It’s not unusual for me to have a lengthy discussion about diet and nutrition.  This is one of my favorite topics to talk about and I always find it interesting the way people eat and what their meals consist of.  As a trainer, I never try and force one type of diet onto people.  I am not a registered nutritionist, so I can only give guidance when it comes to eating.  One topic that comes up more often that not is about carbs.  In today’s world, many are led to believe that carbs are bad and the reason behind your unflattering flab.  I am here to tell you that not all carbs are good or all bad.  Some promote health while others, when eaten often and in large amounts, can pile on the pounds and increase your risk of disease.  The obvious items to avoid would be doughnuts, sodas, and other highly processed food which will prevent you from reaching your physique goals.  But sources such as fruits, whole grains, and vegetables can promote good health and help you burn more fat and sculpt more muscle in no time.  Here are a few cardinal carb rules.

1. Choose Slow Digesting Carbs for Most Meals

You can help keep blood sugar levels in check, which will help fend off fatigue while preventing insulin spikes.  This leads to more energy during your day and also during workouts to help burn more fat.  Choose complex carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal, fibrous vegetables like broccoli, fruit, and sweet potatoes.

 2.  Start your Day with Slow Carbs for Breakfast

Following an overnight fast, blood sugar and muscle glycogen levels are low, and your body must replenish them.  Aim to get 20-30 grams of slow digesting carbs at your first meal of the day.  When pairing carbs and protein together, your body is less likely to store fat, and leads to feeling less hungry and having fewer carb cravings during the day.

 3.  Eat 1-1.5 Grams of Carbs per Pound of Body Weight Daily

  If you are a hard training athlete, carbs should comprise 30-40% of your daily caloric intake.  Skimping on carbs can actually cause you to lose muscle. Try and taper your intake as the day progresses and consume the majority of carbs at breakfast and pre and post workouts.

4.  Fuel your Weight Training with Slower Digesting Carbs

Your pre workout meal should supply slow carbs from sources such as whole grain cereals & pastas, fruits, vegetables, and brown rice.  Complex carbs take longer to convert to glucose, which will keep blood sugar levels in check and prevent you from crashing in the middle of your workout.  You’ll have a steady supply of energy so you’ll be able to train harder for a longer time.  Try to take in 20-30 grams of slow carbs along with 20 grams of protein from a protein shake.

 5.  Eat Fast Carbs to Assist with Quick Recovery Post workout

The carbs you ingest immediately after a hard training session should be of the fast digesting variety.  They will be used to restock depleted glycogen levels and kick start muscle growth and recovery, when paired with protein.  Go with 30-40 grams of fast digesting carbs such as a baked potato, a plain bagel with jelly, Vitargo, or white bread, along with 20-30 grams of protein from a protein shake.

6.  Skip Carbs before Cardio to Burn Fat

Cardio training burns both fat and carbs, so the fewer carbs and less insulin you have in your bloodstream, the more fat you’ll shed.  Contrary to popular belief however, cardio on an empty stomach isn’t the most effective means of burning fat.  Research shows that fat burning can be enhanced if you take amino acids before cardio exercise.  Try and swap the carbs for a half to full scoop of whey protein before your cardio session to push fat burning into high gear.

 7.  Consume Fast Digesting Carbs After Cardio

Just like with weight training, ingesting fast carbs along with your protein after cardio exercise will replenish depleted glycogen stores, boost insulin, and help force more repair boosting nutrients into your damaged muscles.  Aim for 20-30 grams of fast digesting carbs post cardio such as jelly beans, watermelon, and rice cakes.

 8.  Taper your Carbs as the Day Progresses

As the most readily available source of energy, carbs are necessary early in the day when your body’s primed to use them for fuel.  Later in the day, however, you need less energy from carbs and research shows that insulin sensitivity is reduced.  That means it takes more insulin to get carbs into your muscle cells, resulting in a greater risk of body fat storage.