCal per mile, whether you walk or run, that’s 1300 kCal for 13 miles.
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Find yourself dragging through those morning runs? Your 10k pace not where you want it? Sprinting toward the porta potties on race day? There could be an easy fix and it all starts with your diet.
Every runner’s training regimen, regardless of experience level, should have a focus on proper nutritional maintenance. When and what you eat can significantly affect your workout and performance will suffer without the proper balance of nutrients.
A common mistake made by runners, especially those early morning warriors, is running before fueling up. Without the proper nutrients in your system, your body will suffer from lowered glycogen and blood-glucose levels; depriving the body of essential energy and sustenance.
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We - the running community - have always known the truth: Carbs are GOOD for you! They give us the energy we need to run for hours on end - they taste great - and there is NO way we are giving them up.
Forget about Atkins, South-Beach and other “carbs-are-evil” diets. Stay active, stay away from fried and other high-saturated fat items and eat natural energy packed foods - and - you will love the way you look. Completely eradicating carbohydrates from your diet is not only out-of-the-question for most people (who doesn’t need the occasional carb?!?) - it is also very unhealthy for runners and athletes in general.
Well - studies now prove what we have always believed: Diets high in carbs and low in fat not only DON’T cause weight-gains, but they also can help you to LOSE weight! Read the rest of this entry »
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