Pre-Exercise Carbohydrates
Acting as the body's fast-acting energy source, proper carbohydrate intake can drastically improve your performance in workouts. Any carb intake will help you exercise better, but eating the right kinds at the right time will take you to the next level!
First, how do carbohydrates work? When carbs are digested, they are broken down into glucose. That glucose is used up quickly in the brain, which is why you feel a surge of energy whenever you eat carbs and sugar. Excess glucose is also transported to your muscles and converted to glycogen. Glycogen is the body's main source of fuel during exercise, and the first source that's tapped into.
For best results, start by eating complex carbohydrates 3+ hours before exercise. Complex carbs include breads, noodles, rice, etc. If you've been a part of or know anything about big endurance events like marathons, you know that a heaping spaghetti dinner is usually an athlete's go-to the night before. This is an example of a much higher need than your average workout, but the principle is the same. Because your body takes longer to digest these types of carbs, it's necessary to consume them hours before the workout. With their complex nature, they will provide a smaller, steadier flow of energy to keep you going for the full workout.
1 hour or less before your workout, try to consume more simple carbohydrates. This would include fruit/vegetables, pretzels, energy drinks, and granola bars. Simple carbohydrates are broken down within 30-60min in the body and release a short (but large) burst of energy for the body. Eating these carbs at the right time will kickstart your workout and sustain you until the energy from the complex carbs starts to take over.
You probably noticed that the graphic doesn't have any candy bars or jolly ranchers on it. While they both contain sugar, foods with added sugar have a much lower nutritional content than natural sources (like fruit). So, while they may give you a bigger boost, the sugar "high" will be much higher and shorter, and you'll be left with a crash. In addition, you won't receive the nutrients and vitamins from natural sources.
