Question on Glycogen as a carbohydrate

[BlackC2500]

Question on Glycogen as a carbohydrate. Universal Carbo Plus
I was talking to an ex-pro bodybuilder at his supplement store today. I've always gotten what I felt was great information on diet and exercise. I wanted to know about limiting my carbohydrate intake without taking too little to have energy and not taking too much during my cutting.
He explained that protein converts into amino acids and thus can't be stored as fat. And that carbohydrates generally break down into glycogen and glucose. If I understood correctly, glucose is stored in fat cells and glycogen can't be stored as fat, but can be stored in the muscles. Glycogen can therefore be supplemented to provide clean energy for your body without risk for having too much and storing it as fat. And since it is stored in the muscles it can make them look larger. He sold me Universal Carbo Plus which he said contains glycogen. I dont know what it contains exactly. and my knowledge of nutrition is limited but I want to learn more. I've been lifting for about 10 years but as I've started to learn about nutrition in the last year I'm getting real results. Currently 210lbs 180lbs of lean body mass, 6ft tall.
Can anyone explain to me if its true that glycogen can't be stored in the fat cells and thus I can have say late in the day and not worry it will convert to fat.
Is it glycogen in unversal carbo plus? What comes in the container is a white powder like sugar that dissolves instantly in warm water.
What would happen if you only had glycogen as a daily carb and not real carbohydrate food? how much of your daily carbs should come from food and how much should come from supplements?
Can you see the difference in a body with a large glycogen store vs one without?
I think my training is very spot on, but my diet needs work. Online research on diet makes my head spin.

[WonderPug]

Ignore the advice of this individual. Even if he knows about nutrition, he's feeding you misinformation in hopes of selling you supplements.

[in10city]

[snorkelman]

He explained that protein ...can't be stored as fat.

^^ I stopped reading there. It is flat out incorrect.

[jarekd1234]

^^ I stopped reading there. It is flat out incorrect.

i store it as protein in my container

[ironwill2008]

He explained that protein converts into amino acids and thus can't be stored as fat.

Eat at a consistent calorie surplus from protein sources, and then see what happens to your body fat %.



As an aside, it's usually a real bad idea to ask nutrition advice of someone who makes his/her living selling snake oil.




How much of any macro should come from supplements? Exactly zero. That's why they're called "supplements." Forget about eating sugar; it's a waste of good carb calories. Spend those calories on far more nutritious sources, such as potatoes/pasta/rice/sweet potatoes/etc. Leave the tubs of sugar supplements on the shelves for the suckers.

[Noviceplus]

He explained that protein converts into amino acids and thus can't be stored as fat. And that carbohydrates generally break down into glycogen and glucose.

Oh, boy. Well, I'll give him credit for saying that protein is broken down into amino acids. Beyond that it turns into broken science.

Amino Acids are pretty much a carbohydrate, but with a special nitrogen (amino) group attached. Your body doesn't like to do it, but it's perfectly capable of turning it into a carb and fat. All carbs are broken down into glucose, because that's pretty much the only form of carb your body can use. Once that happens, it's either used as energy, stored (re-built) as glycogen or stored as fat.

To clear it up, glycogen is a carb. It's just a really long chain of carbs that all animals use to store energy. Starch is just a really long chain of carbs that all plants use to store energy. All other forms of carbs are just shorter (1 or 2 links) of carbs. Pretty much all the same in the end. Oh, in case you're wondering, things get turned into fat because fat is just easier to store. I mean, if we stored all energy as glycogen, we'd pretty much be massive blobs with all the water that's required.

[MikeK46]

Carbo Plus Ingredients: 100% Pure High Performance Complex Carbohydrates from premium grain sources.

Wonder Bread Ingredients: 100% Pure High Performance Complex Carbohydrates from premium grain sources.

[Apex702]

Carbo Plus Ingredients: 100% Pure High Performance Complex Carbohydrates from premium grain sources.

Wonder Bread Ingredients: 100% Pure High Performance Complex Carbohydrates from premium grain sources.

Carbohydrates are in foods too? When did this happen?

[bertostare]

i had a period where i had my calorie surplus from protein.. and yes i did see a slight increase of fat

[Apex702]

i had a period where i had my calorie surplus from protein.. and yes i did see a slight increase of fat

So you were in a caloric surplus and you gained fat from -- protein.

[nvs180]

I went into a supplement store in my home town (aus), I knew what a wanted (whey) what brand I wanted and what flavour, they didn't have prices so I asked for a price. I then got the drill about waxy maize and why I need it and how if I have it with my protein for a post workout drink the carbs can't be stored as fat, natural insulin spike, leaner gains, absorbs 200% faster etc etc I said I really just want the protein and thats it. He said well even if you don't get the carbs from him I should mix it with some sort of carbs post workout to maximise lean gains and I won't have to worry about the carbs being stored as fat. I said I don't use it post workout anyway and he just starred at me like I was a fool. Ive only ever read the story's in the nutrition section about supp stores, i've never witnessed it first hand (this is our first dedicated supplement store). I planned to stay and chat with him some more but I had to leave so I could get home before my anabolic window closed and I started to go catabolic wait wut

[Lvisaa2]

i had a period where i had my calorie surplus from protein.. and yes i did see a slight increase of fat

How do you determine where your caloric surplus came from? Unless you were eating only protein then your surplus doesn't come from a single macronutrient

[MikeK46]

Carbohydrates are in foods too? When did this happen?

Rumor has it that prior to MET-Rx and the supplement boom, average Joes and bodybuilders alike actually obtained carbohydrates from food. I don't know how true this is, though.

[MikeK46]

How do you determine where your caloric surplus came from? Unless you were eating only protein then your surplus doesn't come from a single macronutrient

Been tryin' to rep you for 2 days now but still on spread.

BTW, that quote you asked about, you use it by all means, but was taken partly from Mark Rippetoe so I can't take 100% credit for it.

"The deadlift is more functional in that it’s very hard to imagine a more useful application of strength than picking heavy **** up off the ground."
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi..._Mark_Rippetoe

[Apex702]

Rumor has it that prior to MET-Rx and the supplement boom, average Joes and bodybuilders alike actually obtained carbohydrates from food. I don't know how true this is, though.

Waiting for it on mythbusters...

[sawoobley]

Whether glucose or glycogen can be stored as fat is irrelevant. Excess calories will be stored as fat. It doesn't have to be glucose that is being stored it can be your dietary fat instead. If you consume too many calories your body will find a way to store the excess. There is no way around it.

[Cumulonimbus]

Whether glucose or glycogen can be stored as fat is irrelevant. Excess calories will be stored as fat. It doesn't have to be glucose that is being stored it can be your dietary fat instead. If you consume too many calories your body will find a way to store the excess. There is no way around it.

This. Oxidation of other substrates will be blunted so lipogenesis can occur.