Whats the best way to Carbo load if you dont eat Pasta or Rice?

Pisco Sour

Still 8 weeks until the marathon, but am just wondering about this. I'm in the minority in that I absolutely detest pasta and rice. With the exception of porridge theres nothing I hate more really! So wondering can you still carbo load effectively on potato's and bread etc? Or will I just have to suck it up and have a few pasta dinners the week before the marathon?

ronanmac

Mmm, potatoes... Quinoa is good for carbs, plus has protein. Nice with pesto or as a curry salad

rainbow kirby

Do you eat couscous? Rather nice, and easily prepared

willowthewisp

04072511 wrote: »

Still 8 weeks until the marathon, but am just wondering about this. I'm in the minority in that I absolutely detest pasta and rice. With the exception of porridge theres nothing I hate more really! So wondering can you still carbo load effectively on potato's and bread etc? Or will I just have to suck it up and have a few pasta dinners the week before the marathon?

Which Marathon are you doing?

Krusty_Clown

Here's an article on carb-loading, that breaks down foods according to their GI. Will give you some alternatives. Plenty more suggestions in t'internet, if you hit google.

colblimp

Mars Bars.

Killerz

+1 on the couscous - very quick and easy to prepare.

Add some pine nuts, chopped peppers, cayenne pepper, paprika, some crushed chillies - a bit of tabasco sauce and greek yoghurt on the top - one of my favourite dishes.

misty floyd

+1 on the Quinoa, you'll get it from a health store. It too is easily prepared. Also noodles with stir fry...lovely.

Thanks Killerz, with some chicken thats tomorrows dinner planned

interested

one thats worked well for me before is taking (one or more) carbo drinks during the night before the event.

Id typically eat a largish carbo meal for lunch the day before the event and then a fairly light meal for tea - and then (if my day is starting early) set the alarm for 2am and down maybe a 750 ml mix of the drink I use before getting back to sleep.

Id eat a normal breakfast and maybe sip on a carb drink before the off.

Everyones different when it comes to nutrition - but I personally prefer to 'feel' light and not bloated before an event ... the approach has gotten me through 2 long distance triathlons without any GI problems so ... 'works for me'

tunney

interested wrote: »

one thats worked well for me before is taking (one or more) carbo drinks during the night before the event.

Id typically eat a largish carbo meal for lunch the day before the event and then a fairly light meal for tea - and then (if my day is starting early) set the alarm for 2am and down maybe a 750 ml mix of the drink I use before getting back to sleep.

Id eat a normal breakfast and maybe sip on a carb drink before the off.

Everyones different when it comes to nutrition - but I personally prefer to 'feel' light and not bloated before an event ... the approach has gotten me through 2 long distance triathlons without any GI problems so ... 'works for me'

I hadn't realised you had done an IM interested never mind two!

Regarding Carbo loading - why?

Assume an average weight male (155lbs), assuming what seems to the normal time on here 4:00, thats a calorie burn of 775 kcal/h, or a total calorie requirement of 3100. Given the body has a glycogen store of 2000kcal for an average male thats only a deficit of 1100 kcal. But calories are sourced from glycogen and fat and assuming most are going to be completely their events at a relatively low % of LTHR the ratio of CHO:FAT is going to be much lower than 2:1. Lets also throw into the mix that 1g CHO can be absorbed by the body per minute, or 240kcal per hour (and this is at the lower rate of the calorie absorption rate, there is another 1000kcal of energy.

So other than increased weight, bloating, and a higher likelihood of "accidents" when running - where is the benefit for those that are going to run at low intensities?

interested

tunney wrote: »

I hadn't realised you had done an IM interested never mind two!

The Eireman 'Duathlon' from hell and Challenge Barca weeks later at 'getitdone' pace... so no, I havent done an IM adhering to popular trademarks

tunney wrote: »

So other than increased weight, bloating, and a higher likelihood of "accidents" when running - where is the benefit for those that are going to run at low intensities?

Id agree with Tunney - especially for something like a marathon. Eat and drink well ... with a little more portions in the days leading to the event. If the weather is very hot / humid keep sipping/drinking fluids - maybe switch between water and a carb drink (or even diarolyte) to avoid flushing yourself of useful stuff with lots and lots of water.

Krusty_Clown

tunney wrote: »

Regarding Carbo loading - why?
Assume..., assuming...average male...assuming...low intensities?

That's a lot of assumptions for one post.

TFBubendorfer

interested wrote: »

Id agree with Tunney - especially for something like a marathon. Eat and drink well ... with a little more portions in the days leading to the event.

You can add my opinion to this as well. Trial and error have shown that in my case carbo loading does not make any difference whatsoever - or, if does make a difference the effect is so small that it is overridden by other factors.

On the other hand, if you still want to carbo load you can take any carbs you like. The idea that it HAS to be pasta or rice is weird. Of course bread or potato or anything else you can think of would work equally well, as long as your digestive system can take it.

mithril

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Trial and error have shown that in my case carbo loading does not make any difference whatsoever - or, if does make a difference the effect is so small that it is overridden by other factors.

I don't think there is any dispute about the benefit of carbo-loading for elite athletes or even those aiming for a sub 3 hours time. Tunney's remarks, if I understand correctly, are directed at "average" runners whose intensity level and therefore carbo burning rate are lower.

There are about 6 factors that need to be right on the day for a good time e.g. temperature, absence of niggles, low wind speed etc.
Carbo-loading is one of the few variables a runner has complete control over and there is massive evidence in controlled studies of its benefits.

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

On the other hand, if you still want to carbo load you can take any carbs you like. The idea that it HAS to be pasta or rice is weird. Of course bread or potato or anything else you can think of would work equally well, as long as your digestive system can take it.

It should be a low GI carbohydrate rich food for optimal results but there are plenty of choices other than pasta or rice.

TFBubendorfer

mithril wrote: »

I don't think there is any dispute about the benefit of carbo-loading for elite athletes or even those aiming for a sub 3 hours time. Tunney's remarks, if I understand correctly, are directed at "average" runners whose intensity level and therefore carbo burning rate are lower.

There are about 6 factors that need to be right on the day for a good time e.g. temperature, absence of niggles, low wind speed etc.
Carbo-loading is one of the few variables a runner has complete control over and there is massive evidence in controlled studies of its benefits.

Well, I did aim for a sub 3 time last year, and I do dispute the benefits of carbo-loading in my case (that's the result of my sample size = 1 research), so there is at least some dispute.

mithril wrote: »

It should be a low GI carbohydrate rich food for optimal results but there are plenty of choices other than pasta or rice.

You can get low or high GI rice or pasta just as you can low or high GI bread or other carbohydrate food. The original question was, could he use other food for carbo loading, and my answer to that is yes.

--amadeus--

I use carb drinks, simply because you can't guarantee being able to find good carb rich food in a foreign city the day before a race without walking the streets for hours.

And it may well be pointless for some runners at the slower end of the scale but I do it because there is solid science to back it up and it doesn't cause me any issues, so why take a chance on not doing it?

Krusty_Clown

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I use carb drinks, simply because you can't guarantee being able to find good carb rich food in a foreign city the day before a race without walking the streets for hours.

If I remember correctly, the day before Berlin, I ordered a pasta dish for lunch that turned out to be deep-fried pasta, the non-alcoholic beer turned out to be around 8% alcohol, we couldn't find anywhere for dinner, so ended up having a Haagen-Daz ice-cream cone. There's proper preparation for you!

I did eat a very well-balanced diet in the weeks leading up to the race though, and I just happen to love pasta, rice, couscous and vegetables, so happy days. long story short - bring some backup food with you!

tunney

mithril wrote: »

I don't think there is any dispute about the benefit of carbo-loading for elite athletes or even those aiming for a sub 3 hours time.

I would also say that there is dispute here, I'm not sure carbo-loading (without the glycogen depletion phase) has been scientifically proven to be effective?

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

I use carb drinks, simply because you can't guarantee being able to find good carb rich food in a foreign city the day before a race without walking the streets for hours.

And play utter utter havoc with your blood sugars and insulin levels?

Krusty_Clown

This seems like a reasonable point:
"Because you will be exercising less during the pre-event taper, you do not need to eat hundreds of additional calories when carboloading. Simply maintain your standard intake."

So as long as you're eating a well balanced diet (good carb composition), you shouldn't need to 'load'. You'll store more carbs as a result of running less during your taper.

mithril

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

not need to eat hundreds of additional calories when carboloading. Simply maintain your standard intake."
So as long as you're eating a well balanced diet (good carb composition), you shouldn't need to 'load'. You'll store more carbs as a result of running less during your taper.

I agree with you regarding calorie consumption during a taper but at least 70% of total calories thru carbohydrates is recommended during the carbo-loading phase. This proportion would not be healthy for a long term diet even for an athlete. My understanding is that you need to cut fat and protein consumption to compensate.