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Perform better with gas in the tank
Friday August 1 2008 By Andrea Laurin, Summit Up There are so many athletes I talk to who admit to skipping breakfast, and it’s not just teenagers. Thanks for admitting that fact but you must make a change.
If you put something into your system first thing in the morning you will be able to perform at a much better level. Forget about being so concerned about weight loss. You are an athlete — be more concerned about putting in the best workout you can. The weight loss thing is not normally explained right anyway.  
During your sleep at night the body depletes its liver glycogen, which is the source of carbohydrates that maintains normal blood sugar levels. Do you remember the workouts in the morning, where you feel lightheaded, fatigued and experience blurred vision? You are in a state of being hypoglycemic — low blood sugar. Why let your body perform under these conditions?  
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends two calories (0.5g of carbohydrates) per pound of body weight if you are going to exercise at a moderate rate in one hour time. Four hours before exercise the ACSM recommends eight calories (2g of carbohydrates) per pound of body weight.  
So no more excuses in the morning. Work at fueling your tank. Start off with a small amount of calories and get a feel for what your body can handle. I guarantee you will get better performance results.

Andrea Laurin is the sports conditioning specialist who runs Summit Fitness, www.summitfit.com. She can be reached at andrea@summitfit.com or 519-942-7644.

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