Calculating how much carbohydrate you need.
Carbohydrate is the most important nutrient for working muscles, and should make up 60 -70% of the energy in an athlete's diet.
| Record your body weight in kilograms = |
WEIGHT
|
Your carbohydrate requirement will depend on your training intensity and time you train.
|
LEVEL of Training Hours per day |
Light Less than 1 hour |
Moderate 1-2 hours |
Heavy More than 3 hrs |
|
CHO requirement - Grams of CHO per kg body weight |
4
- 5 g
|
6
- 7g
|
8
- 10g
|
Weight (kg) x level of training = Carbohydrate Requirement per day.
WEIGHT X LEVEL = REQUIREMENT
For Example :
|
70
kg
|
x
|
6 - 7 g (Moderate training) |
=
|
420
- 490g of carbohydrate daily
|
This is your carbohydrate range
How to divide your carbohydrate Intake
Athletes have high energy requirements so will need to have several meals and snacks per day to ensure that carbohydrate intake is meeting the demands of training. Carbohydrate intake needs to be spread over the day rather than taken all at once. This can be achieved by including carbohydrate in all meals and snacks.
Carbohydrate target per day = TARGET
Example Carbohydrate distribution
| Breakfast |
20%
|
| Snack |
7%
|
| Lunch |
20%
|
| Snack |
7%
|
| Evening meal |
30%
|
| Snack |
6%
|
| Sports drinks |
10%
|
|
Carbohydrate
total
|
100%
of TARGET
|
Achieving your carbohydrate target.
The attached list will help you achieve your carbohydrate target. Remember to combine this information with the Summary Nutritional Guidelines for professional athlete.
| Food |
Portion
size
|
Carbohydrate
per portion
|
| Breakfast cereals | ||
| Cornflakes |
1
small bowl (30g)
|
26
|
| Rice krispies |
1
small bowl (30g)
|
27
|
| Cheerios |
1
small bowl (30g)
|
23
|
| Shredded wheat |
2
(45g)
|
31
|
| Weetabix |
2
(40g)
|
30
|
| All bran |
1
small bowl (40g)
|
19
|
| Sultana Bran |
1
small bowl (30g)
|
20
|
| Porridge |
1
small bowl (160g)
|
14
|
| Muesli |
1
small bowl (50g)
|
34
|
| Grains / Pasta | ||
| Couscous |
5
tbsps (150g)
|
77
|
| Brown rice |
6
tbsps (180g)
|
58
|
| White rice |
6
tbsps (180g)
|
56
|
| Basmati |
4
tbsps (60g)
|
48
|
| Instant noodles |
4
tbsps (230g cooked)
|
30
|
| Spaghetti |
4
tbsps (230g cooked)
|
43
|
| Macaroni |
4
tbsps (220g cooked)
|
49
|
| Bread | ||
| Bagel |
1
(90g)
|
46
|
| Baguette |
3
inches (40g)
|
22
|
| White bread |
1
large slice (38g)
|
18
|
| Wholemeal bread |
1
large slice (38g)
|
16
|
| Large roll |
1
(55g)
|
25
|
| Pizza |
1
large slice (115g)
|
38
|
| Pitta bread |
1
large (75g)
|
43
|
| Crackers or Crispbreads | ||
| Puffed crispbread |
1
(10g)
|
7
|
| Ryvita |
1
(10g)
|
7
|
| Water biscuit |
1
(8g)
|
6
|
| Rice cakes |
1
(8g)
|
6
|
| Biscuits | ||
| Digestives |
1
(15g)
|
10
|
| Potatoes | ||
| Baked |
1
medium (180g)
|
28
|
| Boiled new potatoes |
7
small (175g)
|
27
|
| Mashed |
4
tbsp (180g)
|
28
|
| Fruit | ||
| Melon |
1
slice (200g)
|
6
|
| Pineapple |
1
slice (80g)
|
8
|
| Raisins |
1
tbsp (30g)
|
21
|
| Apricots |
1
(40g)
|
3
|
| Banana |
1
(100g)
|
23
|
| Grapes |
1
small bunch (100g)
|
15
|
| Kiwi |
1
(68g)
|
6
|
| Mango |
½
(75g)
|
11
|
| Orange |
1
(208g)
|
12
|
| Peach |
1
(121g)
|
8
|
| Plum |
1
(58g)
|
5
|
| Sultanas |
1
tbsp (18g)
|
12
|
| Drinks | ||
| Apple juice |
1
glass (160ml)
|
16
|
| Orange juice |
1
glass (160ml)
|
14
|
| Isostar |
250
ml can
|
18
|
| Diluting Squash (made up from 50mls concentrate) |
250ml
glass
|
14
|
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