If you’ve ever been told that carbs are the enemy, especially while actively trying to get fit or lose weight, it’s time to set the facts straight. Carbohydrates aren’t just helpful for your body, they’re essential for your nutrition.
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During exercise, your body relies heavily on glycogen, a stored form of carbohydrate, to sustain your energy levels, especially in moderate to high‑intensity workouts.
Whether you’re training for endurance, lifting to build muscle, or simply staying energized throughout the day, healthy carbs fuel your body, enhance your performance and support your recovery. The key is understanding which carbs to choose, when to eat them and how to pair them with other foods.
What Are Carbs?
Carbohydrates are one of the three main macronutrients (alongside protein and fat) that are the body’s primary energy source and the most efficient fuel for physical activity.
Carbs are generally categorized into two main types:
- Simple carbohydrates: Found in foods like fruit and honey, or in refined products such as white bread. They digest quickly, providing rapid energy when needed.
- Complex carbohydrates: Found in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and starchy vegetables. These digest more slowly, releasing energy steadily over time.
Complex carbs, such as oats, beans, and quinoa, are some of the best pre-workout choices because they support glycogen stores and provide consistent energy without crashes. They also contribute to better insulin sensitivity, which is important for delivering energy to muscles during and after exercise.
The Problem with Calling All Carbs “Bad Carbs”
The negative connotation surrounding carbs often leads people to cut out nutrient-rich foods simply because they contain carbohydrates. But labeling carbs as “bad” doesn’t recognize the difference between processed foods, added sugars and real, whole-food sources. For example, eating a banana before a workout is very different from eating a donut. Both contain carbs, but only one is beneficial to performance and health.
Why Our Body Needs Carbs While Working Out
When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into glucose, which is then either used immediately for energy or stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen. During moderate to high-intensity exercise, your body relies heavily on these glycogen stores to keep you moving. Without enough carbs, you’ll hit a wall, physically and mentally.
Research from the Journal of Sports Sciences shows that consuming carbohydrates before and during exercise improves endurance and delays fatigue, especially in workouts over an hour.
A carb‑rich meal or snack 1 to 3 hours before working out ensures glycogen stores are maxed out, and you’ll power through a workout without feeling sluggish. For shorter sessions, a small snack like a banana or a piece of toast with nut butter may be enough. For longer sessions, a balanced meal with complex carbs and protein like oatmeal with berries and chia seeds is best.
Quick‑Digesting Carbs for Rapid Energy
Bananas, rice cakes, dates, and sports drinks are excellent fast‑acting carbohydrate sources for times when you need an immediate boost of energy. These low-fiber foods are digested quickly, providing glucose to our body within minutes, making them perfect pre-workout snacks within 30 minutes of training or quick snacks right after training to kick-start recovery.
For endurance workouts or activities that might last 90 minutes or more, supplemental carbs help preserve glycogen and stabilize blood sugar as your body pulls on its energy supply. Sports drinks, gels, or chews are easy, fast‑absorbing options to have on a long run or during a game to help keep your mind focused and your body ready to move.
Whole Food Carbohydrates for Sustained Energy
Whole food carbs like oats, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, lentils, and berries provide a steady release of energy, making them ideal for pre‑workout meals and daily fuel. These foods are full of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, supporting long-term health and digestion while stabilizing blood sugar levels.
Low‑Glycemic Index (Low‑GI) Carbs for Steady Fuel
Chickpeas, lentils, and steel‑cut oats are low‑GI carbohydrate sources that digest slowly and help keep blood sugar levels stable. This makes them ideal for long training sessions, lower-intensity workouts, or as part of a balanced meal for steady all-day energy. Low‑GI carbs are also linked to improved metabolic health and enhanced fat utilization during lower‑intensity exercise. They create a sustained energy release, improving insulin sensitivity and stable focus during training.
Carbs and Recovery
Eating the right thing after a workout is just as important as what you eat before. After exercise, glycogen levels are depleted and need to be replenished to restore energy for the next workout or activity. Consuming carbohydrates soon after working out increases glycogen storage, and combining carbs with protein within 30–60 minutes can also accelerate muscle repair.
The truth is that after your workouts or while you’re training, carbs are one of your best friends. Despite their bad reputation in diet culture, carbs support your energy levels and help you feel stronger and more consistent during your workouts, and they can help you recover and get moving again after a tough training session or even reenergize you after a long day at work saps your energy. The bottom line is, you should never cut them out of your life and use them as a tool to help power your workouts and fitness goals.