High Carb Diets...CALLING ALL HEALTH NUTRITIONISTS

[cogilvie]

Cycling is my lifestyle. I commute every day and ride on occasion. I've been trying to figure out a diet that works for me - something that fills my appetite. Lately I've been sticking to the basics - plenty of fruits and veggies; little bit of dairy - with meals centering on a main course with high carbs. Anything wrong with this style of diet even if I'm using the energy?

[Rookie Dan]

I used to think protein was the answer to everything, and I did okay in races, but not spectacularly. Then I switched up my diet a few days before each race to be generally 60% carbs, 25% fruits/vegetables, and 15% proteins, and I felt that I had far more energy and did much better in races. This is what works well for me. I can't say for certain if a diet like either yours or mine is right or wrong, but if you're eating well, getting a good balance between the different food groups and types, and you feel good, then the diet is working for you.

[flav]

Carbs are a touchy issue in our modern world so heres my two sense on them...

Many of our sources for carbs are foods that arent beneficial to us such as bread, potatoes etc. This is because they contain alot of starch and are not very nutritient dense so our body isnt getting the vitamins and minerals it needs.

Theres a lot of talk about fats and fatty diets actually being good for us and in my opinion this is true as fat is an excellent source of energy and has many other benefits for us(depending on the type of fat).

For atheletes and us cyclists carbs are extremely important but I would strongly watch where you get them from. I try to stick to pasta(complex carbs) and brown rice and I eat as many vegetables as I can(believe it or not you can get all the carbs you need in a day from vegetables if your diet is correct) along with a good amount of protein everyday.

Try introducing more fats into your diets in the form of olive oil, almonds, avocados and animal fat and you will get the energy you need and feel satiated longer then eating straight carbs.

Im no nutrionist but talk to Chris F as his diets is low in processed carbs and high in fats, protein, and veggies.

[Dana]

It's possible that the Heath & Performance Center on campus will provide access to a nutritionist for staff and students.

[Josh]

Diets/Nutrition is a pretty encompassing topic that is highly variable from person to person, so..

Couple of main points to think about. Any diet "high" in something is generally deficient in some other macronutrient. Your body needs carbs, fats, protein and water all the time to maintain body regulations. Carbs are a common fuel in high intensity exercise, but for everyday moderate exercise, your body actually uses mainly fats. Of course, protein is needed for rebuilding and for those who are trying to lose weight, or just feel full. The satiety factor for protein is not easily substituted. Keeping a good balance of each (historically 60% carbs, 25% fats, 15% protein by calorie) is pretty key.

Beyond the basics, looking at the quality of food makes a big difference too. Flav was getting onto this with Carbs - eating refined flours for your carb content isn't going to benefit you much. Eating trans fats for fat content, eating peanut butter for protein content etc. all fall under that as well.

I'd suggest reading into the topic, and avoiding anything "diet" or "fad" headlined. Short cut - see nutritionist. No answer is the right answer, you need to switch some things up until you find what works best.

[Josh]

Sept 15, 2011 10:35:22 GMT -5 Rookie Dan said:

I used to think protein was the answer to everything, and I did okay in races, but not spectacularly. Then I switched up my diet a few days before each race to be generally 60% carbs, 25% fruits/vegetables, and 15% proteins....

fruits/veg is still (with some exceptions) 75+% carb.

[gill]

Thought I would share this article, read it during my travels this week and seems relevant to this thread:

www.nationalpost.com/news/this+diet+really+works/5392081/story.html

As Josh said, go to a professional! A nutritionist is the best source for this information! There are a lot of garbage websites and people who are all to willing to give information regarding diets who really do not have the necessary background and training to do so. Think critically when reading these sources!

[Kaylynn]

With our student health plans, we actually are able to see a nutritionist for free! Just call up the health and performance centre and they can set you up. I personally have to see one a lot because I am usually pretty close to 12-13% body fat (which is kinda dangerous for females). I have been told to eat more cooked than raw vegetables because they are high in carbs and if they are cooked you can eat more of them if they are raw. But yeah, definitely make use of the free access to nutritionists on campus.

[cogilvie]

Thanks for your input everyone!