The Importance Of Carbohydrates In Body Building

Nutrition is one of the most important parts of being successful as a body builder. Your body needs fuel to supply you with energy for your workouts and the raw material to build new muscle tissue. Body builders should eat frequent, small meals instead of three larger ones; this boosts the metabolism and keeps your body from having to use its own muscle tissue to provide you with energy. The importance of carbohydrates in body building cannot be overstated.

Why Bodybuilders Need Carbs

The importance of carbohydrates in bodybuilding is due to their role in the metabolic process as a source of energy for the human body. Carbs are the number one source of energy for your body; carbohydrate consumption signals the pancreas to start producing insulin. This hormone is important in the storage of dietary proteins and fats.

Insulin is the key to the importance of carbohydrates in body building. Insulin ensures the storage of carbs in fat deposits or as fat tissue intertwined with muscle tissue. Insulin also uses the amino acids which constitute proteins and use them as the building blocks for the building and repair of muscle. However, it's important not to just eat carbohydrates, but to eat the right kind of carbohydrates.

The Different Types of Carbohydrates

As far as the importance of carbohydrates in body building is concerned, athletes should know that there are two basic types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates produce an immediate, short-term energy boost and complex ones provide a sustained source of energy since they are metabolized more slowly.

Complex carbs should be eaten throughout the day to keep your energy level constant. Simple carbs should only be eaten right after a workout when you need some quick energy. Knowing the difference between the two should help you understand the importance of carbohydrates in body building.

Simple carbohydrate sources include: fruits such as pineapple, apples, grapes and so on. Complex carbs may be either from fibrous (vegetables) or starchy (grains) sources. Good sources of complex carbohydrates include: spinach, peppers, cauliflower, potatoes, rice, oats and other whole grains.

The importance of carbohydrates in body building means that every body builder needs to plan a healthy diet which both meets their basic nutritional needs as well as providing them with the extra nutrients and energy they need to keep up their energy and cope with the demands of their workouts while building and defining muscle tissue.