[quote]eightohfive wrote:
[quote]PB Andy wrote:
good discussion guys. For someone at 18% BF I think it is just a faster way to lose fat with having carbs post-workout (not directly after, but in the meal an hour later). That way, the lifting session itself can burn some fat.
In terms of someone more advanced with a leaner physique like, Stu, pre-workout carbs are great.[/quote]
I see your point and i’ve read that as well. in a couple different places. SO you suggest meat&nut then a post workout carb instead of the pre? do you think i’ll experience a sort of lack of energy/“pump”/gains due to the missing carbs/beta-alanine/creatine?
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Well I would still like you to take beta-alanine, creatine, and BCAAs every workout, no question about it. You don’t really get a ‘pump’ from these things, but beta-alanine will basically allow you to do more reps and not feel that ‘burn’ as quickly. The functions of creatine/BCAA are well-known so I’m not going to go over that. If you are under dietary restrictions, beta-alanine can be a godsend for your workouts.
On whether you should take in carbs or not, I should have asked this question… it depends entirely on how you train. For example, if you did one of Thib’s beastly workouts that are becoming more and more popular on this site, I would recommend AT LEAST a scoop of Surge Workout Fuel or something similar, because the volume can be pretty high at times. The carbs will potentiate glucose into the muscle much easier (what with the insulin response from both the training and carbs). But if you are doing something like Olympic lifting, which I do (or will continue to do once my injury heals), where the rep scheme can be ridiculously low… I mean c’mon, how many carbs do you need if you are doing moderately-heavy block snatches (with basically no time under tension) for 2-3 reps?
From the studies I’ve gone over it seems like, the more ‘work’ you do, the more carbs you need. There have been plenty of studies showing the benefits of carbs for endurance athletes, showing that you should take in around ~60g carbs per hour of work. And there have also been studies (not as many) that show pre-workout carbs do NOT aid in power and basically, heavy low-rep resistance training. The thing that carbs can help with, in that regard, is simply better hydration because they hold water, but you can get that easily from enough water intake and electrolytes.