When counting carbs.....

[swordfish151]

when counting carbs...(cutting) do you take into consideration the carbs that come from an apple? from eggs? from your prortein powder? or just the carbs that come from breads like whole wheat pastas/bread/oats? the reason i ask is when i look at my daily calorie log...just from the oats/whole wheat bread/and 1/2 cup of brown rice i get 96g of carbs, but when i incorporate the grams from an apple/tuna/chicken etc i get 192g....

 

[Dunk]

a carb is a carb.

 

[swordfish151]

so its virtually impossible to eat 100g of carbs a day..i mean i dont know why anyone would do this..but just was curious when people say "im watching my carb intake" was wondering if they take into account the carbs in the other foods other then the breads.

 

[sublime35]

things like fruits, veggies, rice, pasta, oats, bread, dairy, potatoes, things like that, then yes, But your meats, eggs, fish, i wouldn't count it unless you really want to be meat should be carb free or at the most 1.

 

[swordfish151]

i understand the difference between the carb in an apple (sugar) opposed to a piece of 100% whole wheat bread (complex) ...question is that if your trying not to consume carbs after a certain time frame...say 6pm....would eating an apple be detrimental? Or is it in how your body will break it down??
How does your body break down a complex carb (use it i mean) opposed to one that is a simple one?

 

[sublime35]

well fruits aren't a simple carb, It all depends on its GI rating. Simple carbs are digested quickly as opposed to complex are slower and when digested quickly they cuase an insulin spike and can promote fat storage. Eating carbs after a certain time aren't going to make you fat but most people choose not too since they are usually less active at night.

 

[Stryc-9]

(*edit - sublime beat me to it haha)

The significant difference is the impact that each type has on blood sugar levels - and therefore, insulin.

Complex carbs are much harder for the body to assimilate (i.e., digest and convert to blood glucose) and so they take longer to breakdown (meaning you get a longer, steadier source of energy). Insulin will not be released in great amounts because there's not an excessive amount of glucose in the blood. It might seem elementary - but they're called "complex" precisely because of their complicated chemical structure.

When you ingest simple carbs, it's like a lot of the work has already been done in terms of breaking them down (i.e., they are digested very rapidly). The result is that they enter the blood stream faster (i.e., think of it like a flood of glucose which the body responds to by releasing lots of insulin - a so-called "sugar" high). So you get a burst of energy - but because of the high insulin release and the blood being so rapidly cleared of glucose (theoretically) - it only lasts a short amount of time.

 

[swordfish151]

great info....so consuming a can of tuna w/an apple and hour and a half before training (cutting) is ok ..

 

[JKurz1]

great info....so consuming a can of tuna w/an apple and hour and a half before training (cutting) is ok ..

encouraged.....


although I opt for cc and a homemade protein bar.........

 

[Stryc-9]

Interesting because I've been experimenting lately with reducing the fructose in my diet - based on the premise that it's preferentially stored and utilized by the liver (as opposed to muscle tissue) and easily converted to fat......and the jury is still out. Not sure if the trade off (losing out on the fibre, vitamins, taste, etc.,) will be worth it.

In any case, the tuna/apple combo is no post-workout meal to sneeze at. See how it goes and my only advice would be: if you feel tired during your workout, switch to a carb source more conducive to the production of muscle glycogen (e.g., oats, yams, etc.,).