Matteo Cigala | Head coach, Cigala Cycling
In my recent article on continuous glucose monitors (CGM) I talked you through what the devices are and what they are; a wearable that monitors your blood glucose level on a continual basis. It helps you assess the impact that different foods and fueling strategies have on your body, enabling you to hone your approach for cycling.
In this follow-up piece, I discuss how using a CGM can help you avoid nutrition pitfalls and can positively impact have you manage your weight and hunger and also improve your mood and sleep.
Why should you care about your metabolism?
1 Boost your energy levels
Managing your glucose curve can be an effective way to improve your energy levels by avoiding sugar spikes and sugar crashes.
2 Manage hunger, nutrition & weight
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Your glucose curve can help you understand the difference between feeling hungry and a food craving. Helping you find the diet that is right for you.
3 Improve your mood
Have you ever felt demotivated, low, and finding yourself opening the cupboard to grab a square of chocolate? Then you have already experienced a sugar crash. Stable glucose levels are the key to a happy motivated body.
4 Improve your sleep
Stable glucose levels promote a deep regenerating sleep.
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What happens to your glucose levels when you eat?
When you eat a carbohydrate containing meal, the body brakes it down into its simplest form: glucose. The rate at which glucose is released in the bloodstream is called the glycaemic index (GI).
Foods that cause a sugar spike have a high glycaemic index. To avoid these sugar spikes, your diet should be balanced between low & high glycaemic index foods.
For example, refined carbohydrates found in white bread, cakes, cookies; and carbohydrates found in fruits have a high GI. Whereas foods like wholegrain bread, vegetables have a much lower GI delivering a more stable glucose release.
Also, food associations are important in terms of the body’s response to sugar. Carbohydrate meals without protein, fats or fibre are also responsible for sugar spikes causing unavoidably a sugar crash. “Naked Carbs” are to be avoided.
What happens to your glucose levels while exercising?
High-intensity endurance exercise causes in increase in glucose levels, where glucose-raising hormones are releases to help match the glucose being used by your active muscles. During the effort you want to keep glucose levels as stable as possible for appropriate fuelling to avoid bonking out while running or cycling for example.
How CGM improves your performance?
GCMs can be paired with bike computers, giving you live data which will allow you to fuel your body to perform at your very best optimizing your nutrition before, during and after your event. You will be able to develop a fuelling strategy that is personalized and not following general guidelines. Knowing exactly when and what to eat.
Having stable glucose levels will keep you fuelled for longer thus performing for a longer period of time delaying signs of fatigue. Also, in time you will be able to increase your glycogen stores (stored glucose) and decrease your body’s need for sugar keeping you fuelled for longer.
Why should I get a CGM?
Paired with tailored follow-up from your coach and nutritionist you can retrain your metabolism to develop a healthy performing body finding the food & training load that is the best for you. Everyone is different and needs a different diet. You are unique and so should your training and diet be.
