A little bit of sugar never hurt anybody, but it’s a slippery slope…

 

Halloween is all about the tricks, the treats, and the slew of masks. Candy is a hallmark of the holiday that many, old and young, find hard to resist. To the dedicated bodybuilder, diet is absolutely key to getting positive gains. One piece of sugary candy isn’t hurting anyone, but if you intend to be ripped, what effect does too much sugar have on the body?

Here’s one idea: don’t eat an entire cake by yourself. Excess sugar can cause a blood sugar spike, killing your appetite and making you more likely to skip meals if you’re not diligent. If you miss out on consuming amino acids that help muscle growth, you can end up crashing during a workout due to high blood sugar levels. Obviously high levels of sugar aren’t only limited to candy. Monitoring certain fruits, energy drinks and bars, and staying away from high sugar based consumables like sodas will help you combat against excess sugar.

When is it beneficial to have simple sugars?  Right after a hard workout having some simple sugars can help to refuel your body and prevent it from using protein as energy replacement. If you’re going to ingest simple sugars be sure that you’ve put in the work at the gym in order to see the benefits. Again, if too much simple sugars are consumed it can be stored in your body as fat, which defeats the purpose of pumping up entirely. Always keep in mind that the quality and quantity of the complex carbs you consume is of the utmost importance.

Be sure to check out some of this week’s other nutrition articles on when and how to eat for positive muscle gains and alternative protein sources. Let us know your opinions in the comments below and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.