You are no average Jane

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Stacey Baker 0 Comments

You are no average Jane.  As an active woman who isn't afraid to workout alongside the boys at the box, you need more carbs in your diet than the cardio-obsessed girls sweating it out on the treadmill in a vain attempt to squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans.
     Because your body shaping goals are different, your diet has to be different as well.  But many women are convinced that carbs are fattening, so they nix the bread, rice and oatmeal...it's a no-win situation.  The International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Excercise showed that the active individuals following a low-carb diet for two weeks experienced more morning fatigue, inability to train hard, poor recovery from excercise and muscle soreness, and lack of mental clarity.  This is because carbs help maintain steady glucose levles for all-day energy, fuel up your brain so you don't feel sluggish and replenish your glycogen stores-  all factors that lead to better training, more energy and better recovery.
 Long story short....carbs, mainly the complex variety, are critical to your performance and diet.  Here are some simple rules when planning your meals and you will be better fueled to train your body to build lean, sexy muscle-the real show stopper!
1.  Eat whole grains with every main meal.  Whole grains have about 5x more fiber than refined grains.  Fiber slows down digestion, makes you full faster and contains no calories.   So go ahead and put that chicken salald on a whole grain buns!

2.  Load up on fiberous veggies at every main meal.   Pile on as many fiberous veggies as you wantThese low calorie produce picks do the dirty work of removing toxins from your body and repair damage to your cells.  
3.  Snack on fruits 2x a day.  Fruits get a bad rap for being a simple carbs with a high GI.  Truth is, fruits are simple in structure but they are packed with essential vitamins.  Eat it as a snack and before a workout to boost your gym performance.
4.  Drink or eat quick carbs post-workout.  Pair protein with high GI carb withing 30 minutes of finishing a workout.  The protein triggers muscle rebuilding and the carbs replenishes the fuel used during exercise and gets you ready for the next workout.  Protein shakes are a good option.

So for those of your doing competitions, events of whatever... just remember....you simply just cannot get enough carbs for workout energy from veggies alone- doing so will cause you to tire out sooner.  

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