INTRO & Topic#1 Eating for Performance (G.I.)

Ok, this is my first post for you guys so please, give some feedback on what you find informative so that I can tailor my following posts to be appropriate and helpful.

Here's a quick background blurb about my exercise and health experience:
- Fitness and Leisure Management Diploma
- Sport & Physical Health Education Degree
- Personal Trainer (16+ years)

Now with that out of the way....here it goes!

*Glycemic Index* (not all carbs are digested/processed equally)

You know that feeling you get after a big spahgetti dinner or carb filled meal? The feeling that you want to sleep for a couple of days? Well, this is where we can start to begin separating the good carbohydrates from the bad. When you consume any quickly digested carb (high on the "glycemic index"), you get a spike in energy, but it's quick and is followed by a huge drop in energy. Foods that do this commonly come from enriched wheat flour foods (highly processed) IE. white rice, white bread and of course high sugar content foods (chocolate, pop etc). Therefore, these types of foods would be items to stay away from before a long trip out in Copeland Forest or prior to any exercise that requires you to be working out longer than 15 min. On the reverse side of the G.I. (Glycemic Index) we have more natural and less refined foods that take longer to digest and, in turn have a slow release of energy to draw off. They require more energy to burn too! Items that fall into this category of carbs are whole grain bread, oats, and long grain rice.

Not only do these foods, that are high on the glycemic index, digest quickly and cause a feeling of drowsiness and only yeild a quick and short energy burst, but...they also are the culprit of unnecessary weight gain! If your body doesn't require the food immediately, it will be stored as fat!! When the body can use the food for a long period of time (Low on the G.I.) it can process little bits at a time, and will be less likely to contribute to the "hibernation insulation".

Here is a sample of the G.I. but, keep in mind this is just to educate you on how specific foods are processed in our bodies. Please introduce new foods one at a time to prevent reactions to unknown allergies. http://www.the-gi-diet.org/lowgifoods/

With that being said, before you head to the trails think twice about what you're ingesting a few hours prior. It can make or break you out there!

J