Carbohydrates are the main fuel source for workouts and exercise. Protein often gets more attention than carbs, but don't let that fool you, carbohydrates form the platform upon which the rest of your diet relies on. Avoiding carbs all-together can hinder muscle recovery and keep you from putting on lean body mass.

What are Carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are basically chains of sugar molecules of various lengths; the shorter ones are called simple and the longer ones are called complex. Carbs are sugars and starches that are converted by the body into "simple" sugars such as glucose or fructose, however, all sugars must become glucose that your body can use for energy. A small portion of the glucose is converted to glycogen and stored within the liver and muscles, any excess is converted to fat and stored throughout the body as a reserve source of energy. There are three main categories of digestible carbohydrates, and the types of carbs that you consume are very important in your diet:

Unprocessed complex carbohydrates are usually foods also rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. They are generally low glycemic (not very much simple sugar) and include brown rice, whole-grain bread, yams, red potatoes, beans and oatmeal.

Processed complex carbohydrates are foods that are refined. Compared to unprocessed carbs, they are usually higher on the glycemic index (high in simple sugar); may offer less fiber, vitamins and minerals; and are digested fairly quickly. These carbohydrates include white rice, white bread, bagels and russet potatoes.

Simple carbohydrates include sugars, fruit juices and soft drinks. They are high glycemic and are absorbed almost immediately by the body.

So what kind of carbohydrates should you be eating? "Simple carbohydrates are an ideal choice for immediately after training because they are superior to complex carbohydrates at restoring muscle glycogen burned during training. For all regular meals, stick with less refined complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice and oatmeal, the foods you find in nature that haven't been tampered with too much by processing. Although eating brown rice instead of white rice won't necessarily help you pack on the muscle any faster, unprocessed complex carbohydrates - with their vitamins, minerals and fiber - are just plain better for your overall health. Their refined counterparts often contain unhealthy fats, too much sugar and too little fiber.

What about Sweets and Snacks? Carbohydrate snacks, which contain large amounts of refined sugars and starches are usually low in vitamins, minerals and cellulose and they create a sudden rise in blood sugar levels, which provides the body with an immediate, but temporary source of energy with few nutrients. The "insulin spike," which shortly follows this reaction, quickly lowers the blood sugar levels and results in the cravings for more sugary foods and eventually causing fatigue, dizziness, nervousness and headaches, and may leave you with a lack of appetite for nutritional foods and contribute to excessive weight gain.

Are Juices and Soda's o.k. to have? If you read the labels on a container of juice or soda you'll notice that the carbohydrates are at about 40 or 50 grams and the sugars are of about the same amount, meaning that your drinking sugar water. Fruits (labeled to some as "green water") are somewhat similar and contribute little energy value to the diet. Although fruits and vegetables do have trace vitamins and minerals, and they provide you with cellulose which is found in the skin of the fruit and vegetables that provide the bulk necessary to aid in the digestive process.

Is yogurt a healthy diet food? Again, you must read your labels. It has been led to believe that a diet of yogurt and salad will trim your fat away, although we know that only exercise can burn fat, and not foods. Yogurts contain roughly 40 to 50 grams of carbohydrates as well, with the sugar gram count being just under if not the same, which tells you that what you would basically be eating is cultured, flavored sugar. Yogurts, cheeses, creamers, and even milk are all high in lactose, which tends to leave you feeling bloated and sluggish. Choosing these products for your diet will depend on what your physique setting goals are.

Should I not eat carbs late at night? Eating carbohydrates at night can, under certain circumstances, cause you to store the calories as fat. Another reason to avoid or lower your carbohydrate intake late at night, when trying to get cut, is to harness the body's output of growth hormone (GH), which is released at night within the first 90 minutes of deep sleep. GH is beneficial if you wish to shed fat and hold muscle, because it initiates a moderate shifting of fuel sources so the body burns more fatty acids at rest at the expense of burning less glycogen and body protein. Taking advantage of your body's GH output results in additional fat loss without a loss in muscle. Carbs consumed before you head off to bed can blunt the body's natural release of growth hormone, since GH is released more readily when blood-sugar levels are low. That's why some bodybuilders try to avoid carbohydrates later in the day.