Tag Archives: carbs

Should I eat Carbs?

We all read mixed reviews about whether or not to eat carbs before or after workout or before going to bed etc…but when IS the best time to eat carbs?
Or should we be avoiding them at all costs?
Carbs can come in many forms- starchy carbs, fructose, sucrose, grains- even vegetables and fruit! When we eat any form of carbs our bodies turn them into glucose which is then stored  as glycogen in the liver and the muscles, and its primary use is to produce our most basic form of energy called ATP.
How much carbs we actually need depends on a variety of things- our sex, our activity levels, our current health and our future goals for our health, fitness and strength.
We all have a different requirement for energy- therefore we all have a limit of what would be deemed a ‘healthy’ amount of carbs on a daily basis.

carbs
Our intake of carbs therefore is mostly activity dependent. On days you are training, for example, you should be eating a greater amount of carbs as this is when your body requires this particular type of energy. However, if the majority of your day is spent at your office desk or in your car and your goal is to stay leaner, then you would require a lesser intake of carbs on this particular day.

We should try and stick to the likes of sweet potato, root veggies, quinoa, organic oats, brown rice and butternut squash for our carbohydrate intake- avoid more refined carbs such as white bread, pasta, biscuits, rolls etc…
According to Dr Eric Serrano, our main carb intake should be in the middle of the day if you goal is to stay lean. This gives your body a better chance to utilise fatty acid stores by having a more protein and fat dense breakfast and dinner.

Please note: Our nutritional needs are so complex and we have to remember that any form of advice is to be taken on board as a ‘broadly speaking’ recommendation for the general public.
In our PT sessions at The Edge we would pride ourselves in focusing moreso on the needs of the individual and what exactly their personal health and fitness goals are.
If you would like to speak to one of our trainers about your nutritional needs or your personal goals, you can contact them in confidence at info@theedgegym.ie