Training & Nutrition - Carbo load: In theory (mine)

If you do an easy 1/2 hour workout on each day 2-3 days up to your event, and carbo load immediately after the workout, your body is likely to receive those carbs better.

Forget the big meal the night before.

Right? Wrong?

I certainly don't have an answer but in theory it might make some sense as possibly the body might be more receptive to loading eventhough some of the carbs would be used to replace what you just used. I know when I am going to have a difficult and long club ride I will make sure for 2 or 3 days before I drink plenty of liquids and since I am prone to cramps plenty of potassium, sodium, calcum and magnesium. I tend to eat a lot on the bike so I think that helps also. Kind of stocking my body up.

I would have to say no. Carbs, in general, do not last that long in the body before being turned into some other product. Also, if you are in a caloric deficit after your workout, the carbs are more likely going to be used to replenish your body than stored for future use.

I like to carb load the night before. Anything before that is pretty much useless.

Karpems is right. Usually the goal is the become nearly glycogen depleted (not a bonk, but slightly more of a carb deficit than usual) and replace the carbs quickly and as fully as possible the night before the event. This is usually done by tapering off your work load the previous week. Right after the ride, eat a high carb (pasta, fruit, potatos), low fat meal.

An Ohio State University study leads the carb-loading idea so far -- and this is how the study went. Ride for 75 minutes at 80% of your MHR. After 75min, do 5x1min MAX EFFORT intervals. Then do 10 sets of 10 leg extensions or flexions on a resistance trainer. Immediately following the effort, consume carbs every 15 minutes for 4 hours (16 equal servings every 15min). How many grams of carbs per serving? Take your weight in pounds, multiply by 3, and divide by 16. For me: (150lbs)*3g = (450g carbs total) / 16 servings = 28g every 15 minutes. Round down your decimal (even if it were 28.99, round down to 28).

Repeat this process exactly 48hrs later, which should end the night before your event.

Good luck with this and don't try it for the first time before an event - practice once. The last thing you want is your stomach, liver, and gastrointestinal system to explode before an important event. Oh yeah, don't do this for events under 2hrs in length.

If you do an easy 1/2 hour workout on each day 2-3 days up to your event, and carbo load immediately after the workout, your body is likely to receive those carbs better.

Forget the big meal the night before.

Right? Wrong?You're describing optimum recovery and glycogen replenishment, but not carbo-loading. Carbo-loading is a regimen where you're actually able to pack in more than the traditional 2000 calories or so that your muscles & liver can store as glycogen. The routine typically involved several depletion workouts to near bonking to completely remove glycogen from your body. Then when you eat afterwards, the depleted muscle cells will actually cram in more glycogen than normal; usually up to 2500 calories or so. There are various time-tables and routines for this depletion process.

The bonking carbo load procedure seems painful. I doubt mine will work either, after reading you guys' responses, the excess will still go to fat anyway right?

Bleh... so many theories, all wrong. :)

You're describing optimum recovery and glycogen replenishment, but not carbo-loading. Carbo-loading is a regimen where you're actually able to pack in more than the traditional 2000 calories or so that your muscles & liver can store as glycogen. The routine typically involved several depletion workouts to near bonking to completely remove glycogen from your body. Then when you eat afterwards, the depleted muscle cells will actually cram in more glycogen than normal; usually up to 2500 calories or so. There are various time-tables and routines for this depletion process.

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0310.htm

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0310.htmHey, that's new info! Thanks! :)

If you do an easy 1/2 hour workout on each day 2-3 days up to your event, and carbo load immediately after the workout, your body is likely to receive those carbs better.

Pretty meaningless statement. What the hell is an easy workout?

How the heck does one go about "receiving carbs"???

What's better? Better than what? Huh?

First, drink the beer, then --- post the questions.......

I receive my carbs better.

Richard, sorry you can't understand what I write. I don't have the vocabulary to accurately describe what I'm thinking, that's why I ask questions.