Key facts
- The body's preferred fuel for high-intensity exercise.
- Stored in muscles and liver as glycogen.
- Include sugars, starches, and fiber.
- Not essential to survival, but powerful for performance.
Carbohydrates are the fuel your muscles reach for first during hard training. They're stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver, and topped-up glycogen means better strength, endurance, and training quality. This is why very low-carb diets can blunt high-intensity performance for some people.
Carbs range from fast-digesting sugars to slow-digesting starches and indigestible fiber. While total calories and protein matter most for body composition, getting enough carbs around training supports harder sessions and faster recovery. They are not strictly essential, but they are highly useful for active people.
Frequently asked questions
Are carbs bad for fat loss?
No. Fat loss depends on a calorie deficit, not on avoiding carbs. Carbs simply provide energy; cutting them can help some people eat less, but they aren't inherently fattening.
How many carbs should I eat?
After protein and fat are set, carbs usually fill the remaining calories. Active people and those doing lots of high-intensity work benefit from more.
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