What Is Carb-Loading? How Athletes Carbo-Load

Carbohydrate loading, also known as carb-loading or carbo-loading, is when athletes consume a large amount of carbohydrates before a major athletic event. Carb-loading is helpful for athletic events that call for long endurance or short-term, intense exercise activities. Carb-loading can benefit athletes engaging in long cardiovascular activities, such a half marathon or a triathlon. Bodybuilders and strength athletes also carb-load to gain mass before the competition, which can help them lift heavier weights during events.

Carbohydrates are the sugars and starches found in food. There are two main types of carbohydrates: complex and simple. Complex carbohydrates are found in grains, legumes, and certain vegetables—such as potatoes and corn. Simple carbohydrates are commonly found in fruits, dairy products, and desserts.

Your body breaks carbohydrates down into sugar, which is then transferred into your muscles and liver through your bloodstream. There, the sugar is stored as glycogen, which provides your body with energy. Your body uses its glycogen storage to give you the energy to work out. When your muscle glycogen stores are low, you will feel fatigued as your body turns to use fat for energy (fat is the body’s secondary fuel source). During this depletion phase, your body will tell your muscles to slow down, which can affect your athletic performance.

When carb-loading, the food increases your glycogen levels and gives you more energy to work out for an extended period. Carb-loading is usually done the week before a high endurance event. While carb-loading, scale back on physical activity, so you don’t use up the glycogen prematurely.

Follow these tips to ensure you carb-load successfully before an athletic event:

1. 1. Load up on carbs when it is appropriate. The typical person eating an average amount of food has around 90 minutes worth of glycogen stored in their body. Working out regularly for an hour at a gym does not necessitate carb-loading. An increase in carbohydrate intake is for endurance athletes performing moderate or high-intensity activities for more than 90 minutes or strength athletes moving a large amount of weight multiple times during a competitive event.
2. 2. Consult your doctor. Consult with your doctor and a nutritionist/dietitian to create the right meal plan for you. Everybody is different and requires different types of carbs in varying amounts.
3. 3. Eat the right carbs. Foods high in carbs and fat can lead to higher water retention, which can affect your performance. Complex carbs that are high-carb but low-fat, such as grains and sweet potatoes, will lead to less water retention. Include a variety of carbs in your meal plan to avoid digestive issues or unhealthy blood sugar spikes.
4. 4. Space out the carbs. Most athletes will load up on carbohydrates over three to six days before a competition.
5. 5. Consume carbs mid-performance. Endurance athletes (such as cyclists, marathoners, and triathletes) need carbohydrates during their athletic events to maintain even blood sugar levels. These athletes consume sports drinks, sports bars, fruit, or candy during the event.
6. 6. Determine the right amount of carbs for you. Age, weight, metabolism, and activity determine the number of carbs. A good rule of thumb is 2.5 to 4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day when carb-loading. For a 150-pound person, this would be approximately 375 to 600 grams of carbs per day. It is helpful to consult with a specialist in sports nutrition to calculate a meal plan that is right for you.

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