CARBOHYDRATES & SUGAR

The Basics

Carbohydrates are the bodies energy source. Some people restrict their carb intake in an effort to cut, but through proper calorie management this isn’t needed to be used as a strict rule. There are however some rules which we will need to enforce, and some times where carbs are absolutely vital. Without carbs, the body burns fat and muscle to use as an energy source, and the last thing we need to be doing is burning off our hard-earned muscle.

 Carbs in food

 Low GI
Low GI (glycaemic index) essentially means slow-burning carbs, and is a key part in any diet. With this slower release of energy, you avoid an insulin spike (which ultimately can lead to High-GI carbs being converted to fats). Some examples of these foods are:
 - Sweet Potato
- Oatmeal
- Brown Rice
- Whole-wheat breads
- Whole-wheat Pasta
- Green Vegetables

High GI

 This is generally any food with sugar in it. These should be avoided at all costs, they have a high affinity to converting to fat, and should not be a part of your diet:
 - White Bread
- White Rice
- White Sugar
- Fast Food
- Soft-drinks
- Confectionary

Timing for carbs Carbs

are absolutely essential as a part of your breakfast. You need this to fuel you through your day, and you will also be completely deficient upon waking up. The other time that you need carbs is directly after a workout. At this point your glycogen stores are completely depleted. So you can maximise your recovery you need to take this straight away, however it’s not as hard as it seems. Quite a common way to do this post-workout is to take some Whey Protein Isolate with Milk. The carbs in the milk, although not ideal, will help greatly in replenishing your glycogen stores. Aside from this, if you are able to, Oats are a quick and easy way to do this as well. A good rule of thumb is to try and avoid carbs after your post-workout, however this largely depends on your schedule for the day, and if you’re doing morning workouts this simply won’t work.

Sugar and Insulin Spikes

Sugar causes spikes in your insulin level. This is because it makes the pancreas work harder producing insulin. Insulin stops the body from using fat as an energy source – so even if you’re calorie deficient you can put your fat-burning abilities to a halt purely by choosing the wrong carbs. Most people don’t realise that sugar is in almost everything that is processed, and you should be trying to keep to an absolute maximum of 40 grams in a day. You should try to keep this to a minimum, as it can convert quite easily to fat.


Fats

The Basics

Your body needs fat to survive. It also makes up a vital part of your diet because it’s incredibly hard to hit your calorie target with fat, as it is worth 9 calories per gram, whereas carbs and protein are only worth 4 calories. Fats are needed for muscle development and to get into an anabolic state, they have also been scientifically proven to improve stamina by 40-60%. Fats are needed, but the right kinds of fats, and the right amounts.

 Good Fats 

Monounsaturated is the type of fat you should be shooting for. This helps lower bad cholesterol; raise good cholesterol, and generally comes bundled with polyunsaturated fats which you also need. Polyunsaturated fats can quite often help in providing Omega-3 Fatty Acids, which help brain function and a whole host of other benefits. The best sources of good fats are these:

- Olive Oil (It tastes like sunscreen, have something to chase it with)
- All Nuts
- The fat from Fish
- Egg Yolk


Bad Fats 

There are a variety of bad fats, but essentially most will fall into the categories of saturated fats, and trans-fats. Saturated fats are generally found in junk food and fast food, and have very little nutritional value. They raise bad cholesterol, and generally end up hanging around as body fat. Try to avoid saturated fats wherever possible. Trans-fats are the worst kind of fat available. This is not even displayed on labelling in some countries (just goes under fats in general). It holds absolutely no nutritional value, and should be completely avoided. To avoid these bad fats, try to limit processed food in your diet, and stay away from fast food.

 Cholesterol

Bad cholesterol can lead to heart disease and a whole bunch of nasties, and is generally caused by ingesting bad fats such as saturated and trans fats. Avoid junk food and you’ll generally avoid bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol comes from ingesting good fats like egg yolks. This has been proven to help in muscle development and recovery. As such, you should ensure you eat the right fats, and you’ll be sure to have your cholesterol in check automatically.

Timing

Fats are used much like carbs, but are a much slower source of energy. Because of this, you should be having your fats earlier in the day where possible. There is no specific timing you need to have fats, but it is a good idea to spread them out throughout the day and try not to have any after 5pm. Zyzz’s Bodybuilding Bible Page 24 Bulking Why Bulk? If you want to pack on muscle, there is no way o