Lets clear up the confusion about the perceived need to load up on carbsto give you the energy you need to exercise.
The mistaken belief about carb loading can not only backfire by resultingin diminished energy during your workout; it can also undermine thebenefits of a low-carb weight-management program. Move beyond misconceptionand you can maximize your energy, make your exercise time more effectiveand reach your weight-loss goals most efficiently. So, lets take a closerlook…
Carb Confusion
Have you ever eaten a bagel or muffin for breakfast, and then felt eitherso ravenously hungry or lethargic by late-morning that you wolfed down asugar-filled energy bar? Now ask yourself why anyone would want to go tothe gym in that conditionhed probably spend the whole workout feeling hecouldnt get out of first gear. The rapid rise in blood sugar that comesfrom this type of high-carb load produces a very different outcome thanmost anticipate. It signals the body to release a big spurt of insulin,which actually lowers blood sugar and energy levelsa recipe for amid-workout crash.
The original thinking behind carbohydrate loading was that it effectivelyrestocked blood-sugar stores (glycogen) in the days before a majorcompetitive event to provide long-lasting energy. But as you can see, carbloading at the wrong time (right before exercise) produces just theopposite outcome, leaving the body with less, rather than more, energy.Consistent energy is the goal, and avoiding sugar spikes and troughs is theanswer!
Low Cal vs. Low Carb
Lets look at another example of how a low-calorie, low-fat diet (a.k.a., ahigh-carb diet) can be counterproductive when youre trying to exercise andlose weight at the same time. Individuals who are trying to manage theirweight by lowering their calorie intake are, by definition, providing lessfuel to the body. In effect, they could be exercising while running onempty. Not only can restricting calories make it harder to work; itactually slows the bodys metabolism (making it more resistant to burningfat) and can result in a breakdown of muscle tissue. Instead of increasingthe ratio of lean body mass (muscle) to fat body mass, reducing caloriescan cause muscle loss.
In contrast, a controlled-carbohydrate approach that doesnt restrictcalories promotes weight loss while providing enough energy for a workout.Equally important, controlling carbs increases the burning of fat andpreserves lean body mass by making enough protein available to build andmaintain muscle. For example, in one study, 12 normal-weight men switchedfrom their regular diet (about 48 percent carbohydrate) to a low-carb diet(eight percent carbohydrate) for six weeks. Another eight men stayed on theregular diet for comparison. The men were encouraged to eat plenty ofcalories in order to maintain their weight. At the end of the six weeks,the men who had restricted carbs had significantly decreased their body fatby an average of 7.5 pounds and significantly increased lean body mass byan average of 2.4 pounds.
Why Protein Is Key
What would have happened if those men had also stepped up their exerciseregimen during that time? They likely would have seen an even greaterincrease in muscle-to-fat ratio, because exercise builds muscle tissue whenthere is adequate protein in the diet.
Proteins, in fact, are the building blocks for muscle tissue. Duringexercise, the muscles are stressedessentially causing dozens of tiny tearsin the tissue. Proteins subsequently repair and rebuild this tissue, whichis how your muscles maintain themselves and grow stronger. If youre anactive person, this occurs underneath your skin every day.
Sticking with It
Another important note about exercise: There is a growing consensus thatsays exercise as a weight-loss strategy by itself is ineffective. In fact,it can be downright discouraging and demoralizing if weight loss is youronly goal. An hour of moderate exercise burns about 300 to 600 calories. Toget rid of one pound of body fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories. To putit in perspective, you burn about 100 calories per mile when you run. Soyou would have to run 35 miles to take off one pound of fathardly instantgratification. If you try to exercise and limit calories, its a doublewhammy: You may not be consuming enough calories to fuel your body duringexercise, so it becomes very difficult, you dont enjoy it and ultimatelyyou give it up.
Contrast that with the Atkins Nutritional Approach, which preserves leanbody mass, enhances energy and helps you lose fat almostimmediatelymeaning that in a short time, youre not only feeling better,youre looking better in those gym clothes. Best of all, it comfortablyallows you to lose weight without restricting your caloric intake andtherefore without excessive hunger and cravings. Your muscles feel strongerbecause youre not starving your body, and you enjoy consistent energy.Result: Youre more comfortable exercising and enjoy it more. That, ofcourse, encourages you to do it more often. More exercise also raises yourcarb threshold, which means you can eat a greater variety of foods. And, asyou surely know, regular exercise provides more health benefits than justabout anything else on the planet. Its a win-win proposition.
Be Your Own Coach
Some general rules of thumb about doing Atkins and exercising are to listento your body and hydrate like crazy. During the Induction phase,especially, while your body is switching over from a carb-burningmetabolism to a fat-burning one, take it easy. Only do what feels good (butof course, if it feels good, do it!). Making this metabolic conversion isdifferent for everyone, so you have to be your own coach. By now, youveheard about the fluid loss that occurs anytime you start a weight-lossprogram and burn through some of your excess energy stores. Stepping upyour consumption of water is especially important when following a low-carbapproach.
The bottom line is that when you combine exercise and a controlled-carbeating program, you are getting the greatest benefits from both. And its acombination that can, quite literally, add years to your life.
When Carbs and Exercise Go Together
There are some times when increased carb consumption does make sense andcan enhance exercise performance.
During a workout of an hour or more. In contrast to research suggestingthat consuming a carbohydrate snack one to two hours prior to exercise canresult in lowered blood sugar levels, some carbohydrate intake can bebeneficial and result in greater exercise tolerance. For those performingaerobic exercise lasting 60 minutes or more, consumption of a carbohydrateand electrolyte-replacement drink during exercise can enhance performance.
During preparation for longer-duration exercise events such as 20-mile runsor races. One study demonstrated that individuals who normally controltheir carbs and then consumed a high-carbohydrate diet in the days beforean event increased glycogen storage and had much higher rates of fatoxidation than individuals who regularly consume a high-carb diet.
When recovering post-workout. This recovery period is an important time tofit in at least a portion of your daily carb consumption to maximize musclerecovery and to aid the process of preparing for your next exercise session(carbs consumed immediately after exercise begin to replenish glycogenstores).
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