Carbohydrates and Loading – Not Just for Spectators

Carbs, beer, burgers and the anticipation of commercials can only mean one thing: the Super Bowl. The 2009-2010 NFL season has seen some pretty amazing feats: Kurt Warner and Brett Favre’s incredible performance, despite their age, The Saints 13-3 and the Colts 14-2 records, and the oldest person to player in the Super Bowl, 42-year-old Colts’ kicker Matt Stover. And its all accumulated to this: Colts v. Saints. While football (the American version) is one of the country’s beloved sports, the famed Super Bowl party is an even bigger past-time. Today, we’re talking about carb-loading and when to do it.

First, we’ll talk about the athletes, the reason why we’re all watching. Nutritionists estimate that NFL players consume between 5000-10,000 calories per day. It’s important to remember though, that these men aren’t eating Big Macs every day, especially not on game days. Like all endurance athletes, NFL players need to digest a steady and complex combination of carbohydrates to help contribute a steady flow of energy throughout the game. Whether you’re playing in Joe Robbie stadium or just hitting the treadmill, here are a few important things to remember:

Most people think that all you need to do is eat pasta the night before a long workout or competition. While the classic theory of carb-loading has become absolute, a new theory has become adopted and practiced by both professional athletes and gym-goers. Instead of just loading up on carbs before the competition, athletes must deplete glycogen storages in muscles so the carbs that are being consumed have a storage place and provide a insulin-highway via the bloodstream.

Products like IDS’ Waximiaze and Optimum Nutrition’s Glycomaize do this perfectly. They provide carbs – that’s it. No other fat or unwanted additives that will weigh an athlete down. These shakes help with the actual workout performance but they also help the body’s recovery time.  When choosing a supplement for long workouts, most people are put-off by the high carb count, but it’s the carb count that truly makes it an energy supplement. Whether you prefer shakes, chews, or packets, there’s also a rich selection of carb-fueled products to choose from.