Free calculator
Game-day carb calculator
How many carbs to eat on training days, before a game, and during it.
Where the numbers come from
Carbohydrate is the main fuel for fast, stop-and-go sports. Sports nutrition guidelines set daily carbs by training load: about 3 to 5 g per kg on light days, 5 to 7 on moderate days and 6 to 10 when training hard for hours.
Before a game, 1 to 4 g per kg eaten 1 to 4 hours ahead tops up your stores: the closer to the game, the smaller the meal. During play that lasts more than about an hour, 30 to 60 g of carbs an hour keeps your energy up.
What that looks like
A cup of cooked rice has about 45 g of carbs, a medium banana about 27 g, a bagel about 50 g. See the food pages for any food.
Questions
How many carbs should I eat before a game?
About 1 to 4 g per kg of body weight in the 1 to 4 hours before: around 1 g per kg an hour ahead, up to 4 g per kg in a meal 4 hours before.
Do I need carbs during a game?
For games under about an hour, usually not. For longer games, tournaments or back-to-back games, 30 to 60 g an hour helps.
Is carb loading worth it for team sports?
Full carb loading is for endurance events over about 90 minutes. For most team sports, a carb-rich day before and a good pre-game meal are enough.
What are good pre-game carbs?
Easy-to-digest foods like rice, pasta, bread, bagels, oatmeal, bananas and fruit, with little fat or fibre close to the game.
Sources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568.
- Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
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