Carb Timing for Hybrid Athletes: The Basics

Ever feel sluggish during a workout even though you “ate enough”?

Or finish a long run totally depleted despite eating a banana beforehand?

That’s not just about how much you ate, it’s when you ate it.

If you're training like a hybrid athlete, balancing strength, endurance, and sometimes double sessions, getting your carb timing right can be a game-changer.

Why Carb Timing Matters

Carbs are your body’s preferred fuel source for both lifting and running.

They’re stored in muscles and liver as glycogen, and when those stores are low, performance drops.

Fast.

So when you eat your carbs matters just as much as how many you eat.

And if your body comp isn’t improving despite training hard, poor carb timing might be one reason why. (Why Body Composition Matters More Than You Think covers how performance and physique outcomes connect  and where most people go wrong.)

The 2 Key Times to Prioritize Carbs

Think of your day in three zones:

1. Pre-Workout (1–3 hours before)

You want to top off glycogen stores before training.

Especially if it’s intense or long.

• What to eat: Easy-to-digest carbs like white rice, oats, toast, banana, or a small bagel.

• How much: 25–75g+ depending on the size and intensity of the workout.

• Example: Morning lifters might benefit from a banana + a few rice cakes 30–60 min before training.

 2. Post-Workout (within 2 hours)

After training, your muscles are primed to absorb carbs like a sponge.

This speeds up recovery and gets you ready for the next session.

• What to eat:

  • Immediately after (<15 mins): Fast digesting carbs: rice cakes, apple sauce, rice krispie treats.

  • Within an hour or two: Lean protein + moderate to high GI carbs (e.g., rice, potatoes, cereal, fruit).

• Note On Carbs Immediately Following Workout:

  • Eating some carbs immediately following a hard workout is particularly important if you want to optimize glycogen replenishment. ESPECIALLY if you are doing double sessions.

  • I typically take in 40-60g of carbs within 10-15 minutes of finishing any hard running/Hyrox high-intensity session of 40-60 mins. 

Carb Timing Based on Session Type

• Lift Only: Light pre-workout carbs are enough. Post-lift carbs still matter for recovery.

• Endurance Only: More pre-training carbs. Longer sessions may need intra-session carbs too.

• Double Days: Prioritize post-workout carbs after session #1 and pre-fuel for session #2.

• Early Morning Sessions: Consider fast-digesting carbs 15–30 min prior (banana, honey, sports drink).

Simple Carb Timing Rules

1. Anchor carbs around workouts. Fuel up before, refill after.

2. Eat fewer carbs away from training. Use fats and protein to stay satiated.

3. Use fast carbs for performance, slow carbs for meals. Rice cakes vs potatoes.

4. Stay consistent. One well-timed meal doesn’t fix a week of under-fueling.

Final Takeaway

You don’t need to count grams obsessively.

You just need to time your carbs around your training so your body has the fuel it needs when it needs it.

If you train hard and recover smart, everything else gets easier.

Call to Action:

Try this: for your next 3 training days, eat 25–50g of carbs about 60 minutes before your session. 

And following the high-intensity sessions, try to take in 20-40g of fast-digesting carbs immediately after.

And if you want a personalized nutrition and training plan that matches your schedule, your goals, and your performance demands, click here to learn about my 1-on-1 coaching. I’ll help you dial it all in.

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