Carb=Fuel

The poor carbohydrate. It’s gotten such a bad rap in recent years, with overblown claims that they set us up to gain weight. But carbohydrates are not the enemy—in terms of overweight/obesity, the issue goes back to balance of calories consumed and calories expended. Carbohydrates can contribute to obesity because it can be very easy to consume carbohydrates in excess, particularly sugary drinks and that trough-size platter of pasta that so many restaurants serve. :o) But that doesn’t mean we don’t need carbohydrates. Truth is that for exercise, carbohydrates are essential.

There are three main building blocks that make up the food we eat: carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Most foods are mix of the three, and we need all of ‘em. But when it comes to fueling your body for exercise, I focus on carbohydrate.

Carbohydrate for your body is like fuel for a car. It’s carbohydrate that is most readily converted to glucose (sugar) in your bloodstream, and it’s that glucose that fuels your muscles and fuels your brain. Cars have a fairly large gas tank that will provide sustained fuel a car a few hundred miles before needing a refill. Our bodies, however, have a very limited capacity to store our fuel, which is why we need to feed ourselves fuel more often.

Lots of foods provide carbohydrate, and some carbohydrate foods are more nutritious than others. Foods that are primarily carbohydrate include: all breads/grains/starches, fruit/fruit juices, and starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas). Other vegetables have some carbohydrate, as does milk. Sugar is also a carbohydrate, so soda and sweets are another source of carbohydrate. An orange certainly has more nutrients than a candy bar, but both will provide glucose and fuel for your body.

To fuel for exercise, I focus on carbohydrates that are nutritious. If someone who is exercising needs to replenish their glucose quickly, I recommend a fluid carbohydrate such as juice that will be digested very quickly. But it’s best to try to keep up with your fueling so you don’t approach that "I've-run-out-of-gas" bonking feeling. For sustained energy, I recommend fueling with something that digests a little slower. An apple with the peel stays in your stomach longer to get broken down than does apple juice or applesauce. That means that the apple will be a more sustained source of energy than the apple juice.

For a ride or workout that lasts less than an hour, your body will have enough fuel to get you through the ride from your usual dietary intake. It’s a good idea to eat a snack within an hour after a 1-hour ride, though, to refuel and aid muscle recovery.

When your ride is longer than an hour, you will need to refuel during the ride. The general recommendation is that for every hour of exercise, your body needs about 60 grams of carbohydrate. This is just a ballpark figure and will vary based on how intense your workout it and on your muscle mass. But 60 grams is a good place to start.

On the MS ride I expect that a breakfast eaten about an hour before riding will fuel me for the first hour or so, but after that I’ll be thinking about the carb foods at the pit stops.

What does 60 grams of carbohydrate look like in terms of food? I break that 60 grams down into 15-gram increments, and, doing the math, that means I need four of these portions per hour to reach 60.

Each of the following have approximately 15 grams of carbohydrate:

· 1 small apple, orange, pear, etc.

· ½ banana

· ½ cup 100% juice

· 1 slice of bread

· ½ bagel or English muffin

· 1 Tablespoon of jelly or jam

· ½ potato

· ½ cup cooked pasta

· ½ cup cooked rice

· ½ cup oatmeal

· 1 cup milk

· 1 cup yogurt

· Energy bars and granola bars vary widely in the amount of carbohydrate. A Cliff bar has about 45 grams of carbohydrate, but you need to read the label to know how much each brand has. Look for “total carbohydrate” on the food label.

· Sports drinks have about 15 grams of carbohydrate in 8 ounces, so if I’m drinking a 16-ounce bottle of Gatorade each hour, I’ve already gotten 30 grams of carbohydrate. Add a half banana and half bagel at the pit stop, and I’m good to go for another hour.

As always, test out different types and amounts of carbs during training and note when you feel you have the best energy ….and also when you feel you don’t seem to have enough energy…..listen to your body and adjust!

Next post will look at post-ride recovery fueling.....

Ride on!

Shelley