Carb Loading
Carbohydrate Loading
A carbohydrate-loading diet, also called a carb-loading diet, is a strategy to increase the amount of fuel stored in your muscles to improve your athletic performance.
Carbohydrate loading generally involves greatly increasing the amount of carbohydrates you eat several days before a high-intensity endurance athletic event. You also typically scale back your activity level during carbohydrate loading.
How many carbs you need depends on your total calorie goal as well as your sport. For most athletes, 5 to 7 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of weight daily is right for general training. However, endurance athletes may need 6 to 10 grams per kilogram. (1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.)
Carbohydrate loading is not for everyday training and those with diabetes should not undertake this strategy without supervision.
Those athletes involved in marathon running, distance cycling, triathlons, cross country skiing, long-distance swimming and other endurance activities (i.e. competing for 90 minutes or longer (non-stop) at a moderate to high intensity), are most likely to benefit.
Prolonged stop and go, high intensity team sports, such as soccer, hockey, and lacrosse are less likely to benefit from carbohydrate loading, however, in tournament settings with multiple games in a day, there is potential for benefit.
Pros:
• Can enhance the amount of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) in your muscle
• Can allow you to exercise for a longer period without fatigue.
Cons:
• May result in some weight gain which can be uncomfortable come race/competition day;
• Can cause digestive issues if too much fibre is consumed.
Marathon Pasta Parties
This is a few days before the marathon where marathon runners bulk up on carbohydrates before the race. This is essentially carb loading and it aids performance in the marathon.
A carbohydrate-loading diet, also called a carb-loading diet, is a strategy to increase the amount of fuel stored in your muscles to improve your athletic performance.
Carbohydrate loading generally involves greatly increasing the amount of carbohydrates you eat several days before a high-intensity endurance athletic event. You also typically scale back your activity level during carbohydrate loading.
How many carbs you need depends on your total calorie goal as well as your sport. For most athletes, 5 to 7 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of weight daily is right for general training. However, endurance athletes may need 6 to 10 grams per kilogram. (1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.)
Carbohydrate loading is not for everyday training and those with diabetes should not undertake this strategy without supervision.
Those athletes involved in marathon running, distance cycling, triathlons, cross country skiing, long-distance swimming and other endurance activities (i.e. competing for 90 minutes or longer (non-stop) at a moderate to high intensity), are most likely to benefit.
Prolonged stop and go, high intensity team sports, such as soccer, hockey, and lacrosse are less likely to benefit from carbohydrate loading, however, in tournament settings with multiple games in a day, there is potential for benefit.
Pros:
• Can enhance the amount of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) in your muscle
• Can allow you to exercise for a longer period without fatigue.
Cons:
• May result in some weight gain which can be uncomfortable come race/competition day;
• Can cause digestive issues if too much fibre is consumed.
Marathon Pasta Parties
This is a few days before the marathon where marathon runners bulk up on carbohydrates before the race. This is essentially carb loading and it aids performance in the marathon.