Miles Stevens

I post about the science of nutrition and exercise as it relates to improved health and performance

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

Overall…

You can make a case for both simple and complex carbs benefiting your overall health and performance.

Eat what you want and if you want to be ‘healthy’ and/or perform well then just think about your food in the context of your day.

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

Is sugar bad for you?

Let’s break it down a little…

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

Complex carbs (oligo/polysaccharides)

Ideal: your workout is 2-4 hours away (or no workout planned) & you’re consuming a meal with fiber containing complex carbs for sustained energy

Not ideal: an hour into a workout and you eat a fiber rich complex carb (hello GI issues)

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

3/Galactose

- Lactose (milk sugar)

Fuels energy production & various metabolic functions (post workout chocolate milk anyone?). For pre-workout I would personally avoid due to dairy’s high susceptibility for GI distress. But if you like running after drinking milk by all means.

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

What are the different types of monosaccharides, what foods fall under these categories, and when should you consume them?

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

2/Fructose

- Fruit (primarily)
- Molasses
- Agave sugar
- Caramel
- Dry figs
- Fruit juices

Good for intra-event fueling. Co-ingesting with glucose has been shown to inc. exogenous carb oxidation rate (PMID 31166604)

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

Ex.
1. You eat food
2. Nutrients get broken down into precursor molecules (ATP for ex) via catabolism
3. ATP & other molecules are used to synthesize macromolecules via anabolism
4. Those macromolecules are used for growth and reproduction
5. Rinse and repeat

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

Metabolism is simply a balancing act between anabolic and catabolic reactions

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

For more information check out my website (link in bio) where you can find videos and articles that go into more detail on nutrition and exercise for improved health and performance

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

Example of how to use various forms of carbs to fuel your performance:

1. 3-4 hrs before event consume a meal with complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides)

2. During event consume simple sugars (monosaccharides or disaccharides)

3. Refuel post event with polysaccharides

[Miles Stevens @trainwith_miles]

3/Restoration of glycogen stores is essential for complete recovery & maintenance of subsequent exercise capacity