Carbohydrate Loading: A Marathoners Must Do

The marathon season is here, what with the Delhi Half Marathon, right around the corner. Every marathoner worth his electrolytes should know about carbohydrate loading, so here is a primer.

What is carbohydrate loading?

Carbohydrate loading is a diet strategy for increasing a sports persons muscle glycogen stores, prior to a competition or event.

Basic procedure

Carbohydrate loading involves making changes in the diet, a fixed number of days prior to a sporting event. Athletes usually:

first, reduce the number of hours they train, over a span of 1-4 days, and,

second, immediately follow it up with a high carbohydrate diet pattern (supplying about 7-12 g of carbohydrate per kg body weight) for a span of 3-4 days.

How does it help?

Carbohydrate loading maximizes the athletes muscle glycogen stores, enabling him/her to perform for longer and yet maintain their optimum pace during an event.

What all sports does it help in?

Marathon apart, this practice also works very well for sports like endurance swimming, cycling, amongst others.

Planning out and following a high carbohydrate diet, which supplies carbohydrate in the range of 7-12g/kg body weight is not an easy task and is best left to a professional and more importantly a qualified dietitian (Bachelors or Masters degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, or, atleast a 2 year Post Graduate Diploma in the same).

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The Pee Chart

Yes, it is what it sounds. A chart about pee aka urine. Why on earth would anyone want to create, leave alone look at something like a 'Pee Chart' is what most of you are probably thinking.

Professional sportspersons not only look at it but also take it seriously, as their performance in their chosen sport depends on how hydrated they are. Optimum hydration (euhydration) means optimum performance in competitive or recreational sports, and dehydration spells disaster.

The Pee Chart is also called Urine Color Chart, and comprises of bands. Each band is numbered and is of a different color. And, each color corresponds to a particular stage in the transition between hydration and dehydration.

For instance, band numbers 1, 2 and 3 indicate optimum hydration. Bands 4, 5, 6 indicate a diminishing hydration status (you should consume fluids at this stage). And, band numbers 7 and 8 indicate a confirmed dehydration (errr...you should not have waited so long), calling for urgent corrective measures e.g. drinking water, juices, or an electrolyte based drink. Remember urine color gets affected few hours post-supplement intake.

This chart is not a hydration guide for only sportspersons. It can be used by just about anybody (you, yourself and yours) to learn to assess their hydration status. Heres to staying hydrated!

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The Nutrition Omnibus and A Fistful of Nutrition © Raksha Changappa. Contents of this blog post (excluding images) are the exclusive copyright and intellectual property (IP) of Raksha Changappa. This post is solely for knowledge and information of the reader. If you want to use the post contents, kindly do so by acknowledging the source, namely this blog and the author, via hyperlinks or credits. If not,  no content will be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed, in any form or means, including print and electronic media. Copyright and IP infringements will be taken seriously. For queries contact nutrewise@yahoo.com

Dizzy After Jogging? or, After Running A Marathon?

Feeling dizzy after a long jog? or, post a race or a marathon? You are not suffering from a mysterious ailment, the cause is rather simple and so is the remedy.

When you stop running abruptly, your hearts output starts to slowly return to normal. As this does not happen fast enough, blood pools in the lower extremities of your body causing the blood flow to the brain to temporarily reduce, leading to dizziness.

An appropriate post-run cool down routine, significantly reduces the incidence of feeling faint or dizzy. Inadequate hydration and carbohydrate intake can also lead to dizziness from energy depletion and dehydration.

Take care on both these counts and you are all set to run that extra mile.

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The Nutrition Omnibus and A Fistful of Nutrition © Raksha Changappa

All contents of this post are the exclusive copyright and intellectual property (IP) of Raksha Changappa. This post is solely for knowledge and information of the reader. If you want to use the post contents, kindly do so by acknowledging the source, namely this blog and the author, via hyperlinks or credits. If not,  no content will be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed, in any form or means, including print and electronic media. Copyright and IP infringements will be taken seriously. For queries contact founder@nutrewise.com

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