Previous Questions Hi Vince, I am wondering what the benefit of consuming fast digesting carbs, i.e. sugar, white bread etc after workout is and another thing I have been training for about a year now and have seen some really decent results considering I was pretty fat before. I have gone from 198 pounds 22% body fat to 185 pounds 12% body fat, is this good for a 16 year old not yet at hormonal peak, do you think my age could hamper my progress? have you got any tips on taking my training and nutrition to the next level, shedding some light on the method above. I have friends who are on steroids and they look great and show me up all the time but I don't really want to take this route, do you have any advice on this. I often overlook carb timing eating complex carbs before I go to bed.   Wow man, this is a pretty loaded question, but I'm gonna give you the best advice that I can, a lot of which is gonna be based on your age too.  First of all, I commend you for having such a drive at only 16, and from what it sounds like, you've made such great progress already, and it's only gonna get better.  A few things before I get into some of the technical stuff, with regards to your mentioning some of the other guys who are taking steroids.  Trust me on this one Josh, we all deal with this, and it is so frustrating at times when you know that you work your butt off and there's some other dude, or a group of them who just look ridiculously jacked up and are bench pressing weight that you could only dream of doing.  You have only two ways to deal with this....either let it motivate you more to know that you took the smart and safe track, or to join in with the crowd.  I can't tell you how many times in my life that I was tempted with this, one too many!  But, instead of caving into it, I used it as motivation, figuring that if I can get to their level or anywhere near by simply from a strong desire and dedication, then I would be all the more proud, and know that I earned every bit of it.  This is a deadly path for you younger guys, first of all messing with your own bodies hormonal development, much less with the dependency that comes along with it.  Yeah, listen up, its a FACT, once you start out at a young age with steroids you never stop...just keep wanting to do more and more because you become fixated on staying at that accelerated level and you can't take not being on, just like any other drug.  Ok, enough with that, sounds like you figured that much out already.    Ok, about the carbs after training...this is what we call the optimal time to take in what's known as "high-glycemic" carbs, simply due to the more elevated short term spike of insulin in the body, causing the proteins, fats, and other nutrients to be shuttled out of the blood and into your starving muscles, liver, etc... cause the body is trying to balance out the level of glucose in your bloodstream.  Its all pretty technical, but does make sense for optimal energy levels and feeding your muscles properly.  Just remember to only take in the "high-glycemic" carbs after training...from 15 min to 2 hrs following your workout.  For the best long term energy source always stick to "low-glycemic" carbs on a regular basis except like mentioned above.  These type work a lot slower in the body, giving a more sustained insulin level, and more carbs stored in your muscles.  Here are some examples of both:   List of some of the foods that are "Low Glycemic", and are recommended for sustained energy levels (slower absorption, lowered insulin response): Nuts Legumes Fructose (Basic sugar found in fruits) Pasta (Boiled 5 min.) Dairy ( Ice cream, skim milk, whole milk, yogurt) Fruits (ONLY-plums, peaches, apples, oranges, pears, grapes, grapefruit) (contains fructose) Rice (polished), or brown Sweet potato Oats All-bran Most Vegetables ( exceptions- carrots, corn, root vegetables) List of some of the foods that are "High Glycemic" (quickly absorbed, high insulin response): Sugars (from high to low: Maltose, Glucose, Sucrose) Honey Puffed cereals (white rice, wheat, corn, rice cakes) YES! RICE CAKES Potatoes ( regular russet, instant, mashed) Candy Breads (especially white bread) Instant products ( instant: rice, oatmeal, wheat, grits) Carrots, corn, peas Flaked cereals (corn flakes, etc.) Corn chips Josh, one more thing that you didn't mention, just in case...since it is the most important rule that I've always followed, always consume a higher amount of protein then anything else.  This is what sustains muscle and promotes lean muscle mass through much more accelerated fat burning.  Good luck in your quest, and I hope this all helped out.   Vince Vince Home    Home