Carb Loading Calculator
Daily carbohydrate target before an endurance event
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Carb Loading Calculator
Carb loading before a marathon, long ride or triathlon can delay fatigue by maximising glycogen stores — but only with the right amount. Enter your body weight and how aggressively you want to load, and this calculator returns your daily carbohydrate grams, the calories they provide and a rough per-meal split. Use it for the 1–3 taper days before a 90-minute-plus event.
Carbohydrate loading tops up muscle and liver glycogen in the 1–3 days before a long endurance event (90+ minutes). Sports-nutrition guidelines suggest about 7–12 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day during the loading phase, with 10 g/kg a common target. Favour easily digested, lower-fibre carbs, keep training light during the taper, and expect 1–2 kg of water-weight gain as glycogen binds water.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is carb loading?
- Carb loading is a strategy of eating extra carbohydrate in the days before a long endurance event to maximize muscle and liver glycogen stores. Topped-up glycogen delays fatigue, helping you sustain effort longer in races lasting roughly 90 minutes or more.
- How does the carb loading calculator work?
- Enter your body weight and loading level, and it returns the daily carbohydrate target in grams and calories. Loading protocols typically prescribe around 8-12 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day in the 1-3 days before the event.
- Who actually benefits from carb loading?
- It mainly helps endurance athletes in events over about 90 minutes, such as marathons or long rides. For shorter efforts the benefit is minimal. Practice your loading approach in training first, since higher carb intake can cause temporary water-weight gain and digestive changes.