If you’ve ever tried working out while eating a low-carb diet, you know how much it sucks.
You’ve probably felt drained even before you started.
And your performance?
It was probably 20-30% lower than it normally is (in other words, when you’re eating a normal amount of carbs.)
So, it’s obvious that carbs have a tremendous effect on your workouts.
But why?
What makes carbohydrates such an important factor when it comes to your energy levels, stamina, and even your mood?
Here’s the thing – when you’re working out, your body needs glucose.
Glucose is a type of sugar that is readily available to use as an energy source, especially for high-intensity activities such as weight lifting.
And how do you get glucose into your body?
By eating carbs that can be broken down to glucose.
If you eat more carbs than you immediately need, the rest of the glucose will be stored in your muscles as glycogen.
And the glycogen will later be used as an energy source during your workout.
But if you don’t eat enough carbs before your workout (or if you don’t eat them at all), your glycogen reserves will be empty.
Which means you won’t have much energy readily available during the workout.
So to make sure you’re ready to go hard in the gym, you should eat a complete meal with some carbs in it 2-3 hours before you start working out.
If you can’t time your meal exactly 2-3 hours ahead of the session, don’t worry.
You can also eat a light meal consisting of simple carbs 30-45 minutes before the workout.
Simple carbs are great because they’re easily broken down into glucose.
Which means they give your body an instant energy boost.
You can find simple carbohydrates in basically any fruit, but the most common choice is a banana.
It’s because bananas also contain the mineral potassium which promotes muscle recovery.
Another great source of simple carbs is honey.
You can mix bananas, honey, and some other fruit to get an incredibly delicious smoothie.
Not only you’ll get the energy, but you’re also going to enjoy the taste.
So it’s a clear win-win for you!
Stay fit my friend,
Michael
CEO & Founder