The cellular mechanics are complex, but the practical advice is straightforward: consume carbohydrates (or food) before training or risk compromising your results.
Many people — particularly busy parents trying to squeeze workouts into hectic schedules — believe fasted training might accelerate fat loss. This misconception may actually be undermining their progress. Without adequate glycogen stores, the body enters a catabolic state where it begins breaking down protein instead of building muscle.
This isn't merely theoretical; it's something I've experienced throughout my years of training. When glycogen stores are depleted, performance suffers noticeably.
For those unfamiliar with exercise physiology terminology, I break it down simply: catabolic means breaking down; anabolic means building up. If you want to build a stronger, more resilient body, you need to create conditions that favor the latter.
My approach to carbohydrate consumption isn't about indulgence. The natural sugars provide readily available energy, while the antioxidants in berries offer additional benefits for skin health and immune function. This isn't just about aesthetics; it's about creating systemic resilience.
The fitness industry is saturated with extremes: those who demonize carbohydrates entirely and those who consume them without discretion. I position myself in the evidence-based middle, where carbohydrates are recognized as essential tools for performance when used appropriately.
Marathon runners understand this intuitively. They don't attempt 26.2 miles without carbohydrate support along the way. Yet somehow, many weight-training enthusiasts believe they can approach a heavy session with depleted glycogen stores and achieve optimal results. This disconnect between endurance and resistance training nutrition principles puzzles me.
Overtraining represents another misunderstood concept in fitness communities. Many assume it simply means exercising too frequently. The reality is more nuanced: overtraining occurs when recovery resources are insufficient for the training load. Without adequate carbohydrates, even moderate training volumes can lead to overtraining symptoms.
If you're someone who trains for two-plus hours, believing more is always better, you're likely compromising tomorrow's workout for diminishing returns today.
The body doesn't reward this approach. Instead, it responds by becoming less efficient, progress stalls, and frustration mounts. I've watched countless dedicated individuals sabotage their results through this fundamental misunderstanding.
My message isn't complicated: eat before you train. Not excessively, but enough to fuel performance. Unless you're preparing for a specific event with particular aesthetic requirements — like a bodybuilding competition — arbitrary restrictions on pre-workout nutrition rarely serve your goals.
I'm not interested in perpetuating myths, however popular. I'm interested in what work, and what works, consistently and reliably, is providing your body with the carbohydrates it needs to perform at its best.
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