If you're looking for energy foods that are nutrient-dense and likely to be metabolized with less influence on insulin levels, whole foods work well. If you want sources of quick energy in the middle of a workout, a refined glucose electrolyte beverage or other high-glycemic carbohydrate may be more practical. And if you train intensely and find that eating only whole foods provides such a bulky diet that it's difficult to maintain adequate glycogen stores for energy, you may need to consume some of both carbohydrate sources.

Beat the Bloat
Q. No matter how hard I train or how carefully I eat, I end up feeling bloated and lethargic the week before my period. Am I doing something wrong?
A. You could be, if you're eating a lot of carbohydrates at that time. Research by Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD, associate professor in the department of medicine and kinesiology at McMaster University Medical Center, Ontario, Canada, has demonstrated a shift in energy metabolism between the follicular phase (the two weeks before ovulation) and the luteal phase (the two weeks after ovulation) of the menstrual cycle.

Women seem to metabolize carbohydrate more effectively during the follicular phase and less effectively after ovulation until they start their period, which is the onset of the new follicular phase. Ironically, just at the time we traditionally crave carb foods, we may be better off with less carbohydrate and more protein and/or fat in our diets. You'll know after a few months if a lower ratio of carbohydrate to protein/fat helps you experience less bloating, have more energy and crave sugar less (but you'll still crave it somewhat) during that last week or so before your period.

Carbs While Training
Q. How important are carbohydrate supplements, like sports drinks, during training?
A. In a nutshell, it depends on your goals. If you're training for a competitive advantage, carb supplements may help you train harder and longer and can be an important key to energy management, especially if you train longer than 90 minutes per session or multiple times a day.

If you train with less intensity, carbohydrate supplements probably aren't warranted unless you're exercising for more than 90 minutes at a time.

Doing the Math
Q. I train hard and I know I need carbohydrates. How much is enough?
A. Typical recommendations for adequate carbohydrate intake while training can be stated in different ways. The most general recommendations suggest 60%-70% of your daily calorie intake come from carbs. Another general guideline suggests at least 350 grams of carbohydrate per day. More specific recommendations stipulate 4-5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight (or about 1.8-2.3 grams per pound).

When you do the math with the different formulas, you get pretty different answers. The first formula based on calorie intake is highly variable: If you eat 2,000 calories per day, the recommendations would lead to 300-350 grams per day. If you train hard, you may eat 3,000 or more calories a day, and that 60%-70% carbohydrate ratio translates to 450-525 grams daily.

The last equation is based on the athlete's total weight. Remembering that 1 kilogram is equivalent to 2.2 pounds, a 150-pound woman (about 68 kilograms) would need to consume 282-340 grams of carbohydrate per day. But a 110-pound woman would be guided to consume 200-250 grams per day. As you can see, variations in weight lead to significantly different numbers. In addition, based on recent research, I'm not so sure all female athletes handle this amount of carbohydrate successfully.

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