Common diet mistakes: Getting healthy "Not-to-do's"

I think the human body and how it works is such an amazing phenomenon– blood sugar and glycogen are fascinating systems, if you ask me!  I thought I’d write a post on what exactly they are, and hopefully this information will be useful to you in one way or another—whether you are a long-distance runner, athlete, or even a just a recreational exerciser.

Fuel for Our Bodies

You may know that carbohydrates are important because they are the primary source that provides our bodies with energy and raise our blood glucose, or blood sugar levels.  During exercise, our bodies use blood glucose, glycogen, and later, fatty acids, as fuel to keep us going.

• Blood Glucose: The amount of sugar in our bloodstream.  Insulin allows us to move this sugar into our cells to use for energy.
• Glycogen: The stored form of glucose.  Once our bodies use up some of the glucose already in our bloodstream (causing blood sugar levels to drop), glycogen is converted BACK to glucose for energy.

Many factors affect the fuel our body uses during exercise, such as:

• Duration/Intensity
• Stored carbohydrate levels (glycogen levels)
• Carb consumption during exercise

When initially starting a workout, glucose and glycogen are used.  When these stores are depleted, we begin to feel tired and fatigued.  A general rule of thumb is for strenuous activity lasting longer than one hour, consuming some form of carbohydrate may be needed to avoid “hitting a wall.”   Products such as sports drinks and energy gels are designed to be easily digested during exercise.  (This is the one time where fiber isn’t the best option!) Sports drinks also contain electrolytes to replenish those that may have been lost in sweat. Try to aim for 30-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour of activity. (One 16 oz serving of a regular sports drink has about 30 grams of carbohydrate.)

Even if you are trying to lose weight, moderate carb intake will still be beneficial for strenuous exercise as it will allow you to workout longer and be more efficient at burning fat.

Post-Workout Nutrition

If you are active daily or have multiple practices a day, the timing of post-workout recovery nutrition is very important.  Try to consume about .45-.68 g of carbohydrate/lb (~70-100 g for a 150 lb person; one slice of bread being ~15 g) within 30 minutes, and then every 2 hours for up to 6 hours.  Including protein in your post-workout nutrition regimen will also help to repair and build muscle as well.

Hopefully this post has given you an idea of how to best utilize carbohydrates according to your own activity level. The Austin Half Marathon is coming up, so I know I will be taking my own advice to heart.  Happy fueling!