Eating the right nutrients before a workout can maximize performance and speed up recovery. Carbohydrates are one of the most important nutrients to consume pre-workout. But is 50 grams of carbs before a workout a good target?
How Many Carbs Do You Need Before Exercise?
The optimal amount of carbs to eat before exercise depends on many factors:
- Your fitness goals – Endurance athletes need more carbs than strength trainers
- Intensity and duration of the workout
- Personal metabolism and digestive tolerance
- Gender – Men can store more glycogen than women
- Size – Larger people need more pre-workout carbs
As a general guideline, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 1-4 grams of carbs per kg of body weight in the 24 hours before prolonged endurance exercise. This equates to:
- 150-600 grams of carbs for a 150 lb (68 kg) person
- 200-800 grams for a 200 lb (91 kg) person
- 250-1,000 grams for a 250 lb (114 kg) person
For shorter, moderate-high intensity workouts, aim for 1-3 grams of carbs per kg of body weight 3-4 hours before the session. So 50 grams of carbs could be adequate for a smaller person doing a weight training workout.
Why You Need Carbs Before Exercise
Consuming carbs before exercise is important because it:
- Maximizes glycogen stores – Glycogen provides quick energy for muscles
- Maintains blood glucose during exercise
- Delays fatigue and enhances performance
- Improves stamina and endurance
- Prevents protein breakdown for energy
During exercise, your body relies heavily on blood glucose and glycogen for fuel. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose in muscles and liver. If glycogen is depleted, you’ll fatigue quicker.
Without adequate pre-workout carbs, blood sugar drops which causes you to feel tired and weak. You’ll have to slow down or stop early.
Optimal Carb Sources Before Exercise
Choose high-quality complex carbs that are low in fiber and easy to digest before workouts. Good options include:
- Whole wheat bread
- Bagels, English muffins
- Bananas
- Oatmeal, cream of wheat
- White rice
- Pasta
- Potatoes
- Fruit juice
- Sports drinks
- Energy gels and bars
Avoid high fiber foods like beans, lentils, and cruciferous veggies which can cause gas and bloating.
When to Eat Carbs Around Your Workout
Timing your carb intake correctly before and after exercise maximizes performance:
- 1-4 hours pre: Eat a light carbohydrate-rich meal or snack. This tops up glycogen levels and avoids hunger.
- 60-15 minutes pre: Have a small carb-dense snack if your workout is >60 minutes.
- During: Consume 30-60 grams carbs per hour from drinks or gels to maintain energy.
- Immediately post: Eat a carb and protein-rich meal or snack to refuel glycogen, build muscle.
Split your target total carb grams into multiple smaller meals and snacks spaced out over the day. Don’t load up on too many carbs right before exercise – this can lead to mid-workout digestive issues.
Carb Loading Strategies
For endurance events or very long workouts, you may benefit from carb loading. This maximizes glycogen storage over 24-48 hours:
- Perform light exercise early in the week which depletes glycogen.
- Eat high-carb foods for the next 2-3 days while cutting back on activity.
- Glycogen super-compensates, peaking at 150-350% above normal.
Aim for 8-12 grams of carbs per kg of body weight daily while carb loading. Timed correctly, this strategy can boost endurance and delay fatigue.
Is 50g of Carbs Before a Workout Optimal?
Whether 50 grams of carbs is the right amount before exercise depends on the individual and situation:
- Body Size – 50g may be sufficient for a smaller athlete, but inadequate for larger persons.
- Fitness Goals – Endurance athletes need more pre-workout carbs than strength trainers.
- Gender – Women can often get by with less than men due to differences in metabolism.
- Workout Duration – Longer workouts require more pre-exercise carbs.
As a general rule of thumb:
- 50g carbs or 0.5 grams per pound of body weight is suitable before moderate workouts (~30-60 minutes).
- For longer or high-intensity training, 70-100g+ pre-workout carbs is better.
- Ultra-endurance athletes may need up to 200-300g of carbs before an event.
Pay attention to how you feel during and after workouts when eating 50 grams of carbs pre-exercise. Adjust your intake up or down as needed to find the optimal range.
50g of Carbs Is Equivalent To:
| Food | Carbs |
|---|---|
| Medium banana | 27g |
| 1 cup blueberries | 21g |
| 1 cup Cheerios | 20g |
| 1 medium whole wheat pita | 35g |
| 2 slices whole wheat bread | 30g |
| 1 cup cooked pasta | 40g |
Mix and match different carb sources to add up to around 50 grams.
Benefits of Eating 50g of Carbs Pre-Workout
Potential benefits of consuming around 50 grams of carbs before exercise include:
- AvoidsLow Glycogen Levels – Restocks muscle and liver glycogen from overnight fast.
- Enhances Moderate-High Intensity Training – Provides fuel for 60-90 minute workouts.
- Prevents Hypoglycemia – Helps maintain blood glucose when training.
- Boosts Mental Focus – Carbs are the brain’s preferred fuel source.
- Curbs Appetite – Less likely to overeat post-workout.
- Prevents Muscle Breakdown – Adequate glucose reduces need for protein catabolism.
- Improves Recovery – Quicker muscle repair and replenishment of glycogen.
Overall, 50g of pre-workout carbs can enhance exercise capacity and performance for 60-90 minute workouts. It’s also easy to consume from regular meals and snacks.
Potential Drawbacks of 50g of Pre-Workout Carbs
While adequate, 50 grams of carbs before exercise does have some potential downsides:
- May be insufficient for large athletes, intense training, or endurance sports.
- Some individuals do better with more or less carbs.
- Could lead to mid-workout crashes if carbs are mainly simple sugars.
- Excessive carb intake promotes fat storage.
- May cause bloating or cramping if carbs don’t digest well.
Pay attention to your energy levels, gut comfort, and performance when trying 50g. Increase or decrease this amount to find your carb tolerance sweet spot.
Pre-Workout Meal Ideas with 50g Carbs
Here are some balanced pre-workout meal ideas providing around 50g carbs:
Option 1
- 1 cup oatmeal cooked in milk
- 1 medium banana
- 2 eggs
- Water
Option 2
- 2 slices whole grain toast with 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup berries
- Water
Option 3
- Lean chicken sandwich on whole grain bread
- Baby carrots
- 1 medium apple
- Water
Option 4
- Bowl of whole grain cereal with milk
- 1 cup pineapple
- Hard boiled egg
- Water
Aim for carb sources higher in fiber and protein to provide long-lasting energy.
Pre-Workout Snacks With 50g Carbs
If you don’t have time for a full meal before your workout, try one of these smaller 50g carb snacks:
Snack 1
- Energy bar
- 16 oz sports drink
Snack 2
- 1 cup fruit smoothie with whey protein powder
- Energy gel
Snack 3
- Peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread
Snack 4
- 1 large baked sweet potato
- 1 tbsp almond butter
Convenient snacks help fuel your workout when you’re short on time.
Modifying Carb Intake Before Exercise
Track your energy levels, gut comfort, and athletic performance to fine tune carb intake before workouts:
- Increase pre-workout carbs if you experience fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness, or muscle cramping during exercise.
- Reduce carbs if you have bloating, indigestion, heaviness, or sluggishness after eating.
- Time carb intake closer to exercise if you crash mid-workout.
- Have most carbs after training if body composition or weight loss is a major goal.
Take notes on how different carb amounts impact your workouts. Finding the sweet spot takes some trial and error.
Pre-Workout Carb Tips
Here are some final tips for optimal fueling around workouts:
- Test different carb amounts to find your ideal intake.
- Time carb-rich meals and snacks 1-4 hours before training.
- Eat easily digested carbs – avoid excessive fat, protein, or fiber.
- Drink fluids with carbs during long exercise.
- Reload glycogen fast post-workout with carbs + protein.
- Reduce carbs closer to exercise if you feel heavy.
The Bottom Line
Consuming around 50 grams of carbohydrates before exercise can provide energy for moderate- to high-intensity training lasting 60-90 minutes for a lot of people.
However, optimal carb intake varies based on individual goals, gender, size, fitness level, workout duration, and personal tolerance.
Pay attention to your body’s signals. Adjust higher or lower than 50g of pre-workout carbs to optimize energy, performance, and recovery.
