Knowing what to eat – and when to eat it – will help you maximize your workouts and stay strong and lean writes dietitian Leslie Beck in an article today’s Globe and Mail:

The foundation of any athlete’s diet is carbohydrate from starchy foods (e.g. cereal, bread, rice and pasta), fruit and legumes. Even milk, yogurt and soy beverages supply carbohydrate. Once digested, carbohydrate-rich foods are absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar). Glucose that’s not used immediately for energy is stored in muscles and the liver as glycogen, which is used to fuel all types of exercise.

Including carbohydrate-rich foods at all meals and snacks is critical to keep your glycogen stores topped up. And the more vigorous your workout, or the longer your workout, the more carbohydrate you need. Having low glycogen stores will result in early fatigue and less effective training.

Read the full article here.