Not just physically, but mentally, too.
You might find yourself thinking:
If that’s your experience, you’re not doing anything wrong.
Carb loading often asks you to temporarily eat in a way that feels unfamiliar—and there’s a reason for that.
Want to see what this actually looks like?
Download our guide with real-life carb loading examples.
At its core, carb loading is about increasing the amount of stored carbohydrate (glycogen) in your muscles before a long event.
Glycogen is your body’s most efficient and accessible form of energy during sustained activity.
You can think of it as:
The more glycogen available, the longer your body can maintain steady energy output.
When you eat carbohydrates, your body:
During a carb load, you’re intentionally:
That extra storage is what supports endurance performance.
This is the typical range used to maximize glycogen stores in the days leading up to an event.
And this is where things can start to feel counterintuitive.
When carbohydrate needs increase this much, it becomes difficult to meet them using foods that are:
Not because those foods are “bad”—but because they take up more space in your stomach and digest more slowly.
During a carb load, the goal shifts toward:
This is where more energy-dense, carbohydrate-focused foods can be helpful.
For example:
These foods:
Not sure how to adjust this for you?
Working with a dietitian can help you create a personalized plan.
Outside of carb loading, you might be used to building meals that include a mix of:
That structure can support satiety and overall nourishment in day-to-day life.
But during a carb load, that same structure can:
So instead of aiming for balance at every eating moment, the focus becomes:
This is not about removing them entirely—but about adjusting the ratio for a short period of time.
As you increase carbohydrate intake:
This can sometimes feel like:
All of these are expected—and part of the process of preparing your body for sustained effort.
For many people—especially those who have experienced disordered eating—this phase can bring up:
If that’s happening, it makes sense.
Carb loading asks you to:
And that can feel vulnerable.
Carb loading is not about:
It’s about:
If carb loading feels counterintuitive, you’re not alone.
It often goes against what people expect nutrition to look like—and that doesn’t make it wrong.
It just means:
If you’re navigating this alongside recovery or a complicated relationship with food, support can help make this process feel more grounded and less overwhelming.
You don’t have to figure it out on your own.
Book an appointment with a dietitian to help you navigate your carb load.
Written by
Registered Dietitian and Founder of Sööma
