How Many Carbs Should I Eat as an Athlete?

If you’re an athlete, you probably need more carbohydrates than you think. Carbohydrates are one of your body’s primary sources of fuel during exercise, particularly during higher-intensity or longer-duration training. Eating enough carbohydrates throughout the day helps maximize your muscle glycogen stores—the carbohydrate your body stores in your muscles and uses for energy during training and competition. If you consistently under-eat carbohydrates, you may notice lower energy, reduced performance, or difficulty recovering between workouts.

Your carbohydrate needs depend on how much, how often, and how intensely you train. An athlete exercising for several hours each day will need significantly more carbohydrate than someone doing a few short workouts each week. Good sources include rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, oats, cereal, fruit, tortillas, and other grains and starches. Rather than being something you need to limit, carbohydrates should be a major part of an athlete’s overall eating pattern.

It can also be helpful to have a carbohydrate-rich snack before training or competition. Eating some carbohydrates in the hours before exercise—and sometimes closer to the start of an event—provides your body with readily available glucose that can be used by your muscles for fuel. Foods such as fruit, toast, cereal, granola bars, pretzels, or sports drinks can work well depending on the timing and intensity of the activity. The goal isn't to avoid sugar before exercise; quickly digested carbohydrates can be particularly useful when you need readily available energy.

There isn't one carbohydrate target that works for every athlete. Your needs will change based on your sport, training schedule, body size, and goals. A registered dietitian can help you determine how much carbohydrate you need and how to distribute it throughout the day to support training, competition, recovery, and overall health.