CARBS
The most important fuel source, carbohydrates come in fruits, vegetables, pastas, breads, cereals, rice and other foods (Fuel Bars, for example!), and should provide about 60-70% of daily calories. Your body converts sugars and starches in carbohydrates to energy (glucose) or stores it in the liver and muscle tissues (glycogen), giving you endurance and power for high-intensity, short-duration activities. If your body runs out of carbohydrate fuel during exercise, it will burn fat and protein for energy, causing your performance level to drop.

During exercise glycogen is broken down in the muscles and provides energy. Usually there is enough glycogen in muscles to provide fuel for 60-120 minutes of exercise. Use a carbohydrate strategy to stay energized and perform at your best:

  • Eat carbohydrates for at least several days before exercise/competition, so you start with glycogen-loaded muscles.
  • Eat more carbohydrates during exercise/competition lasting more than an hour to replenish energy and delay fatigue.

Low Carb Diets Inhibit Performance
View article

Carbohydrate Loading
To avoid running out of carbohydrates for energy, some endurance athletes like long-distance runners, swimmers and bicyclists load their muscles with glycogen by eating extra carbohydrates in combination with doing depletion exercises several days before an event:

  • First exercise to exhaustion. Your workout must be identical to the upcoming event to deplete the right muscles.
  • Then eat a high-carbohydrate diet (70-80% carbs, 10-15% fat, 10-15% protein) and do little or no exercise starting three days before your event.
  • Muscles loaded with unused glycogen will be available to work for longer periods of time during competition.
*** See your doctor for advice before trying a carb-loading diet.

Most athletes need not be concerned with carbo loading. Most exercise and sports do not deplete gycogen stores, but for some athletes eating carbohydrates during exercise helps maintain their blood glucose and energy levels. Instead of carbo loading, focus on getting enough carbohydrates everyday.