What is the carbohydrate load?
Ignorance and misinformation can cause a carbohydrate load not to be performed in the most consistent way. We are facing a period in which the consumption of carbohydrates is increased during the days before a competition or a race.
Let's say it is done because increasing your intake ensures that we have the "gasoline" necessary to face the effort. When we eat foods that contain carbohydrates, our bodies digest them and send them in the form of glucose to the bloodstream.
While it is true, not all that glucose is transported by the bloodstream, much of it remains stored in our muscle tissue and in the liver in the form of glycogen. This substance can be stored in cells or converted into glucose and then into energy.
When we are in a race, glycogen is our first source of energy , so thanks to the carbohydrate load we will be making sure that we have our "deposits" sufficiently charged.
Common mistakes made
You carry out the carbohydrate load without needing it
As can happen with energy gels, the latest model shoes or compression socks, there are athletes who carry out carb loading without any need for their exercise. Not all athletes should do much less, if they do not have the same circumstances.
There are many runners who think that they have to increase their consumption in any of the distances or times that they are going to run. Error! At least you will need to do more than 90 minutes of intense physical activity for your muscle glycogen stores to start to waver. Generally, carbohydrate loads are recommended for half marathon, marathon, trail, triartlon … Really tough competitions; so it would not be necessary to do it if you are going to run a popular 10 km race.
You do it at the last minute
Did you forget to load days before? Then you better not include it moments before the race. It is a real mistake to do it at breakfast because your body will not be able to assimilate all the nutrients, digest them and take advantage of them in record time.
If your pre-competition breakfast consists of a high amount of food, we are sure that you will run on a full stomach . This can lead to cuts in your digestion or stomach problems that can make you abandon the test.
You eat refined carbohydrates or fast food
Some think they have a free hand and that they can afford to gorge themselves on junk food with the excuse that they are going to burn it running. Negative! You should not eat refined, or ultra-processed, or in excess.
You can have flours and pasta , yes, but you should also accommodate vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Think smart and give your body the best nutrients.
Just simple carbohydrates?
If you want to know the different types of carbohydrates that exist, we leave you this article in which we analyze them. Not all carbohydrates are processed in the same way by our body, so we can differentiate them into simple and complex.
Foods that contain simple hydrates are quick to assimilate. For example, they can be: sweets, refined flour, table sugar, honey, chocolate, fruit, dairy products, sugary cereals …
On the other hand, complexes are slow assimilation due to their fiber, mineral and vitamin content. They are vegetables, whole grains and flours, legumes …
There are studies that ensure that loading complex carbohydrates is more effective than doing it with simple ones. Its reasons are the contribution of nutrients, its zero generation of insulin peaks in the blood and its slow digestion.
