A lot of people think that by following a low carb diet to lose weight, they don't have to exercise any more. This is totally a wrong belief that is why most diet solutions don't work because this solution doesn't give a person a healthy and active lifestyle. You should know by now, dieting is not good enough and is not about being lean and fit by starving and depriving yourself of enjoying your favorite desserts. It is a combination of healthy meals and an active lifestyle. You have to set a right mindset and understand how you can make carbohydrates work for you in your diet. Being part of a healthy lifestyle, you should exercise 30 to 40 minutes at least 2 to 3 times a week.
What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are the greatest dietary source of energy and they are basically divided into two groups - starches and sugars. Sugars are also known as simple carbohydrates. They are called simple carbs as our bodies digest them quickly and easily. Simple carbs are usually found in sweet tasting candy, cookies, soda, fruit, and other sugary foods. Starches also known as "complex carbohydrates" take longer to be digested as compare to simple carbohydrates and are found in foods prepared in grains, vegetable, legumes, seed, fruit, cassava, potato, tapioca and taro. When you eat foods with carbohydrates in them, your body breaks it down into glucose molecules which become the fuel or energy for your muscles and brain. If your body does not have any use for the leftover glucose, it is converted into glycogen and stored it in the liver and muscles as an energy reserve. The glycogen that doesn't fit into your liver and muscle cells is turned to fat.
Remember, if you eat a low carbohydrate diet, it is less efficient for your body to store glycogen in your body and you may notice an energy drain if you do not take days off from your workouts routine. A glycogen drain will make you may feel listless and uninterested in exercising which will not help you in maintaining a healthy lean and fit body.
The amount of carbohydrates you eat determines the amount of glycogen stored in the liver and muscles, which in turn greatly affects your performance level and muscle recovery after exercise. When you eat foods like cereal, fruit, or whole grain bread, glucose goes into your bloodstream quickly, ready to provide immediate energy to the brain, muscles, or other body tissues demanding energy. This is how you want carbohydrates work for you; by maximizing glycogen storage by eating smaller and more frequent carbohydrate meals. Eating less food, more frequently, and cutting down on protein and fat will provide a steady supply of glucose to your muscles.
If you are recovery from a competitive sport or exercise, your body will require anywhere from 24 to 48 hours for full recovery, provided you are eating a high carbohydrate diet and consuming plenty of fluids. An average man who weighs 72.72 kilograms, for instance, needs about 2,400 carbohydrate calories to fill up his glycogen storages. Take for example, one slice of bread represents 600 grams of carbohydrate, this amount is equivalent to the carbohydrate calories found in 40 slices of bread. Eating this large amount of carbohydrate is usually manageable over a 1.5 to 3-day period. Research studies have shown that a person can expect to achieve full recovery of glycogen stores only if he begins replenishing carbohydrate almost immediately after exercise.
Two key things you must observe, if you want to keep your glycogen level filled:
1. Eat smaller amounts of carbohydrates more frequently and eat sufficient amount to avoid fatigue.
2. Takes 24 to 48 hours of rest to recover spent glycogen stores fully, which is needed to allow muscles and liver time to replenish the glycogen stores.
To summarize, this is how you make carbohydrates work for you, if you do not eat enough carbohydrate or get enough rest, the level of glycogen steadily declines, leaving you fatigued and unable to perform effectively. Learn how to eat right and you don't have to be afraid of carbohydrate intakes any more by checking out this link.
