Training & Nutrition - What kind of carb do I need?

After workouts (usually biking, basketball, or weights), I finish up with my whey/casein protein mix. But recently I added something in the mix called Rice Oligodextrin, which is a low GI carb. I am trying to lose weight, but for me, would a low GI carb be better for recovery so to speak, or a high GI (simple?) carb like maltodextrin or something? Again I am trying to drop that fat and prevent, as much as I can, degenerative muscle mass loss.
Thanks.

High GI after exercise, low GI the rest of the time. It's ok to eat real food ya know, not everything has to be in pill or powder form.

Ooooooooook. I know I'm going to get rapped in the mouth for this but what exactly is "GI"? =/

Ooooooooook. I know I'm going to get rapped in the mouth for this but what exactly is "GI"? =/

Glycemic Index.

There are no dumb questions -- well, perhaps there are, but yours wasn't one of them. :D

Another one of my posts ignored. :cry:

After workouts (usually biking, basketball, or weights), I finish up with my whey/casein protein mix. But recently I added something in the mix called Rice Oligodextrin, which is a low GI carb. I am trying to lose weight, but for me, would a low GI carb be better for recovery so to speak, or a high GI (simple?) carb like maltodextrin or something? Again I am trying to drop that fat and prevent, as much as I can, degenerative muscle mass loss.
Thanks.High-GI carb right after the ride would be best for recovery for the same total calories as a low-GI carb. As for watching weight, count the calories, that makes a bigger difference than GI. If you burned off 1000-calories during that ride, take in 300-600 calories in a recovery drink to balance the glycogen you burned off (the remainder burned off is fat, depending upon your fitness and how fast you rode).

The only real problem with carbs is eating more than you need to fill up the glycogen supply in your muscles. The excess is then converted to fat. Same with protein, since it cannot be stored in large quantities, more than can be circulated in the bloodstream is converted to fat. So watch your total calories ingested every day. All it really takes is a binge or two and that'll undo weeks of training and weight loss.

What type of food examples have high GI carbs and low GI carbs? Thanks.

Bakery Products

*Pound cake Low 54
Danish pastry Medium 59
Muffin (unsweetened) Medium 62
Cake , tart Medium 65
Cake, angel Medium 67
Croissant Medium 67
Waffles High 76
Doughnut High 76
Beverages

Soya milk Low 30
Apple juice Low 41
Carrot juice Low 45
Pineapple juice Low 46
Grapefruit juice Low 48
Orange juice Low 52
Biscuits

Digestives Medium 58
Shortbread Medium 64
Water biscuits Medium 65
Ryvita Medium 67
Wafer biscuits High 77
**Rice cakes High 77
Breads

Multi grain bread Low 48
Whole grain Low 50
Pita bread, white Medium 57
Pizza, cheese Medium 60
Hamburger bun Medium 61
Rye-flour bread Medium 64
Whole meal bread Medium 69
White bread High 71
White rolls High 73
Baguette High 95
Breakfast Cereals

All-Bran Low 42
Porridge, non instant Low 49
Oat bran Medium 55
Muesli Medium 56
Mini Wheats (wholemeal) Medium 57
Shredded Wheat Medium 69
Golden Grahams High 71
Puffed wheat High 74
Weetabix High 77
Rice Krispies High 82
Cornflakes High 83
Cereal Grains

Pearl barley Low 25
Rye Low 34
Wheat kernels Low 41
Rice, instant Low 46
Rice, parboiled Low 48
Barley, cracked Low 50
Rice, brown Medium 55
Rice, wild Medium 57
Rice, white Medium 58
Barley, flakes Medium 66
Taco Shell Medium 68
Millet High 71
Dairy Foods

Yogurt low- fat (sweetened) Low 14
Milk, chocolate Low 24
Milk, whole Low 27
Milk, Fat-free Low 32
Milk ,skimmed Low 32
Milk, semi-skimmed Low 34
*Ice-cream (low- fat) Low 50
*Ice-cream Medium 61
Fruits

Cherries Low 22
Grapefruit Low 25
Apricots (dried) Low 31
Apples Low 38
Pears Low 38
Plums Low 39
Peaches Low 42
Oranges Low 44
Grapes Low 46
Kiwi fruit Low 53
Bananas Low 54
Fruit cocktail Medium 55
Mangoes Medium 56
Apricots Medium 57
Apricots (tinned in syrup) Medium 64
Raisins Medium 64
Pineapple Medium 66
**Watermelon High 72
Pasta

Spaghetti, protein enriched Low 27
Fettuccine Low 32
Vermicelli Low 35
Spaghetti, whole wheat Low 37
Ravioli, meat filled Low 39
Spaghetti, white Low 41
Macaroni Low 45
Spaghetti, durum wheat Medium 55
Macaroni cheese Medium 64
Rice pasta, brown High 92
Root Crop

Carrots, cooked Low 39
Yam Low 51
Sweet potato Low 54
Potato, boiled Medium 56
Potato, new Medium 57
Potato, tinned Medium 61
Beetroot Medium 64
Potato, steamed Medium 65
Potato, mashed Medium 70
Chips High 75
Potato, micro waved High 82
Potato, instant High 83
**Potato, baked High 85
Parsnips High 97
Snack Food and Sweets

Peanuts Low 15
*M&Ms (peanut) Low 32
*Snickers bar Low 40
*Chocolate bar; 30g Low 49
Jams and marmalades Low 49
*Crisps Low 54
Popcorn Medium 55
Mars bar Medium 64
*Table sugar (sucrose) Medium 65
Corn chips High 74
Jelly beans High 80
Pretzels High 81
Dates High 103
Soups

Tomato soup, tinned Low 38
Lentil soup, tinned Low 44
Black bean soup, tinned Medium 64
Green pea soup, tinned Medium 66
Vegetable and Beans

Artichoke Low 15
Asparagus Low 15
Broccoli Low 15
Cauliflower Low 15
Celery Low 15
Cucumber Low 15
Eggplant Low 15
Green beans Low 15
Lettuce, all varieties Low 15
Low-fat yogurt, artificially sweetened Low 15
Peppers, all varieties Low 15
Snow peas Low 15
Spinach Low 15
Young summer squash Low 15
Tomatoes Low 15
Zucchini Low 15
Soya beans, boiled Low 16
Peas, dried Low 22
Kidney beans, boiled Low 29
Lentils green, boiled Low 29
Chickpeas Low 33
Haricot beans, boiled Low 38
Black-eyed beans Low 41
Chickpeas, tinned Low 42
Baked beans, tinned Low 48
Kidney beans, tinned Low 52
Lentils green, tinned Low 52
Broad beans High 79

^^ Too much thinking. Get a huge burrito and a beer.

Thanks for that list!!! I was putting one together earlier today and you just made it that much easier for me:D

^^ Too much thinking. Get a huge burrito and a beer.

+1

As much as I like the burrito and beer idea, thanks for the list; I need to bookmark this thread.

High-GI carb right after the ride would be best for recovery for the same total calories as a low-GI carb. As for watching weight, count the calories, that makes a bigger difference than GI. If you burned off 1000-calories during that ride, take in 300-600 calories in a recovery drink to balance the glycogen you burned off (the remainder burned off is fat, depending upon your fitness and how fast you rode).

The only real problem with carbs is eating more than you need to fill up the glycogen supply in your muscles. The excess is then converted to fat. Same with protein, since it cannot be stored in large quantities, more than can be circulated in the bloodstream is converted to fat. So watch your total calories ingested every day. All it really takes is a binge or two and that'll undo weeks of training and weight loss.

A few thoughts to add:

The high-GI carbs will help control your hunger - if you don't get them after you ride you will have low blood sugar and are likely to over-eat.

Also, glycemic index is not as simple as just looking at the numbers, as the effect on your blood sugar is based on the whole meal, not the glycemic index of the various foods. For example, the GI of high GI foods is moderated if you have protein or fat along with them.

A few thoughts to add:

The high-GI carbs will help control your hunger - if you don't get them after you ride you will have low blood sugar and are likely to over-eat.Exactly! You want to raise blood-sugar back up to normal levels as soon as possible.


Also, glycemic index is not as simple as just looking at the numbers, as the effect on your blood sugar is based on the whole meal, not the glycemic index of the various foods. For example, the GI of high GI foods is moderated if you have protein or fat along with them.yeah, the total number of calories in a meal also makes a difference. If you have a small 400-500 calorie meal with high-GI carbs, it will actually cause a lower insulin-spike than a 1000-calorie meal of low-GI carbs. Additionally, if your glycogen stores are well-stocked and can only take in 500 calories, that 1000-calorie meal will have an extra 500-calories. Those extra carbs will then get converted to fat and stored.

You can calculate the total glycemic load. That's a much better way to do it if you have a mix of carbs and protein in your meal. You can find more info here: http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

I thought that chocolate milk was a high GI carb which was why it was so popular as an after ride drink???

Also, where do the energy bars fall on the high / low GI carb list (i.e. PowerBars and Cliff Bars, etc.)?

I'll admit that my usual immediate after ride replenishment is either a PowerBar or Cliff bar with a couple of waters. Sometimes I would have a large bagel in place of the energy bar still with the waters. Then I usually have a larger meal about an hour to hour and a half afterward with more protien.