Carbohydrates are full of energy. And you need this energy to keep your sporting achievements up to standard. Carbohydrates are an instant source of energy. During extended or intensive training, carbohydrates ensure that you have enough energy to do the activities. If your body isn't able to burn enough carbohydrates, you feel weak and sluggish. And of course, that has an adverse effect on your sports performances. It's therefore important to maintain your carbohydrate level.
Limited storage capacity
The number of carbohydrates your body is able to store is limited. On average, you have enough energy for one to one-and-a-half hours of intensive effort. That's why it's advisable to top up your carbohydrate level during a long training session and after exercising. You can do this by drinking an energy drink or eating a banana after training, for example. People who train really intensively plan their carbohydrate intake throughout the day, so that they always have good energy levels.
Need for carbohydrates
The need for carbohydrate differs from one person to the next. It depends on your energy needs. And that depends on your training and competition plan, training frequency and the duration and intensity of your training. Because the energy requirements differ from day to day, it's smart to adjust your carbohydrate intake on a day to day basis too. On days on which you train intensively, take on more carbohydrates, and don't take on quite as much on your rest days.
What are high-carbohydrate products?
Examples of high-carbohydrate products are bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, pasta, dried fruits, honey, jam and sweets. Of course, it makes sense to go for the healthy options and not to gorge on bags of sweets to get your carbohydrates.
Ask for advice
Struggling to work out which products you should and shouldn't be eating, and how much you should be eating? Get some professional advice. A nutritionist or one of our personal trainers can help you put together a list of good and bad products and draw up a balanced dietary plan to go hand in hand with your training plan.
