But what is ‘glycogen?’
When food is consumed it is broken down by your digestive system into glucose which is then stored in your liver and muscles as glycogen. Glycogen is released into your bloodstream which acts as an energy source.
However, we only have limited sources of glycogen so once that is used up the body will turn to fat as an energy source. But fat is not as efficient as carbohydrates and will soon result in fatigue and a drop in athletic performance.
One way of ensuring that your carbohydrate stores are full is to eat little and often. This means 6 small meals a day rather than the traditional 3 meals a day. Your aim is to eat every 2 to 3 hours so that your blood sugar levels remain constant and your metabolism ticks over at a steady rate.
Sports Nutrition Guide Index:
- Sports Nutrition Intro
- Are nutritional requirements the same for every sport?
- Nutrition and types of sports
- Good food choices for sport and exercise
- The importance of carbohydrates
- But what is ‘glycogen?’
- How much carbohydrate do I need?
- Fluid intake
- How much water is enough?
- Sports supplements