Many athletes and training enthusiasts follow low-carbohydrate diets to achieve their fitness goals. Carbs are our bodies' preferred source of fuel, but they are also readily stored as body fat. Limiting your intake of carbs can help you get lean quickly. However, many people can benefit from a more moderate carbohydrate diet, emphasizing the timing of this powerful macro-nutrient.
Step 1
Take in 30 to 60g of low-glycemic carbohydrates prior to your resistance training workout. Examples of low-glycemic carbs are oatmeal, most fruits and whole grains. These pre-workout carbs will help to fuel your body for your workout, and are not likely to be stored as fat.
Step 2
Mix some carbs into your workout drink to replace glycogen as you go and optimize athletic performance. Try about 25g of waxy maize or maltodextrin carbohydrates in the beverage you sip during your workout. These carbs are likely to be used for energy and to prevent muscle breakdown, rather than for fat-storage.
Step 3
Have a serving or two of carbohydrates immediately after a workout. Carbohydrate supplements such as waxy maize, dextrose or maltodextrin work great for speeding up muscle recovery. However, if you prefer eating whole foods, have a banana or two immediately after your workout. Post-workout is the one time that your body can take in high-glycemic carbohydrates without storing a lot of body fat, according to fitness expert Jeff Anderson.
Step 4
Load carbs for 36 to 48 hours, if you follow an extremely low-carb diet for five days a week. The skeletal muscles store carbohydrates as glycogen, which fuels their contraction during intense training. Taking in very low carbs, such as 50g per day, keeps muscles in a glycogen-depleted state,which can make them appear flat. Loading carbs can help to fuel your workouts in the day to come and keep your muscles looking full and healthy.
Step 5
Have a cheat meal once per week, no matter what diet you follow. Besides alleviating the physical, psychological and mental stress of dieting, the cheat meal also keeps your metabolic rate elevated so that the body does not reach a dieting plateau.
Things You'll Need
- Waxy Maize
- Maltodextrin
- Bananas
- Fresh fruit
References
- "The Abs Diet;" David Zinczenko; Rodale, 2004
- "Combat the Fat;" Jeff Anderson; CQC LLC, 2008
- "Xtreme Lean;" Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; Homebody productions, 2005
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