To make a complicated topic simple: fat adaptation means getting better at burning fat as fuel. It is the idea that we can dramatically reduce carb consumption to the point where we rely primarily on fats, thereby enabling us to become better at burning fats for energy.
It’s true that we can manipulate our diet to cause fat adaptation! But as we train, we naturally get better at burning fats over time, too, so we don’t need to remove carbs to make this happen. Removing carbs from our diet will only hurt our training, recovery, and performance on comp day.
It will also end up disabling the cell's ability to burn carbs for energy. To get around this, some athletes try to consume carbs within days of competition to restore their ability to burn carbs. But research indicates that you will still won’t be able to use carbs effectively.
This means you’ll be left with only fat to burn for energy on game-day. The problem with relying on fat for energy is the speed at which our muscles can use it to produce energy. Fats are burned at a much slower rate than carbs, putting a cap on how fast you can run. In real-world settings, fat-adapted athletes won’t be able to compete against their carb-consuming peers.
Unlike fats, carbs, which are more abundantly stored in muscles than fats are, provide a fast and efficient energy source. Picture yourself in the middle of a high-stakes race, shoulder-to-shoulder with your fiercest competitors. It's the ability to burn carbohydrates quickly and efficiently that can give you that surge of power you need to sprint past your competition. At Saturday, we make sure you become good friends with carbs so that, together, you can leave everyone in the dust on your way to the finish line!
It’s true that you can consume a low carb diet and still perform well. After all, you don’t NEED carbs for exercise – especially if you are someone just looking to enjoy social exercise with friends. But if you are someone who envisions yourself peering down at your competitors from the podium, adorned with a gold medal, and hearing the crowd chant your name – maybe you should consider adding carbs to the mix.
