The New Rules of Carb Loading – Triathlete

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Sure, we’re all familiar with the word “carbs”, but what exactly is carbs, what does it do, and why do triathletes want a carb load? ?? Let’s start with the basics.

Carbohydrates are one of the three major nutrients the body uses, the other two are fats and proteins. Carbohydrates come in many forms, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pasta, bread, milk / milk products, sports drinks, gels, chews, and sports nutritional supplements such as drinks. In its most basic form, the carbohydrate is glucose, which is converted into energy by your body and provides 4 calories per gram (protein also provides 4 calories per gram and fat 9 calories per gram). Offers). Carbohydrates come in many forms:

• Monosaccharide
• Disaccharide
• oligosaccharide
• Polysaccharide

Think of monosaccharides and disaccharides as simple carbohydrates, and oligosaccharides and polysaccharides as complex carbohydrates. The simpler the carbohydrate, the faster it breaks down and is used by the body as energy. Simple carbohydrates result in a rapid increase in blood sugar and insulin secretion from the pancreas. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and blood sugar levels rise steadily. Neither is “good or bad” when viewed in the right context as to what the purpose of consumption is.

Related: A complete guide to nutrition and refueling for triathletes

What is carb loading?

Carbo-loading replenishes muscle, blood, and liver glycogen (carbohydrate) stores by consuming very large amounts of carbohydrates during the days leading up to the race. Carbo-loading is widely accepted as part of the preparation for endurance sports and is usually attended by events that take place most of the time at a pace where the body needs to use carbohydrates as its primary fuel source. (This is usually the one above) 65-70% of maximum VO2). With this carbohydrate supplement, or “super-compensation,” glycogen storage exceeds normal glycogen storage by up to 100%.

The Swedes first reported on the concept of carb-loading in 1967 and embarked on a study emphasizing the body’s ability to supercompensate with carbohydrates to improve glycogen storage in the muscles and liver. Unfortunately, their particular approach required three days of intense exercise and three days of high-carb refueling. This is not the pre-race taper that many of us currently adhere to.

Thankfully, subsequent studies have shown similar benefits from just three days of light exercise and three days of carbohydrate supplementation (70% of total energy intake is carbohydrate). Fast forwarding towards today, there are several relevant research-based carb-loading protocols aimed at increasing liver and muscle glycogen by about 80-90% prior to significant events.

You can increase your muscle’s glycogen storage by 90% using a day on a high-carb diet that uses the number of grams of carbohydrates per kg of body weight to calculate your needs. Alternatively, a short, high-intensity workout (literally a few minutes) followed by a light exercise followed by a complete rest, combined with a large amount of hyperglycemic food and water the day before the race, can increase glycogen levels. 80 and more. High glycemic foods are foods that are ranked high in the glycemic index. It is a food that is rapidly digested and absorbed, and the blood sugar level rises sharply (white rice, white bread, white pasta, pretzels, etc.).

Myths, misunderstandings, and common carbohydrate mistakes

One of the biggest mistakes athletes often make when approaching carb loading is the inability to practice it in training. Ideally, athletes practice carb-loading into race simulation workouts several times before Race Week. This allows athletes to assess their response to high carbs, practice eating the actual prescribed amount of carbs, and determine which foods are most acceptable.

Carbo load practice is absolutely important, but pre-race breakfast dry runs and refueling the race during the session are just as important. Rehearsing these strategies will give you the familiarity and confidence that the refueling strategy is appropriate for the day of the race. Skipping this can be the biggest redo for the athlete during the race.

Related: Ask Stacy: What makes a good pre-race meal?

Female athletes and carb loading

For women, there is a lack of research investigating the carbohydrate load associated with race-like conditions. Most of the research focuses on the percentage of energy intake (ie 70-75% of total energy intake) as a measure of carbohydrate load. However, the study did not determine whether the total energy consumed each day actually met the demands of training and racing. Therefore, despite eating 70% carbohydrates as a percentage of daily nutritional intake, the total number of grams per kilogram of body weight may not have been sufficient to stress the body.

There are several studies that have investigated the load on women using sufficient doses (eg 8-10 g / kg / body weight / day) and found that glycogen storage can be increased. Women need to load according to their weight and consume large amounts of carbohydrates in order to increase their glycogen stores.

Another consideration is the stage of the menstrual cycle and how it affects carbohydrate load. Women appear to be more capable of storing glycogen during the luteal phase (about 14 days after ovulation) compared to the follicular phase (the first day of bleeding before ovulation).

More research is needed, but it is important to note that what works for one woman does not necessarily work for another. Working with coaches and nutritionists is paramount to testing what you can comfortably consume.

Carbohydrate load and high carb refueling

Overall, it is important to remember that muscle glycogen levels alone do not determine fatigue. Carbohydrate consumption provides a stable blood sugar level, and if taken in high enough, it saves liver glycogen. Improving endurance with training improves the rate of oxidation of blood sugar levels and improves the economics of refueling. In short, the healthier you are, the more efficient your refueling machine will be.

Here, the concept of high carb fuels becomes an additional important strategy. This strategy should be practiced in training and adopted during the race. Athletes’ ability to consume large amounts of carbohydrates relative to their body weight during the race results in sustained carbohydrate oxidation (burning carbohydrates as fuel) and ultimately sustained power and speed.

Related: High Carb Fuel: How High Can You Go?

Work carbs for you

The importance of carbohydrates for racing is clear. When an athlete pushes the body beyond the barrier of about 60-70% of VO2max, the body begins to switch from using fat primarily as fuel to carbohydrates. This is especially apparent as most triathlons have more than 90 minutes of exercise time. Not only is the use of carbohydrates as a fuel source more pronounced, but the energy cost of using carbohydrates as a fuel source is higher than that of fats. In other words, when you want to go fast and long, you need carbs-and lots of them.

Simple and familiar food is the key to racing. It’s not about culinary excellence, it’s about fueling for the purpose. Here are five tips on nutrition for Race Week and a 24-hour carb-loading menu before the race.

Related: 10 Best Carb Sources For Triathletes

Tips for exciting Race Week

Start consuming high carbs at least 24 hours before a race over 90 minutes.

The optimal load is to increase your carbohydrate intake 48 hours before and consume at least 6-8 g per kg of body weight per day.

Consume a combination of high glycemic foods and water to reach recommended intake levels.

Drinking some of the carbs can help reduce the sensation of that stuffed animal. Recommended drinks include fruit juice, chocolate milk, and energy drinks.

High glycemic foods are key.

These include white bread / bagels, white pasta, white rice, white potatoes, breakfast cereals such as rice krispies and cornflakes, fruits such as pancakes, potatoes, rice crackers, raisins, bananas, mangoes, pineapples, fruits, etc. Yogurt containing sweet dairy products.

Reduce total fiber intake for 24-48 hours leading to the race to minimize intestinal content.

Limit leafy and fibrous vegetables to a total of 1-2 servings.

On the morning of the race, aim to eat a diet containing about 80-100g of carbohydrates and fiber about 2-3 hours before the start time.

Fiber helps protect the inner wall of the intestine from heat stress injuries. Carbohydrates also play a big role in this. Recommended foods include oatmeal (cooked or overnight oatmeal), whole wheat toast / bread, bananas, and yogurt.

What to Eat The Day Before Half (70.3) or Full Distance Iron Man

Male athlete weighing 165 pounds

Approximate total major nutrient goals:

• Protein = 160g (2.1g / kg / BW)
• Carbohydrate = 500g (6.7g / kg / BW)
• Fat = 80g (1.1g / kg / BW)

Suggested meal plan:

Female athlete weighing 145 pounds

Approximate total major nutrient goals:

• Protein = 130g (2.1g / kg / BW)
• Carbohydrate = 430g (6.7g / kg / BW)
• Fat = 70g (1.1g / kg / BW)

Suggested meal plan:

Related: Expert Curated, Triathlete Approved Race Week Menu

Scott Tindall is a performance nutrition coach with 20 years of experience with professional and amateur athletes. He holds a master’s degree in sports medicine and a graduate diploma in performance nutrition.he Is a co-founder of FuelIn, an app-based personalized nutritional instruction program.