carbo load

Idioms & Phrases

carbo load

Consume a large amount of carbohydrate food, as in Karen began carbo loading three days before the road race. This term, a clipping of "carbohydrate loading," originated among marathon runners, who were advised to build up their strength before a race by eating quantities of foods like spaghetti. [1970s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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