Carbo Loading - does it work?

[Wil6]

Done a search and found this old toppic.Was just wondering does it really help?

 

Currently on 32GI and its recommended that you drink 2-3 bottles a day 2-3 days before the event.Is this not overkill?

 

How much carbs can you actually "load" before urinating it all out again?

 

What's your opinion?

[Belhammel]

Cutting out all carbs is not a good thing. It might be good initially to loos weight, but our bodies need all 3 - carbs, fats and proteins.

 

The rigt quantities is what is crutial.

 

I think carbs is essential to endurance riding, cycling

[Belhammel]

Cutting out all carbs is not a good thing. It might be good initially to loos weight, but our bodies need all 3 - carbs, fats and proteins.

 

The rigt quantities is what is crutial.

 

I think carbs is essential to endurance riding, cycling

[ricochet_rabbit]

Easiest way to see if it works is to actually de-carb yourself for 3 or 4 days and then try and to a high tempo workout at least 60mins long but preferably 90mins.

 

Try this and then come back and tell how your session went.

[Underachiever]

Carbo loading is the biggest exercise myth ever. There are various reasons for this. The main one being that your muscles and liver have an upper parameter which will prevent anymore glycogen being stored. The remaining glucose will be stored as fat as a result. Ergo, as long as you eat consistently, and well, there should be no nutritional issue at hand. The amount and type of fuel that is used by the body will be down to the type and frequency of activity, which will have an effect on your metabolic rate. All athletes should have a little of everything. And everyone should consume a fuel source during an event, mainly sugars. But that is an entirely different discussion.

 

 

 

Agree 100% You only need to add carbs to fill up your liver and muscles. We tend to load too much. It is fun though. I've been carbo loading for the Barberton since Christmas, will report back on Monday if the addtional 1 kg carbs helped at all.

[MDW]

Done a search and found this old toppic.Was just wondering does it really help?

 

Currently on 32GI and its recommended that you drink 2-3 bottles a day 2-3 days before the event.Is this not overkill?

 

How much carbs can you actually "load" before urinating it all out again?

 

What's your opinion?

Hi Wil6, just to explain how carbo loading works, firstly understand when you load up your glycogen stores, glycogen does have weight so if you dont gain weight before an event it means most likely you have not loaded your glycogen. Secondly, when you eat for carbo loading you need to ensure the weight you are carrying is glycogen weight, and not excessive water and fat weight which was gained by over eating or taking in the incorrect foods. If you are going to carbo load naturally ensure you eat complex carbs which are predominantly low GI. Also ensure after a workout you take in a glycogen replenishment drink which should be a combination of high GI and protein. A trick we all do is a complex carb with a load of caffeine it can help speed up glycogen replenishment by up to 60% faster.

 

Ok with that all said, white pasta or rye paste, white rice or quinoa, brown rice or wild rice, i think you get the picture make the wise carbo loading choices.

 

Ok as for 32Gi for carbo loading, its not an overkill taking in 2 to 3 bottles a day. Firstly its very slow digesting and so you wont gain the unnecessary weight by loading up on it, secondly it assists in water intake which will get your hydration levels up for an event.

Last week was my 17th 70.3, not in SA overseas, rated hardest on the globe. Anyway,2 days of carbo loading, and proper eating avoiding sugar and caffeine the week before, saw my energy levels loaded and balanced for the race. I felt good but was not overly heavy. My glycogen weight is usually 700grams - 900grams additional weight, I find it sufficient.

Also for an event that is less than 3 hours, I never load up, if you eat consistently well, before, during and after training you should keep your glycogen stores balanced and topped up. Completely loaded you should see around 2000 calories of muscle glycogen and +-500 calories of liver glyocgen, in laymans terms I can do a hard 1.5 - 2 hour time trial on glycogen alone, as long as I take in a decent pre-training meal in order to keep my brain glucose levels up. Remember 40% of glucose feed is to keep the brain functioning as well.

 

Anyway maybe some info overload, but you need to take a lot into consideration, and you also need to know your body well.

 

all the best

M

Edited January 30, 2011 by MDW

[Lucky Luke.]

this Atkins type eating programme is designed for obese lazy americans whose only excercise is walking to the fridge and the sofa, not somebody planning on riding 100kms at race pace.

 

haha so true! Thanks for that

[chris_w_65]

I would think a no carb diet or a high protein diet would be bad for you. Rather eat a balanced diet with carbs, protein and fat. Bottom line is, if you eat less calories a day than you burn you will lose weight. Also the story that if you eat fat you will get fat is a load of cr@p

[Wil6]

Hi Wil6, just to explain how carbo loading works, firstly understand when you load up your glycogen stores, glycogen does have weight so if you dont gain weight before an event it means most likely you have not loaded your glycogen. Secondly, when you eat for carbo loading you need to ensure the weight you are carrying is glycogen weight, and not excessive water and fat weight which was gained by over eating or taking in the incorrect foods. If you are going to carbo load naturally ensure you eat complex carbs which are predominantly low GI. Also ensure after a workout you take in a glycogen replenishment drink which should be a combination of high GI and protein. A trick we all do is a complex carb with a load of caffeine it can help speed up glycogen replenishment by up to 60% faster.

 

Ok with that all said, white pasta or rye paste, white rice or quinoa, brown rice or wild rice, i think you get the picture make the wise carbo loading choices.

 

Ok as for 32Gi for carbo loading, its not an overkill taking in 2 to 3 bottles a day. Firstly its very slow digesting and so you wont gain the unnecessary weight by loading up on it, secondly it assists in water intake which will get your hydration levels up for an event.

Last week was my 17th 70.3, not in SA overseas, rated hardest on the globe. Anyway,2 days of carbo loading, and proper eating avoiding sugar and caffeine the week before, saw my energy levels loaded and balanced for the race. I felt good but was not overly heavy. My glycogen weight is usually 700grams - 900grams additional weight, I find it sufficient.

Also for an event that is less than 3 hours, I never load up, if you eat consistently well, before, during and after training you should keep your glycogen stores balanced and topped up. Completely loaded you should see around 2000 calories of muscle glycogen and +-500 calories of liver glyocgen, in laymans terms I can do a hard 1.5 - 2 hour time trial on glycogen alone, as long as I take in a decent pre-training meal in order to keep my brain glucose levels up. Remember 40% of glucose feed is to keep the brain functioning as well.

 

Anyway maybe some info overload, but you need to take a lot into consideration, and you also need to know your body well.

 

all the best

M

Thanks MDW,always get very interesting comments from you and it's very useful!

Thank you again for the useful info!Just made me realize that I don't know nothing,

[pastapouch]

Cutting out all carbs is not a good thing. It might be good initially to loos weight, but our bodies need all 3 - carbs, fats and proteins.

 

The rigt quantities is what is crutial.

 

I think carbs is essential to endurance riding, cycling - but not for races shorter than 3 hours...