Carbo Loading
Nutrition is the one component of the athlete's lifestyle that is most overlooked. I find it to be the last thing that people sit down and develop a plan about. Everyone figures that if they eat a little bit of fish and veggies here and there, drink milk and take some vitamins they are eating healthy. The truth couldn't be further away. The American diet is an atrocity to mankind. Refined foods, saturated fats and synthetic vitamins break down our digestive system, throw off our biochemistry and have a negative impact on our endurance.
There are a lot of ways to approach nutrition. For example, if you wanted to build muscle mass you could create a high protein diet plan. If you wanted to heal your internal organs you could create a detoxifying diet plan. But as athletes, we need endurance and performance. So a good plan to consider might be carbo-loading.
Carbo-loading is a great and wonderful tool if used the right way. The theory behind carbo-loading is simple. By consuming or loading up on large amounts of carbohydrates and starches before a race you can give your muscles and liver larger fuel reserves of glycogen. Typically these reserves are good for about 60 minutes. Carbo-loading can help stretch these reserves to 75 minutes or longer. (Note: Glycogen is how your body packages and stores carbohydrates for use.)
Getting started, you need to understand some basic facts about carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are your muscles main source of fuel. There are two types of carbohydrates: Simple: These include fruits, refined sugars and refined dairy products. Complex and Starches: These include grains, vegetables and legumes (Beans and Peas). The best sources of carbohydrates are vegetables and fruits. The worst kind are refined sugars and processed foods.
For amateurs that are not training full time every day I find that the best way to get the benefit of carbo-loading is to go light on them during the beginning of the week. Typically it would be best to consume less than fifty percent of your calories through carbohydrates during the week. This means the other 50% of calories are going to come from proteins and fats. Eating more proteins during the early part of the week is good for a few reasons. A) Proteins are a better food source for healing and muscle rebuilding. B) Proteins help you maintain more stable blood sugar levels. C) Backing off on the carbs allows glycogen levels in the muscles to get depleted a little bit which helps maintain a higher base metabolic rate (Your body converting fuel from storage to maintain itself).
Probably the single most important reason why motocrossers, off road racers and mountain bikers should carbo-load is that it is a natural way of retaining water. According to research nutritionist L. Lee Coyne, PhD, "Every gram of glycogen stored obligates 3 grams of water. If an athlete glycogen loads to a maximum level they can be carrying an additional 4 to 6 pounds of water at the beginning of performance." This natural way of hydrating comes in really handy at the end of that second (or fourth) moto or that 2-? hour mountain bike race.
Here is an outline of a carbo-loading and training plan:
Monday- Tuesday: Recuperation day and light work out day. Hi protein and fat intake. Keep carbs below 20%, Keep fats around 30%.
Wednesday - Thursday: Heavy training days. Balance protein and carb intake. Keep fats around 20%
Friday ? Saturday: Light work out and rest days. Increase carbs to 70% of intake.
Sunday: Pre event meal of over 80% carbs.
In this plan the diet revolves around getting maximum advantage out of carbo-loading on the weekend. Here is a little tip: Try to get in the habit of thinking about your fuel in a carb/protein/fat ratio i.e., 15/55/30, 40/40/20, 70/15/15, 80/10/10 etc. Categorizing foods this way helps you focus on what is the priority from day to day.
Probably the biggest mistake people make is that they over do carbohydrates. Carbo- loading every single day is not healthy. It desensitizes your cells to insulin, to the point where you will start noticing decreased performance. Another problem is that long term over consumption of carbohydrates weakens your glandular system and lowers your body's ability to function in a balanced state. Simple sugar is the most common thing that people tend to over do. Most performance drinks and supplements contain simple sugars, as do breads and processed foods.
The signs of over doing sugar are simple.
1. Do you find yourself relying on sports drinks every time you exercise?
2. Do you get headaches in the afternoon or during exercise?
3. Do you wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep?
4. Do you ?hit the wall? or ?bonk out? during competition?
5. Do you snack on candies or chocolate or feel the need for coffee in the afternoon?
6. When hungry, is the first food you usually grab for a form of sugar?
If you answered yes to 3 or more of these questions you are over doing carbohydrates. The immediate change you should make is get used to drinking more water. Save the energy drinks and power bars for strenuous workouts and race day. The next thing you should do is take a good look at your diet and consider some changes.
The carbo-load is meant to be used as a tool, not a life style. People who have problems maintaining blood sugar levels may get opposite results from the carbo-load. If you have any doubts or concerns whether carbo-loading is right for you consult with a nutritionist or a doctor of chiropractic that practices nutrition. There are many ways to evaluate your health and these practitioners are very knowledgeable.
Good luck and see you out at the track!!
Dr. Mark utilizes the highest quality supplements and products available. For more information:
drmark@proactivehealthcare.net or 408-294-4074
Copywrite 2007 Dr. Mark Lucas, D.C.