Carbs have been misunderstood, misused, and, in some cases, unfairly demonized. But for athletes pushing performance boundaries, carbohydrates are more than fuel—they're a key driver of recovery, hormonal balance, and endurance capacity.

The goal isn't to blindly carb-load—but to strategically time and scale intake to match your output.

So how should athletes really use carbohydrates to support performance?

The Main Feature

Leg 1: Why Carbohydrates Matter for Athletes

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred fuel for moderate to high-intensity exercise. Stored as glycogen in muscle and liver tissue, carbs fuel sprinting, lifting, climbing, and surging. During Zone 3 and above, fat oxidation can’t keep up—so glycogen becomes critical.

When glycogen stores are full, athletes can sustain intensity, maintain better pacing, and recover faster. When glycogen is low, fatigue sets in earlier, rate of perceived exertion climbs, and the risk of muscle breakdown increases.

Carbs don’t just fuel output—they help manage recovery. Post-workout carbohydrate intake stimulates insulin, which blunts cortisol and accelerates nutrient delivery into muscle cells. Without carbs post-training, cortisol may remain elevated longer, impairing sleep, mood, and tissue repair.

Finally, carbohydrates help regulate key hormonal signals. Leptin, the hormone that governs metabolic rate and satiety, is sensitive to carb intake. Chronic low-carb diets can downregulate thyroid activity, reduce training intensity, and delay recovery.

In short: carbs give you the energy to train hard and the hormonal environment to adapt well..

T-1: Mental Preparation

Leg 2: When and How to Eat Carbs for Performance

Strategic carbohydrate timing is one of the most powerful tools athletes can use to support both training output and recovery. The body’s demand for carbohydrates isn’t static—it fluctuates based on training volume, intensity, and duration. Matching carb intake to your training demand—rather than following rigid, one-size-fits-all rules—is how elite performers stay fueled, hormonally balanced, and metabolically efficient.

Before training, carbohydrates serve as the primer. Consuming a moderate amount of easy-to-digest carbs 30 to 90 minutes before your session helps top off muscle glycogen stores, maintain stable blood glucose levels, and reduce the likelihood of early fatigue. Athletes training at high intensities benefit from 0.5–1g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight prior to the session. Fast-absorbing sources such as oats with banana, a rice cake with nut butter, or a smoothie with whey and berries deliver a quick, reliable energy source without causing gastrointestinal distress.

During training, especially if a session exceeds 75 minutes, carbohydrate intake becomes critical. As glycogen stores deplete, performance drops sharply—especially in sessions that involve long intervals or threshold efforts. Intra-session fueling with 30–60g of carbs per hour from fast-digesting options such as gels, energy chews, fruit purée, or isotonic drinks can help sustain power, reduce perceived exertion, and preserve muscle mass. This also supports the nervous system, delaying central fatigue.

Post-training, carbohydrates are essential—not just to refuel, but to kickstart recovery at the hormonal level. Immediately after a session, the body is primed for nutrient uptake, and insulin sensitivity is elevated. This is the ideal window to consume a meal or shake containing both carbohydrates and protein in a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio. This pairing stimulates glycogen replenishment, drives amino acids into muscle tissue, and helps blunt the catabolic effects of elevated cortisol. Think: white rice and chicken, sweet potatoes with eggs, or a banana blended with whey and honey.

Even on rest or low-volume days, carbohydrate intake still matters. Though total needs may be lower, including complex, whole-food sources like lentils, oats, root vegetables, and fruit helps maintain baseline glycogen levels, supports the gut microbiome, and keeps leptin and thyroid function healthy. Scaling intake to align with effort preserves metabolic flexibility without impairing recovery.

Carb cycling—increasing intake on high-output days and lowering it slightly on recovery days—is a powerful strategy for athletes who want to balance fueling with insulin sensitivity. Rather than cutting carbs completely on light days, use them wisely to sustain rhythm, immunity, and mood.

Leg 3: Choosing the Right Carbohydrates

Understanding the type of carbohydrate is just as important as knowing when to eat them. Each form affects digestion, blood glucose, energy output, and recovery differently. Tailoring your carbohydrate choices to the training context helps optimize not just energy, but also digestion, inflammation, and nutrient absorption.

Fast-digesting carbohydrates—those with a high glycemic index (GI)—are ideal for times when energy needs to be delivered rapidly. This includes pre-workout, intra-workout, and immediately post-workout windows. Foods like ripe bananas, white rice, fruit juice, and honey are absorbed quickly and replenish glycogen rapidly. These options are especially helpful when time between sessions is short or when muscle damage is high.

Slow-digesting carbohydrates, with a lower GI, are better suited for main meals, rest days, or when training at lower intensities for longer durations. These carbs release energy steadily, promoting satiety and sustained blood sugar levels. Oats, sweet potatoes, whole grains, lentils, and fibrous vegetables are excellent choices. Their slower digestion also supports gut health by feeding beneficial microbes, improving digestive regularity, and reducing inflammation.

Including resistant starches, such as those found in cooked and cooled potatoes, green bananas, and legumes, can offer additional benefits. These carbohydrates resist digestion in the small intestine and ferment in the large intestine, acting as prebiotics to nourish the microbiome. A healthy gut enhances nutrient absorption, immune resilience, and recovery.

Hydration pairing is also key. Carbohydrate absorption is linked to fluid balance—particularly in hot environments or long sessions. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium facilitate optimal glucose transport and muscle contraction. Athletes should pair carb intake with water and electrolytes, especially during endurance events or summer training blocks.

Lastly, carbs play a role in neurotransmitter and hormone regulation. Consuming a small carbohydrate-rich snack in the evening—such as Greek yogurt with fruit, or oats with nut butter—can increase serotonin production and improve sleep onset and depth. This makes carbohydrates not only a training fuel, but also a recovery-enhancing agent.

In essence, the right carbs, at the right time, in the right form, become a force multiplier for adaptation, resilience, and consistent high performance.

Conclusion

Carbohydrates aren’t just energy—they’re intelligence. They power your sessions, regulate your hormones, and accelerate your recovery. The better you time them, the more you get out of every rep, mile, and breath.

Coaches Corner

Workout of the Week: Glycogen Depletion + Refuel Ride

Goal: Enhance glycogen use and carb absorption post-training

Structure (90 minutes total):

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes)

   • Easy spin, breathing drills, mobility

2. Main Set (60 minutes)

   • 5 x 8-minute intervals @ Zone 3/low Zone 4

   • 2 min recovery between intervals

3. Cool Down (10–15 minutes)

   • Zone 1 spin, nasal breathing

Refuel Strategy:

• 60–90g carbs + 20–30g protein within 30 minutes (e.g., smoothie with oats, banana, whey, and almond milk)