Carb Diet Ranges

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My husband and I are starting to do the low carb thing. My goal on most days is going to be between 20-50 grams of carbs a day. However, what range should I aim for on days that we work out? 50-100? 50-80?

Any advice or knowledge you have to share from your experiences doing low carbs would be appreciated as well.

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    You might try one of the low carb groups instead of the general forum. Not a low carber myself (no medical issues & won't be a lifestyle change for me).

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
  • minniemoo1972
    minniemoo1972 Posts: 295 Member
    edited July 2016
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    It's more of a lifestyle change than a quick fix though. ...depending on if you want keto or not will determine levels and keto levels you don't get a lapse day ....its low all the time.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited July 2016
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    You can get all the energy that you need for working out from fats. The glycogen levels of people in ketosis are normal. They're just better at using fat, because their enzymes for fatty acid catabolism are up-regulated.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    lithezebra wrote: »
    You can get all the energy that you need for working out from fats. The glycogen levels of people in ketosis are normal. They're just better at using fat, because their enzymes for fatty acid catabolism are up-regulated.

    Are they? Never heard that before - does it also apply when someone is losing weight?
    I ask as the endurance athletes I've heard of do fuel their events with carefully controlled carb intake.

    But I guess it depends what the OP means by "workout" - that could vary from 250 - 2000 cals for me so dosage would be very different.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    Nothing to add other than I keep reading this as "Rangers" and thinking these low carbers just got real serious.
  • Vowder
    Vowder Posts: 378 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    You can get all the energy that you need for working out from fats. The glycogen levels of people in ketosis are normal. They're just better at using fat, because their enzymes for fatty acid catabolism are up-regulated.

    Are they? Never heard that before - does it also apply when someone is losing weight?
    I ask as the endurance athletes I've heard of do fuel their events with carefully controlled carb intake.

    But I guess it depends what the OP means by "workout" - that could vary from 250 - 2000 cals for me so dosage would be very different.

    There is a book called Primal Endurance that talks about the science and how and why it works. Great read.

    There are more and more athletes that are switching to low carb. Once your body is "fat adapted", in that it can burn your fats for fuel, you will never run out of calories. Just think about it, at 3,500 calories/lb of fat a very lean (5% body fat) person will be 7.5 lbs of fat on their body with a caloric value of over 26,000 calories.

    This is the most extreme case. Almost everyone has more fat than that on them and will not want to go below 5% body fat... but you get the idea.

    Just imagine having 26,000 calories available to use... you no longer risk bonking. At least not from running out of glycogen.

  • eyecandyrayce
    eyecandyrayce Posts: 260 Member
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm going over to the Low Carber forums to do research.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Vowder wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    You can get all the energy that you need for working out from fats. The glycogen levels of people in ketosis are normal. They're just better at using fat, because their enzymes for fatty acid catabolism are up-regulated.

    Are they? Never heard that before - does it also apply when someone is losing weight?
    I ask as the endurance athletes I've heard of do fuel their events with carefully controlled carb intake.

    But I guess it depends what the OP means by "workout" - that could vary from 250 - 2000 cals for me so dosage would be very different.

    There is a book called Primal Endurance that talks about the science and how and why it works. Great read.

    There are more and more athletes that are switching to low carb. Once your body is "fat adapted", in that it can burn your fats for fuel, you will never run out of calories. Just think about it, at 3,500 calories/lb of fat a very lean (5% body fat) person will be 7.5 lbs of fat on their body with a caloric value of over 26,000 calories.

    This is the most extreme case. Almost everyone has more fat than that on them and will not want to go below 5% body fat... but you get the idea.

    Just imagine having 26,000 calories available to use... you no longer risk bonking. At least not from running out of glycogen.
    Only if your exercise is low intensity.

    I'm quite well fat burning adapted (through my exercise rather than through my diet) but my exercise is at an intensity that just using fat as the majority fuel isn't enough.

    Even on long events my intensity means that fat isn't even meeting half my energy requirements.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    edited July 2016
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    No need to increase carbs on higher activity days unless you want your body to still rely on glucose for fuel. Not actually needed.
    sijomial wrote: »
    Vowder wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    You can get all the energy that you need for working out from fats. The glycogen levels of people in ketosis are normal. They're just better at using fat, because their enzymes for fatty acid catabolism are up-regulated.

    Are they? Never heard that before - does it also apply when someone is losing weight?
    I ask as the endurance athletes I've heard of do fuel their events with carefully controlled carb intake.

    But I guess it depends what the OP means by "workout" - that could vary from 250 - 2000 cals for me so dosage would be very different.

    There is a book called Primal Endurance that talks about the science and how and why it works. Great read.

    There are more and more athletes that are switching to low carb. Once your body is "fat adapted", in that it can burn your fats for fuel, you will never run out of calories. Just think about it, at 3,500 calories/lb of fat a very lean (5% body fat) person will be 7.5 lbs of fat on their body with a caloric value of over 26,000 calories.

    This is the most extreme case. Almost everyone has more fat than that on them and will not want to go below 5% body fat... but you get the idea.

    Just imagine having 26,000 calories available to use... you no longer risk bonking. At least not from running out of glycogen.
    Only if your exercise is low intensity.

    I'm quite well fat burning adapted (through my exercise rather than through my diet) but my exercise is at an intensity that just using fat as the majority fuel isn't enough.

    Even on long events my intensity means that fat isn't even meeting half my energy requirements.

    Those who are fat adapted (in ketosis for a few months) have an amazing ability to use fat for fuel. The fat oxidation levels are much higher than was previously expected. Two to three times higher. For them, fat is enough.
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049515003340
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    No need to increase carbs on higher activity days unless you want your body to still rely on glucose for fuel. Not actually needed.
    sijomial wrote: »
    Vowder wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    You can get all the energy that you need for working out from fats. The glycogen levels of people in ketosis are normal. They're just better at using fat, because their enzymes for fatty acid catabolism are up-regulated.

    Are they? Never heard that before - does it also apply when someone is losing weight?
    I ask as the endurance athletes I've heard of do fuel their events with carefully controlled carb intake.

    But I guess it depends what the OP means by "workout" - that could vary from 250 - 2000 cals for me so dosage would be very different.

    There is a book called Primal Endurance that talks about the science and how and why it works. Great read.

    There are more and more athletes that are switching to low carb. Once your body is "fat adapted", in that it can burn your fats for fuel, you will never run out of calories. Just think about it, at 3,500 calories/lb of fat a very lean (5% body fat) person will be 7.5 lbs of fat on their body with a caloric value of over 26,000 calories.

    This is the most extreme case. Almost everyone has more fat than that on them and will not want to go below 5% body fat... but you get the idea.

    Just imagine having 26,000 calories available to use... you no longer risk bonking. At least not from running out of glycogen.
    Only if your exercise is low intensity.

    I'm quite well fat burning adapted (through my exercise rather than through my diet) but my exercise is at an intensity that just using fat as the majority fuel isn't enough.

    Even on long events my intensity means that fat isn't even meeting half my energy requirements.

    Those who are fat adapted (in ketosis for a few months) have an amazing ability to use fat for fuel. The fat oxidation levels are much higher than was previously expected. Two to three times higher. For them, fat is enough.
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049515003340

    Thanks for that, as a long distance cyclist fuelling is a subject close to my heart!
    The higher levels of fat oxidation aren't surprising of course but doing it at the higher than usual VO2 max levels is interesting.