March 14, 2011
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“One of the most important goals of any athletic diet is to maintain high muscle stores of glycogen, a body fuel absolutely essential for high-level performance. Dietary starches and sugars are the body’s number one source for making muscle glycogen. Protein and fats cannot accomplish this. Athletes and sports scientists have known this for decades. Unfortunately, they took this concept to extremes; high-starch, cereal-based, carbohydrate-rich diets were followed with near fanatical zeal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It is a little known fact that, similar to the situation with branched chain amino acids, glycogen synthesis by muscles occurs most effectively in the immediate post-exercise window. Muscles can build all the glycogen they need when they get starch and sugar in the narrow time frame following exercise. Eating carbs all day long is overkill and actually serves to displace the muscle building proteins and alkalinity enhancing, nutrient dense fruits and veggies that are needed to promote muscle growth and boost the immune system. Try replacing the processed carbs you consume throughout the day with lean proteins, fruits and veggies. You can virtually eat these to your hearts content and accomplish your nutritional goals and not go hungry!”
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