An often over- looked aspect of bodybuilding nutrition is the impact that foods have on blood sugar levels. Low blood sugar levels can lead to sub-par growth, while a spike can turn you into blubber man. In contrast, stable sugar levels are correlated with muscle growth and recovery.
A FINE BALANCING ACT
Blood sugar, also defined as blood glucose, is a term used to describe the amount of sugar in your blood. Your body breaks down the carbohydrates you consume into sugar. Two things happen: sugar either floats in your blood until your muscles adsorb it to make muscle glycogen, which is an important component of muscle recovery and muscle growth, or it is stored as fat, adding to your total body fat percentage.
Maintaining even blood sugar levels can be a fine balancing act. The ideal is to stay away from slumping dives or unwanted spikes. Stress also has the ability to spike blood sugar levels. This is a common concern for athletes who compete because stress can elevate blood sugar levels to the point where performance is impaired. Stress from overtraining can put you in a state where you have difficulty assimilating sugar and higher levels in the blood could lead to fat storage. If you cannot recover adequately from your training sessions you also put yourself into a prime position for an injury, illness or, even worse, burnout.
WHAT YOU PUT ON YOUR PLATE
A phrase 'you are what you eat' is often used to describe the huge impact food has on one's state of health. What you put on your plate is even more important when you are a bodybuilder. The healthier the foods are that you consume, the better you will succeed in building muscle.
The reverse is unfortunately true as well. The less attention you pay to what goes into your mouth, the bigger your effort will become to reach your physique goals. Bodybuilding is one of the few sports in which nutrition is as important as training and recuperation. To become successful you have to understand the role of the three macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fat – and how you need to organise them in your daily diet plan to allow for maximum absorption and assimilation.
This story is from the May-June 2018 edition of Muscle Evolution.
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This story is from the May-June 2018 edition of Muscle Evolution.
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