“I’ll have a hamburger, no bread please.” Waist watching vocabulary has turned to net-carb, low-carb, and total-carb. There is so much talk about carbohydrates these days, it’s enough to leave one feeling confused. Popular diets are encouraging us to minimize this marvelous fuel source. Is the well-established nutrient getting a bad reputation?
It’s not uncommon to hear a runner report fatigue. After further investigation, a food record assessment may reflect a diet lacking in carbohydrates the cause of fatigue. There are runners that are unaware that their diet is insufficient in carbohydrates while others faithfully aim for the low carb regimen. Temptation to test how the body might respond to a low carbohydrate routine is slowly creeping into the lives of many runners. Unfortunately following through with a carbohydrate restricted diet is likely to leave you recognizing an early sense of fatigue on an otherwise easy run and poor recovery.
Carbohydrates are one of the most important components in your diet. Eating a very low carb diet and aiming for a successful workout do not go hand in hand. Your body prefers carbohydrate as the main fuel source when you run. In fact if carbohydrates are not present, your body will convert fat and protein into carbs for energy. This is a very inefficient form of energy for an endurance athlete. When you don’t eat enough carbohydrates and continue training, your body will snowball into a state of mental and physical fatigue.
Reinforcing the Obvious
Contrary to popular belief, eating carbohydrates will not make you gain fat mass. Eating too many calories as compared to what you burn is the cause of unwanted fat gain; not calories solely in the form carbohydrates. It seems that focusing on this one particular macronutrient to reduce or even eliminate, dieters are able to decrease the total amount of calories consumed leading to weight loss. This applies especially to those who are extremely tempted to overindulge in their favorite carbohydrate rich foods. But the best ingredients to a sound and healthy nutritional recipe are balance, variety, and moderation. If carbohydrate is eliminated, the recipe will fail.
Sorting It Out
Although you may know the importance of carbohydrates, why is it that you still feel so confused and tempted? Let’s try to clear things up. The words “net- impact carbohydrates” or “net carb” are frequently posted on food labels. These phrases do not mean carbohydrates are absent. To calculate the “net carbs” you subtract the grams of fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates. The thought process behind this is that fiber and sugar alcohols are not completely digested. Thus they are not counted as total carbohydrates. However, they are still sources of calories. And, as previously stated, it is calories that contribute to fat gain, not specifically carbohydrates.
Also note in foods labeled with “net” or “low carb” the common carbohydrate source is replaced with some form of substitute. For example, wheat flour is commonly replaced with soy flour, fiber, sugar alcohols, or fat. There is no major disadvantage to a product that contains soy flour. Fiber is a wonderful addition to the diet. However, it is important to understand how your body might handle the high fiber punch that is associated with low carb products. It may contribute to GI problems during some of your long or intense runs. Sugar alcohols may also lead to uncomfortable diarrhea, gas, and bloating. And lastly fat replacement contributes to the health risks associated with a high fat diet.
Many of the foods with the low carb labeling also have the potential to be highly processed. In turn, the processing of food takes away from the nutritional quality. You may be eating food with no nutritional quality except calories and in the process, missing out on many wonderful micronutrients your body is requires. Compare labels with the natural counterpart to ensure quality is still present.
Choose Your Carbohydrates Wisely
A runner should never question if they should follow a low carb diet. The major role of carbohydrates is to produce energy. Fuel your body with a diet rich in carbohydrates to maximize your training and performance. However, you can modify your diet in the kinds of carbohydrates you choose. Great natural sources of carbohydrate for a runner include whole grains, beans, fresh fruit, milk, and vegetables.
In logging all those miles the temptation to warrant a box of “Sugar Crunch” cereal may arise. The refined, sugar filled carbohydrates are much more likely to lead to unwanted fat gain. Be creative in choosing healthy substitutes for the carbohydrates if you find you like to overindulge. Consider oatmeal with a sweet topping of berries or vanilla yogurt and cinnamon.
Why not make healthy food choices and tune into your portion sizes before making drastic changes to the carbohydrate content of your diet. Your performance and confidence may be at “steak.
Jackie Dikos is a 2:45 marathoner and registered dietitian who lives with her husband and son in Indianapolis, Indiana.
