| One of the biggest nutritional roadblocks for many | | | | stored as glycogen, as opposed to other times in the |
| people is trying to eliminate or cut down the amount of | | | | day, when the sugar will be more likely to be stored as |
| sugary foods they eat. Some people do better by | | | | fat. I should point out that eating sugar, chocolate, or |
| avoiding all sweets, but a lot of people develop intense | | | | other sweets after workouts is not the ideal thing to |
| cravings and are more successful over the long run | | | | do, but eating them at this time will minimize their |
| when they simply limit the amount of sugary food they | | | | negative effects on fat gain. |
| consume. Eating a little sugar here and there is not too | | | | Of course, this does not mean you can go and eat as |
| bad, but if your goal is to lose fat, then even moderate | | | | much sugar as you want, because your body will only |
| amounts of sugar can significantly impede your fat | | | | convert so many carbs into glycogen. Also, this trick is |
| loss. Fortunately there is a simple trick to help you | | | | primarily for sugar and other carbs, so the high fat |
| minimize the negative effects of eating reasonable | | | | content found in many sweets can still cause problems |
| amounts of sweets. | | | | when you are trying to lose fat. Another thing to keep |
| The key to limiting the damage done by chocolate and | | | | in mind is the level of glycogen needed to be |
| other sugary foods is eating them at the right time. In | | | | replenished will depend on how much glycogen is |
| general, the earlier in the day unhealthy foods are | | | | depleted used your workouts. This means you can't do |
| eaten, the less negative impact there is (less is stored | | | | a quick and easy workout and expect to be able to |
| as fat). This happens for a couple reasons. First, your | | | | eat a lot of sugar without negative effects. |
| body has a better insulin response in the morning and | | | | On the other hand, knowing you can have a treat |
| second, you are more likely to burn off the sugar | | | | after a good workout may be just the thing you need |
| calories during your daily activities. The worst time to | | | | to increase your motivation to exercise on a day |
| eat sweets is at night, because your body does not | | | | when you don't feel like doing anything. Personally, I |
| have any use for the carbohydrate and fat calories, so | | | | rarely have sweets around the house (because I |
| they will just be stored as fat. | | | | would eat them), but when I do, I use this tactic for |
| The morning is a decent time to eat sweets if you | | | | motivation. If there is a sugary food I want to eat, then I |
| have to cheat, but there is another time that is even | | | | tell myself I cannot have it until after I exercise. Of |
| better. The best time to eat sugary foods is actually | | | | course, you still need the willpower to make yourself |
| right after you exercise, especially following a long | | | | stick to your plan of waiting, but if you like sweets, this |
| workout that burned a lot of calories. This is the best | | | | can be highly motivating. |
| time because your body processes sugar and other | | | | This tactic of waiting to eat sugary foods until after a |
| carbs differently after workouts than it does during the | | | | workout also works with other carbohydrate rich |
| rest of the day. | | | | foods. If you generally try to restrict your carb intake, |
| When you exercise, your body burns calories from a | | | | but have occasional cravings, you can use this same |
| number of different sources, such as from stored fat, | | | | strategy and eat greater amounts of carbs after your |
| carbs (glucose) in your blood, and in some cases by | | | | workouts. This will not only minimize the negative |
| breaking down protein for use as energy. A lot of | | | | effect of eating too many carbs, but it will also replace |
| energy also comes from carbohydrates stored in your | | | | your muscle glycogen and give you more energy for |
| body, which is referred to as glycogen. If you have | | | | your future workouts. |
| long and challenging workouts your glycogen level can | | | | This trick can be useful in many situations, but just |
| become depleted, especially if you do not eat many | | | | keep in mind that you should not use your |
| carbs, and you will feel as though your muscles don't | | | | post-workout meal as an excuse to eat unhealthy |
| have any energy left. | | | | foods. If you have already made up your mind that |
| After your workout is over, your body makes it a | | | | you are going to eat something unhealthy, then waiting |
| priority to replenish your glycogen stores, so you will | | | | till after a workout will minimize the negative effects, |
| have energy for future activities. This means that the | | | | but you should still try to eat healthy foods in |
| sugar you eat after workouts will be more likely to be | | | | appropriate portions as much of the time as possible. |