If You're Going to do Carbs in Training

Do it right!

One of the people I have as a friend on Facebook was talking about making waffles.  He got up early and apparently decided it was going to be a good day for cooking up a whole pile of these things.

I got to thinking, he's absolutely right.

This was the same day that I caught a deal for a free waffle at Waffle House and was bothered by the fact that the nearest one to me was shut down for a day because of live roaches, dead ones in the light fixtures, dirt and grease all over the place.  Waffle House is rarely what I'd call clean, this one on Powerline Road below Commercial in Fort Lauderdale was decidedly dirty the one time I went in there...

Won't be back...

But Waffle House has great pecan waffles.  I do like Waffle House, a lot.  When I go in, I'm very careful and observant as to whether this one is clean.  The one in Davie is the same way I'm afraid...

I only ever make my own waffles with pecans in them and usually have them with eggs or grits on the side.  So why do it at home?  I'm sure what ever Mike did to make these waffles, he did a much healthier batch than Waffle House did.  They're probably lower in fat, and knowing Mike, if he made them he made them with higher quality ingredients.  He's currently training and doing a great job at building himself up from the pictures.

The point is that if you're going to splurge and break training because of a craving, make sure you are doing it for the right reason.  Don't have a twinkie, go down to the local coffee house and have that piece of Red Velvet that you eyed the week before and were worried about it slowing you down.  Go to the kitchen and make your own waffles, toss in pecan chips and maybe some craisins or blueberries and use the real Vermont Maple Syrup that you have stored in the back of the refrigerator for the special occasion.

Cravings when you are dieting is your sub-conscious watching your needs and telling your conscious that there is something you really should have that you're not getting in the diet.  Pregnant women's cravings are due to the high nutritional needs that they have in producing their little bundle of joy.  If you train hard, your body will need a high amount of protein and carbohydrates to build muscle - but keep the fat intake low because you won't burn that off as fast. 

When I was training, peak season I would eat between 4000 and 6000 calories a day depending on how many miles I'd skate.  I'd burn that up and lose weight too because it takes a lot of energy to move 235 pounds of muscle 15 mph for 33 miles.  When it was off season, my cravings were different because I would strictly weight train, and I went from craving sweets to craving beef and chicken.

If you are doing it right... don't waste the craving on junk food, make it at home and make it higher quality.  Just remember, everything in moderation and you'll be fine.