Q. A reader and friend from Saxaphaw, NC writes, “I am an endurance athlete that is trying to lose weight while still trying to get optimal performance during my races. We use these carbohydrate gel packs during long training sessions to get some energy, but most of these contain simple sugars that are high on the glycemic index and I was told that this is bad for weight loss and blood sugar regulation. How can I get energy for training but try and lose weight in the long run?”
A. Many athletes get involved with endurance sports like running, biking, and triathlons with weight loss as their initial motivation. As they get going and continue to train, most will run into the same dilemma that bothers you in your training. The physiology and chemistry behind the answer is universal, but the implementation may be different for each individual.