Question

Describe and justify the optimal type/amount of carbohydrate consumption for various times related to exercise (pre-, during-, post-)

Answer 1

Generally, we eat during and after workouts with the following three goals in mind:
1. Replenish energy stores
2. Increase muscle size and/or muscle quality
3. Repair any damage caused by the activity.

Now we discuss the following points:

1) Before training/competition: -
Consuming a balanced meal containing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats – about 1-2
hours before training/competition – is what you’re after. You certainly don’t have to load
up on a huge meal. In fact, that could be counterproductive. Rather, the idea here is to
find meals that don’t cause stomach distress, meals that make the athlete feel energetic,
and meals that help maintain blood sugar.

A good example of a larger pre-workout meal would be 4 oz of lean meat, 8 oz of sweet
potato, and 2 cups of veggies with olive oil dressing. If this seems like too much, a piece
of fruit, a couple pieces of string cheese, and ½ cup of mixed nuts can work too.
2. ) During training/competition :-
What an athlete eats/drinks during competition is dependent upon length of the workout
and athlete’s preference. In general, we recommend a sport drink containing 30 grams of
carbohydrate and 15 grams of protein (in 500 ml water) per hour of exercise. With
multiple events back to back, a larger amount of this beverage should be consumed
throughout the day, along with food meals interspersed between events.
This drink can be a “homemade blend” or a pre-formulated drink that contains rapidly
digesting carbohydrates (e.g., maltodextrin, dextrose, glucose, etc) and proteins (e.g.,
protein hydrolysates or isolates).
3). After training/competition :-
Post-workout nutrition requires two things: protein to aid in protein synthesis,
carbohydrate to replace muscle glycogen. A whole food meal that meets these
requirements is ideal. However, whole food meals aren’t always practical. Some athletes
aren’t hungry, some athletes might not have access to whole food, and some athletes
might not want to wait for those nutrients to digest and get to cells.
That’s why most of our athletes generally default to consuming a liquid form of nutrition
that contains rapidly digesting carbohydrates and proteins that accelerates recovery,
digests quickly, and is usually well tolerated. We generally prefer drinks (like those
discussed above) to be ingested at a 2 carbohydrate: 1 protein ratio.

Now, if food is an option, then choosing some of the following options within an hour or
two of the training session or event would get the recovery process rolling.
A) Choose a carb dense food:
Yam
Potato
Brown rice
Quinoa
Whole grain bread
Oats
Whole grain pasta.

B) Choose a protein rich food:-
Eggs
Beans
Peas
Fish
Meat
Tofu
Tempeh

C) Choose a nutrient rich fruit
and/or vegetable:

Broccoli
Lettuce
Spinach
Kale
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Peppers
Asparagus
Green beans
Berries
Apple
Melon
Pineapple.