Carbs aren't bad for you! Here's why...

Everyone thinks carbs are bad. But the honest truth is that you can make your carbs work for you.

Here are the facts

Most people think carbs are bad, and some people limit or avoid carbs entirely. Not only is this terrible for you, it's also horrible for you. Your muscles require fuel, and that fuel comes from glycogen, which comes from carbs. So tell your carb-hating coworkers to get back to their salads and soy, and I'll teach you how to make your carbs work for you.

Not all carbs are equal

The first thing you need to know is that all carbs are not created equal. Some go straight to your glutes and like to hang around a while, and some do their job perfectly. If your carbs come from simple sugar, you're gonna have a bad time. However, if you tend to eat complex carbs from rice and such, you'll find that you can eat as many as you want, and keep your waistline happy.

Timing is everything

Timing is one of the most important aspects of nutrition when it comes to carbs. In my opinion, it's just as important to take in your carbs at the right time as it is to make sure you're not eating trash.

• The first dose of carbs needs to be breakfast. Most of us don't need to be told that. Don't go crazy, but get plenty. During my bulking season, I'm normally eating about 380 grams of carbs a day, and about 90 go to breakfast. After breakfast, you should take in a few small servings of fat and protein, and minimize the carbs. Make sure it's a while between breakfast and your next carb load. You want the carbs to be processed by your body before you go back for more.

• Lunch should be fairly carb-free, but feel free to have a sandwich, and even get white bread if you feel like it. It won't hurt you. Make sure you have a few grams of carbs in your mid-afternoon snack. It'll keep you going throughout the rest of the workday.

• Your pre-workout meal should be had about an hour before you work out. It gives you time to digest, and it allows the glycogen to synthesize in your body, and deliver a constant source of energy to your muscles so you don't deplete your fuel before you finish your workout. Now is the time to load the carbs on. More than half of the rest of your carbs for the day need to be eaten now. During a bulk, I get about 120 grams of carbs in for this meal, because it allows me to train harder and longer without hating myself the next day. Go crazy my friend. Enjoy it.

• At this point, you've just finished your workout, now is the time for your second most important meal. The post workout meal is used to replenish your glycogen storage. Any carbs you have left should be eaten at this point. This meal should be eaten within an hour of the end of your workout. And please, for the love of all that is holy, make sure that this is the healthiest meal of the day. When you feed your body after a workout, you're giving it everything it needs to rebuild, and you don't build a house out of plastic. I know it's tempting to drop by McDonald's on your way home, but that is the literal worst thing you can do. It's almost worse than not eating at all.

• Your final meal of the day should be carb free, and high in protein, and had just before you go to bed. The fats will digest in your body just fine since you raised your metabolism at the gym, and protein is so complex that your body cannot turn it into fat. Feel free to eat as much protein as you want. You'll feel better the next day anyway!