Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for your body during exercise. A small amount of carbohydrates are stored in your muscles in the form of glycogen. Dietary carbohydrate directly contributes to your body’s maintenance of carbohydrate reserves; carbohydrates are essential for glycogen synthesis. If you do not consume enough carbohydrates, you can experience decreased exercise performance and exhaustion. And if your goal is to exercise at a higher intensity, you need to have carbs.

Eating a high-carbohydrate meal or snack before your morning exercise will help maintain your blood glucose levels so you can perform at your best – especially if you will be exercising longer than one hour. If you are an avid exerciser and are having difficulty maintaining your normal exercise intensity, you are likely experiencing glycogen depletion.

The bottom line is that the more you exercise and the higher your exercise intensity is, the more carbohydrates you need in your diet.