109. I carb loaded but didn't race as planned.. Do I need to compensate today? ASK A SPORTS DIETITIAN

What happens when you perfectly carb load for a big event… and then it gets cancelled halfway through?

In this episode, I dive into one of the most common fears cyclists face — “Have I eaten too much?” — and explain why one day, or one meal, won’t make you gain fat overnight. Using my own experience in Majorca, I share what happened when I prepped for a 320km ride, only to pull the pin after 100km due to storms and torrential rain.

We explore what happens inside your body when you carb load, why your weight might fluctuate, and how that’s often just water and glycogen — not body fat. I also break down what I actually ate before and during the ride, what I burned, and how the numbers show it’s almost impossible to “overeat” when you’re fuelling properly for performance.

This episode is all about understanding the difference between fuel and fear, and learning how to work with your body instead of against it. Because when you start viewing nutrition as strategy rather than punishment, that’s when you become a truly well-fuelled cyclist.

Key themes:

• Why carb loading increases weight (and why that’s a good thing)

• The difference between glycogen, water, and body fat

• How to mentally handle unexpected race day changes

• The role of fuel timing before, during and after training

• Why using exercise as punishment never works

• The importance of course correction, not restriction

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