Group: Experienced Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 50, Messages: 19484

For intermediate and advanced individuals. Share and learn how to take your fitness to the next level!

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Complex and Simple Carbs

X-Cor3
X-Cor3
Posts: 14
Joined: 2003/11/16
United States
2005/01/20, 09:07 PM
hello

im sorry if this was asked before! :)

what's the differences between simple and complex carbs?
and how do both effect once workout?

tnx for taking the time :)
DX14AG
DX14AG
Posts: 1,055
Joined: 2004/07/22
United States
2005/01/20, 09:45 PM
Well I would take the time, but it's been asked before so I will politely ask you to do a search on fitbuddy down at the bottom of the page.

DX
2005/01/21, 04:21 AM
how quickly they spike up your insulin levels....simple carbs, eg white rice, potatoes, etc....complex carbs eg yams, brown rice, sweet potatoes, lentils, etc....complex carbs should make up most of your carbs except after workouts when you should take simple carbs along with proteins....hope this helps...
X-Cor3
X-Cor3
Posts: 14
Joined: 2003/11/16
United States
2005/01/22, 09:55 PM
"complex carbs should make up most of your carbs except after workouts"

ha! didnt know that. thnx for the usefull info!

however, following this. what is exactly insulin and what role does it play in daily life as well as workouts?

thnx for taking the time. very usefull info!! (to me anywayz)

X
princesslodgey
princesslodgey
Posts: 1,748
Joined: 2004/02/21
United Kingdom
2005/01/23, 07:07 AM
to answer your question about insulin -
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which is involved in regulation of blood sugar.

It is released by the pancreas into the bloodstream when blood sugar levels rise (for example after a meal) and reduces blood sugar levels by causing storage of glucose as glycogen, in the muscles and in the liver.

Your body's sensitivity to insulin can vary, so if your blood sugar levels are frequently high, your response to insulin becomes blunted (and this is basically the reason why people who eat lots of sugary things for a long time can end up developing diabetes).

If you keep your blood sugar levels stable by avoiding things which rapidly increase your blood sugar (sweets, white rice/ bread etc), then when you do take in sugar, your body's response to insulin will be much higher, driving sugar into your muscles (and taking protein with it) - this is what is meant by insulin spiking.

(There is another type of diabetes, which tends to happen in the young, where the pancreas stops producing insulin, and these are the sorts of people who have to start taking artificial insulin immediately. If they take too much insulin, too much of the sugar in their blood gets taken out of the blood stream, and there is not enough energy to supply their brain - so they end up feeling very strange, sometimes passing out - this is usually called a "hypo")

Because Insulin causes energy to be driven into cells, it promotes the storage of fat and/ or muscle.

There are various other hormones which have the opposite effect to insulin - these are called stress hormones or catabolic hormones, and they promote the release of energy from stores into the blood stream - so causing blood sugar to rise, and the depletion of fat and sometimes muscle. Examples of these are glucagon, cortisol and adrenaline.

These hormones are produced when your blood sugar levels drop - because you are starving, or you are using up your blood sugar quicker, e.g. exercise.
2005/01/24, 06:41 AM

X-core reason for simple carbs after workout is because your body is extra sensitive to protein(amino acids) and carbs(glucose) after a workout...so you need to supply your muscles with energy/proteins ASAP....your muscles replenish their glycogen more quickly and repair themselves....you're very likely to cut down on recovery time between workouts by doing this...and your body absorbs much more in this critical period...usually within 30 minutes after workouts...although I heard it can be as long as 2 hours.......complex carbs take a while to break down so they are not a great choice in such instances....so stick with simple carbs and fast digesting proteins...best one is WHEY....it has highest bilogical value of any protein ..even eggs and meat...so drink whey shake after workouts with double the protein made up in simple carbs...good luck