The High-Carbohydrate Fueling Revolution: What the Science Actually Says Based on a talk by Dr. Patrick Benjamin Wilson, Old Dominion University — presented at the ACSM Southeast Chapter Conference Elite endurance athletes today are consuming 100, 120 or 200 grams of carbohydrates per hour during competition. Sports nutrition products have never been more sophisticated, more palatable, or more portable. The message from coaches, sports dietitians, and pro athletes seems clear: more carbs, faster performance. But is the science keeping pace? I recently attended the ACSM Southeast Chapter conference and listened to this insightful talk by Dr. Patrick Benjamin Wilson of Old Dominion University. He took a hard look at where the research actually stands and what it still can't tell us about high carb fueling. How We Got Here: A Brief History of Carb Fueling Guidelines 2009 – ACSM recommended 30–60 g/hr to maintain blood glucose levels during exercise. 2011 – Bu...
Coaches: Words matter. Telling an athlete to “lose weight” might seem performance-focused but it can trigger disordered eating, damage confidence, and negatively impact performance. Even if the intent is well-meaning, athletes don’t hire a coach for body criticism. They need someone who cares about strength, power, skill, effort, energy, fatigue management, recovery, consistency, confidence, joy, longevity and mental and physical health. Strong and successful athletes come in different sizes, shapes and weights. Coaches: don’t put your focus on making your athletes smaller. Make their potential bigger.