Carbohydrate Periodization, good for your health and performance!

You probably heard about Carbohydrate Periodization already but if you have not, I will sumarize here for you and tell you how to easily implement to your life.

What is CHO Periodization?

Is a nutrition strategy that involves adjusting your CHO intake based on your specific training or activity needs at different times. 

Why ?

Because not all days or workouts require the same amount of carbohydrates. Basically, just take CHO when you need!

Benefits

1. Optimized Performance: By adjusting carbohydrate intake to match your training intensity, you can ensure that your energy levels are sufficient for peak performance during intense workouts or competitions. 

2. Improved Recovery:Consuming more carbohydrates during high-intensity training phases can help replenish glycogen stores and speed up recovery, reducing muscle soreness and fatigue. 

3. Enhanced Metabolic Flexibility: Periodically reducing carbohydrate intake encourages your body to become more efficient at using fat for energy, which can be beneficial for endurance athletes and individuals looking to improve their body composition. 

4. Better Weight Management: Carbohydrate periodization can assist with weight management goals by controlling calorie intake based on activity levels, preventing excess calorie consumption on rest days. 

5. Blood Sugar Control: It can help regulate blood sugar levels, which is particularly important for individuals with diabetes or those at risk of metabolic issues. 

8. Long-Term Health Benefits: Encouraging metabolic flexibility and preventing constant high carbohydrate intake may have potential long-term health benefits, such as reducing the risk of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. 

How to apply to your daily routine

I guess this is what you all are asking so I decided to make it simple so you can try to see the benefits yourself:

1. Try to do your easy/ aerobic session in the morning fasted. Only water with a bit of salt

2. After easy/ aerobic sessions (unless is longer than 2,5 hours) eat only protein and healthy fats.

3. After hard sessions, including Weight Training, eat most of your CHO , but also protein to help muscle rebuild.

4. Avoid eating too much CHO before bed, only a little to help you sleep

How I do it

I guess it's easier if I can give you an example of my day :

6am - Wake up, drink a full glass of water with a pinch of sea salt, then a cup of Black Coffee

6:30-6:40am - Easy training, usually bike or run

8:00am - Drink full bottle of electrolytes (Zym Smart hydration)

10:00 0r 11am - Breakfast - 3 eggs, half avocado, 1 tomato, little piece of cheese

2:00 pm - Lunch balanced meal but here is when I take most of my CHO of the day

5:30-6:00pm - Dinner, low in CHO mostly veggies with protein and good fats *

*If I have an evening training session and it has intensity , I add more CHO to help with recovery.

Does it make sense ? Questions ? Message me and I can go into details !