Carbohydrates: What’s an Athlete to Do?

Read the Sock Doc 5-part series on the role of carbohydrates in athletes and end your nightmare of whether you should starve yourself of carbs or live off the pasta buffet.

Part I: Carbohydrates: Evil or Essential? There are important questions to be explored here. In regards to training, when is the best time to eat carbs – before, during, or after exercise? What type of carbs should you consume – sugary stuff like pure sucrose or honey, or do you go with complex carbs such as pasta and potatoes? And of course – how many carbs should you be eating?

Part II: Condition Your Body to Burn Fat Conditioning your body to burn fat involves more than just training properly. Fat metabolism relies on a low stress lifestyle as well as a diet that promotes fat-for-fuel.

Part III: Train Hard, Race Fast: Carbohydrates for Training and Recovery Here I discuss more about carbohydrates and their place in training and racing. Learn how to beat the bonk and why you don’t want to, and shouldn’t need to, carbo load.

Part IV: The Ketogenic Athlete Some athletes see great improvements in their health and fitness when they’re in a ketogenic state, while others just feel miserable. So is a ketogenic diet right for you?

Part V: Sugar Coating Your Performance Learn how to know if you’re using primarily fat or sugar as a fuel source during the day while you’re working, sleeping, or training. Improve your performance by burning the right fuel at the right time!