We’ve all heard of marathon runners eating heavy pasta meals the night before a 26-mile run in what’s commonly called “carb loading.” It’s an effort to supply the body with energy-efficient carbohydrates that will be a race-ready fuel source the next morning. But for the average person who engages in modest physical activity to lose or control weight, such carbohydrate loading is detrimental to our efforts. In fact, there are very few times when one will require the energy to physically perform what justifies a carbohydrate-laden meal.
Weight loss surgery (WLS) patients who follow their bariatric guidelines know that they must exercise daily to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. As you lose weight, your stamina and intensity of physical activity will naturally increase. Often, traditional physical activity enthusiasts will encourage WLS patients to eat high-energy carbohydrate-rich snack bars prior to exercise. These can negate the caloric benefits of exercise for the patient and lead to discouragement when weight loss plateaus or weight gain occurs.
For many WLS patients, a better solution is to eat a nutrient-dense apple about 30 minutes before exercise. Apples are low glycemic*, meaning that eating one instead of a high glycemic energy bar will reduce the amount of insulin needed to digest it. That makes it easier for the body to burn fat, and when the low-glycemic snack is followed by exercise, the body will continue to burn body fat for hours to come. Our goal in weight loss is to lose body fat, not muscle, so combining a low-glycemic snack with exercise is beneficial in reaching this goal.
Apples are available year-round and are affordable. They are exceptionally high in antioxidants, which can help offset the damage caused by free radicals, an unfortunate byproduct of daily exercise. They are also rich in vitamin C and potassium. A medium apple provides around 81 calories and almost 4 grams of fiber. Part of the fiber in apples is pectin, which can help lower blood cholesterol. Before working out, try cutting up a tart apple and spreading the slices with peanut or almond butter (2 teaspoons). This will add a perfect balance of protein and fat to your healthy low glycemic pre-workout snack.
Look for apples at the market that are hard and unbruised. Most of our best supermarkets now offer less common apples alongside the well-known Golden Delicious and Red Delicious varieties. Try Empire, Fuji, Jonagold, or Crispin apples. But don’t forget the old favorites, including the tart and juicy Granny Smith.
*Foods with a low glycemic index have less effect on blood glucose than foods with a high glycemic index. High GI foods tend to cause spikes in glucose levels, while low GI foods tend to cause mild spikes. Different carbohydrate foods can behave very differently in the body. Some break down quickly during digestion, quickly releasing glucose into the bloodstream; others break down gradually, slowly trickling glucose into the bloodstream.
