Carb Frenzy

Here we go, fitness aspirants. What is the difference between carbohydrate loading and
carbohydrate backloading? Stumped??

The concept of carbohydrate loading seems to belong to the world of sport nutrition in general. The idea is that - for maximal performance in an event - the athlete will consume a high carb meal the night before, so that his body has all the energy he might need available without being clouded over by digestion.

Carbohydrate backloading is a term I have encountered in the body-builder world, for those who are experiencing weight problems. If one trains on  protein and fats, one eats protein and carbs after the training session. In this way, one is burning fat during the training itself, and replenishing glycogen in the muscle after the fact. Indeed, one can , in the evening, eat quite a bit of carbs.

I have seen the recommendation to go on a low-carb regiment - no more than 30 grams of carbs a day - for one week to ten days. On a subsequent training day, the person will benefit from an evening window of 5 or 6 hours where he can eat all the naughty carbs he might desire without adverse effects. And can begin to evening nosh on training days after that. It has to do with the absence of carb-digesting enzymes after a period of abstinence. No longer than that, though.

Guy talk!?