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3 Carbo-loading Myths Every Athlete Needs to Know
Carbo-loading is the process of consuming large amounts of carbohydrates before a major athletic event in order to build up stored levels of glycogen, a major source of energy for high-intensity activity. According to research from Harvard Medical School, carbo-loading can help athletes perform longer and harder without hitting “the wall” that prevents them from moving forward.
Village Catering does much more than provide Italian catering in Philadelphia before wedding parties—we also understand the science behind the food that fuels Philly’s athletes. Before you have your players pig out on pizza the night before a game, make sure you understand these three common myths about carbo-loading.
- Every athlete can increase his or her performance by carbo-loading. All athletes were not created equally. Sports that involve high levels of cardio will benefit from carbo-loading—think cycling, long-distance running, or swimming. Unless you plan on engaging in high-intensity cardio for at least 90 minutes, carbo-loading will likely leave you feeling heavy and groggy instead of energized.
- Carbo-loading will cause weight gain. You may step on the scale before your event and see a higher number after carbo-loading, but this is due to water weight gain—not additional fat. For each gram of glycogen you store, you’ll also store about 3 grams of water. Thus, weight gain of two to five pounds is common after carbo-loading for a race or meet.
- Proper carbo-loading requires all-you-can eat-pasta before a big event. Suddenly dumping a heaping helping of pasta into your stomach is likely to lead you to gastrointestinal distress on the day of your event and is no longer considered the correct way to carbo-load. Instead, gradually increase your carbohydrate consumption several days before your event and try to keep portion sizes similar to normal the night before.
As the official caterers of the Temple University Owls, the Philadelphia Soul, and more, Village Catering knows how to fuel athletes to reach peak performance on the field. Whether you’re in need of caterers to help your athletes do their best before a major event or you’re looking for the right Kosher caterers in Philadelphia to handle a wedding ceremony, Village Catering is here to help. Give us a call today at 215-437-337 today to learn more!