Wrestling Energy, Female Grapplers Need Carbs, Know The Good Vs Bad
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June 25, 2022,
When it comes to eating carbohydrates, it is hard to know what to believe.
As a female wrestler, you absolutely need to eat your carbs.
When we write about the Freestyle Girl Wrestlers at FCI Elite Competitor, we often turn to the group at teamusa.org for some very helpful ideas. They are an exceptional source.
They share, “Make sure about half of your plate consists of fruit and vegetables. These super foods provide important micronutrients, phytochemicals and fiber, which the body requires to function and develop optimally. Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal whenever possible.”
Makes good sense. What about those all-important carbs?
They add that unrefined breads, pasta and cereal or other starchy foods should form the basis of the young athlete’s diet to provide adequate energy.
As a female wrestler, you should choose low glycemic index carbohydrates to ensure a sustained availability of carbohydrates over time.
Time for a closer look at carbs.
Carbohydrates are central to nutrition and are found in a wide variety of natural and processed foods. Starch is a polysaccharide. It is abundant in cereals such as wheat, maize, rice, potatoes, and processed foods based on cereal flour, such as bread, pizza or pasta.
They are also found in cookies, spaghetti, soft drinks and cherry pie.
The caution and confusion at times is about when and how much processed foods you can eat. There are some theories that you should always substitute processed foods with naturally unprocessed ones. Nutritionists often refer to carbohydrates as either simple or complex. However, the exact distinction between these groups can be ambiguous.
The key appears to be finding balance.
Let’s jog over to the book store for some help.
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, Third Edition Mass Market Paperback – December 29, 2009
By Karen J Nolan Ph.D. (Author), Jo-Ann Heslin M.A. R.D. CDN(Author)
“An estimated 59 million Americans are following a low carbohydrate eating plan. Let the nutrition experts help you sort through the carbs that are best for you!
Carbs are blamed for everything from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and acne. Before writing them off completely, it’s important to know that the kinds of carbs you eat, how much you eat, when you eat them, and what you eat them with, makes a huge difference. Nationally known nutritionists Natow and Heslin show you how to use the low carb trend to your advantage. Inside you’ll find:
How different carbs—fiber, sugar and starch—affect your body differently
How to select a carbohydrate eating plan that is right for you
The difference between natural sugars and added sugars, how to recognize them, and why your body needs one and not the other
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter is your go-to guide to keeping an eye on your carb intake when you shop, eat out, or grab a quick snack.”
Sounds like a good read that can clear up at least some of the confusion.
We like the look feel this book as well.
The Complete and Up-to-Date Carb Book: A Guide to Carb, Calorie, Fiber, and Sugar Content Paperback – August 17, 2006
By Karen J. Bellerson (Author)
“The Complete & Up-to-Date Carb Book is the next generation in carb management, providing a quick, comprehensive way for savvy dieters to take control of their food intake and smartly manage their health. By learning how to calculate their net carb intake, dieters will not fall prey to the popular fads in dieting today. Bellerson includes information on calories, fiber and sugar grams, and total carb numbers for brand-name and generic foods, fast foods, processed and prepared foods, as well as natural foods and snacks. In all, there are more than 20,000 entries ranging from A to Z.
The introductory material explains the glycemic index and how to use it, and the importance of fiber and sugars in calculating carbohydrate values. The strategies outlined here are easily compatible with The Zone, South Beach, and other balanced diet plans.”
Very sound advice. The carb picture is becoming clearer.
For sustained energy during a match, as a female wrestler you need your carbs in abundance. The challenge in discerning which carbs can give you energy and not harm your health is a study worth pursuing.
Whenever you make a change in your diet, please consult your physician first.
We now have a visiting female writer with some additional suggestions.
About Lorraine Coupland
“Hi! I’m a professional health coach, helping women lose weight without a diet or a sweaty exercise program. Women often get stuck on a frustrating diet cycle where they lose weight, then gain it back; lose weight then gain it back. This cycle is bad for your body and damaging to your self-esteem. To stop this cycle for good, I coach women using the Stages of Change. The Stages of Change will help you do the right things in the right order so that you can experience losing weight and keeping it off for good. I’m all about long term success!”
Carbs – The Good, Bad, and the Ugly
People are always talking about cutting out carbs so they can lose weight. Carbohydrates are seen as the enemy to be avoided at all costs. But maybe we should first find out what carbs are and if all carbs are bad for us.
What exactly is a carb anyhow?
Let’s keep it simple. All food is made up of three basic things. They are fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. So, if what you’re eating isn’t a fat or a protein, then you’re eating a carbohydrate. That’s an easy way to tell what a carbohydrate is. Most carbohydrates (carbs) come from plants. These include fruits, vegetables, and grains. The exception is dairy products which don’t come from plants but are carbs anyhow. Some great thing about carbs are that they give you energy and protect you against certain diseases and cancers. The bad thing about carbs is that too much of them makes you fat. But then, too much of almost anything makes you fat. (Mayo Clinic, 2011)
Let’s start with bad carbs
Usually when people talk about avoiding carbs, they’re talking about not eating products made from grains. Food like white bread, pasta, and rice. It’s true that these are carbs. Although they may not be the healthiest carbs, they are not the unhealthiest either. Those carbs that really are bad? Now your list includes most sweets such as cookies, cake, doughnuts, and junk food. These are the carbs that should be mostly avoided. What is it that makes these carbs bad? Usually the main villains in bad carbs are white flour and added sugar. And probably fat. What’s so bad about these things? The problem is that there’s likely nothing really good for your body in them. They’re just filled up with things that, if you eat too much of them, can make you sick. Or kill you.
Is there such a thing as good carbs?
Absolutely. Here’s what people miss: vegetables have carbs. Yes, really. Carrots have carbs; celery has carbs. A quick and simple way to tell if a food has carbs is to ask yourself: is it a fat? no? Is it a protein? no? If you answered “no” to these two questions, then you’re looking at a carb.
Since they both have carbs, is there a difference between a carrot and a candy? Beside the main point that they both have carbs, you should also look at what else they both have, and also what they don’t have. For instance, carrots have vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Candies don’t. Candies are mostly sugar. Carrots aren’t. Does your body want and need the vitamins, minerals, and fiber, or would it prefer the sugar? We know what your body really wants.
Fruits, dairy products, legumes, cereals, bread, pasta, and rice are all sources of carbs. So are starchy vegetables like potatoes. Are these bad for you? Well, let’s look at what they have in them. Do they have fiber, vitamins, and minerals? That’s what your body wants. That’s what your body needs. By the way, although taking a multivitamin can be a good idea, it in no way replaces getting the vitamins and minerals you need from the food itself. And, as far as fiber goes, you need to get it from whole grains (not enriched flours), vegetables, and fruits, especially the skin and seeds. (Magee, 2008)
Are there ugly carbs?
Well, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. But, as far as what your body sees, it would prefer the beauty of carbs in the form of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and low-fat dairy products. So go ahead, eat and enjoy carbs. If you choose carefully, you could get really healthy!
References:
Magee, Elaine, MPH, RD, (2008, October 30). Good Carbs, Bad Carbs: Why Carbohydrates Matter to You. WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/carbohydrates
Staff, Mayo Clinic, (2011, February 8). Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/carbohydrates/MY01458
Lorraine Coupland
I help people lose weight without a diet or a sweaty exercise program. If you’re sick and tired of dieting and you hate exercising, then it’s time to try something different. In my coaching I use the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. I’ll walk you through a 5 step process, helping you do the right things in the right order so that you can lose weight and actually keep it off. It’s all about creating long term results that you’ll love!
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Lorraine_Coupland/1619277
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https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/April/11/Eat-Like-a-Pro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/
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https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/
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