Well right now I am trying to cut. However, to be honest, I pretty much always find myself cutting. When I start to bulk it might last 2 weeks before I start feeling fat and decide to cut, so I have never been a successful bulker. I have pretty decent muscle definition because I used to be overweight, which has caused me problems because when I was obese and cutting I found myself able to build some muscle while cutting. Now that I cannot do that anymore I am kind of at a loss ha, but I would prefer to just stay lean.
Believe me, I'm the same way. I pack on muscle fairly well for an old broad. Sadly, I pack on fat as well.
Are you saying that if I was going to have a banana (I belive about 100 calories in a medium sized one) it would just be better to go ahead and eat 100 calories worth of oats? .
I didn't say that.
I'd have the banana preworkout, and some starch post. Read below...
I have been told that you want fast carbs after lifting, but I have also been told this is a myth, so I don't really know what to believe.
Also built, do you think it would be healthy to stick to a diet where all of my carbs comes from nothing but green leafy veggies? .
You don't actually REQUIRE any dietary carbohydrate at all, so... yes.
Or is that a good way to be unhealthy? Where do veggies fall in the "complex carb" vs. "simple carb" argument?
Veggies are complex carbs, but it's how YOUR body reacts to those "simple carbs" or just carbs in general. People like myself do not respond well to carbs so we limit them to when we may actually need them (some say pre workout simple or complex carbs help their workouts, as well as post workout kick of a simple carb with protein).
I have cut as much carb intake out of my diet as possible, and have seen wonders because MY body does not respond well to carbs. Try different foods, see how your body reacts in terms of "when I eat this food I feel..."
Fats fill me up quicker and keep me from binge eating, which also helps cut calories from my total intake of food. I always combine my fats with lean protein.
Let's talk about the whole "complex" vs "simple" thing.
Not all simple carbs are bad, and not all complex carbs are good.
Not for every purpose.
The carbohydrate in fruit is sucrose, glucose and fructose - and a few others. Sucrose is itself glucose bonded to fructose, so it's technically complex.
A little fructose tagging along in a piece of fruit will not destroy you, okay? But don't drink juice - it's too easy to get in a LOT of it, which means you can really jack up your fructose consumption in a hurry. I don't feel like getting into the specifics of frucose right now but you can read up on it all over the net.
Glucose on the other hand, *can* be the good one. This is what you take with your creatine to spike insulin and drive it and other nutrients into your muscles.
Starchs are glucose polymers - so oats, rice (white OR brown, they both do this), flour, potatoes, sweet potatoes... all break down into glucose.
Vegetables have similar sugars as fruits, only in lower numbers.
When we talk about the beneficial complex carbs for strength-training, for the most part we mean the ones that break down into glucose, so for this purpose, when I refer to carbs I mean STARCHY carbs - and I've started to SAY starchy carbs in an effort to be clear.
Get these in for the periworkout (ie before and or after) window, for your lifting workouts.
Outside of refeeds and comfort, you really don't need any others, so get in your protein, your fats and your fibre (from veggies, nuts and some fruit) and don't worry about it, okay?
