Cycling and low carb

Hello everyone I'm new to this part of the forum. I am returning to low carb after being away for a LONG time. Seems my body doesn't respond well to high carb low fat diet these days. I have about 25 pounds to loose. I am 40 this year and had a total abdominal hysterectomy last year about this time. I'm giving you all my info in hopes some other ladies can tell me how their weight loss went after TAH. For me it's been like pounding my head against s brick wall.

The other thing is cycling. Historically I've been a long distance cyclist. Now that I'm doing low carb I'm not sure how to do this? I assume some of you eat more carbs on days like this? Since I started the diet about a three days ago I haven't done any long rides. My max has been 25 miles about 90 minutes which burns about 1100 calories for me. I want to run a half marathon next May also so I'm trying to figure out the same thing there? Last time i did low carb was when it was the Adkins New Diet Revolution and I played video games all day. I'm venturing in to new territory now.

Replies

  • SuperCarLori
    SuperCarLori Posts: 1,248 Member
    If you're on day three, you may want to game hard until you're adapted, then start exercise. :)
  • ambergem1969
    ambergem1969 Posts: 224 Member
    Keto is supposed to be fantastic for long distance endurance sports - once you are fat adapted your body will easily go in search of energy from your fat stores rather than needing readily available glycogen at all times...so less/no bonking! However, until you are fat adapted, training is going to be tougher so...yeah...gaming and light exercise (i.e. don't look for big performance improvements for a while) is a better bet. If you are training, keep those electrolytes up!
  • Persephone7676
    Persephone7676 Posts: 91 Member
    Awesome, I have done a couple of rides, the first was the hardest. Second one wasn't as bad but I made some bone broth to drink after. That helped a lot I think. I'm also doing cross fit right now. I guess I will expect that to be a bit harder than usual too. I feel pretty good today actually. So maybe I'm already adapting. I have an A1c of 5.0 so I didn't have much glycogen reserve to begin with.
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    @lodro should be able to speak intelligently re LCHF with regard to cycling. I've tagged him here so he'll see this post and hopefully comment.
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    edited September 2016
    Hello everyone I'm new to this part of the forum. I am returning to low carb after being away for a LONG time. Seems my body doesn't respond well to high carb low fat diet these days. I have about 25 pounds to loose. I am 40 this year and had a total abdominal hysterectomy last year about this time. I'm giving you all my info in hopes some other ladies can tell me how their weight loss went after TAH. For me it's been like pounding my head against s brick wall.

    The other thing is cycling. Historically I've been a long distance cyclist. Now that I'm doing low carb I'm not sure how to do this? I assume some of you eat more carbs on days like this? Since I started the diet about a three days ago I haven't done any long rides. My max has been 25 miles about 90 minutes which burns about 1100 calories for me. I want to run a half marathon next May also so I'm trying to figure out the same thing there? Last time i did low carb was when it was the Adkins New Diet Revolution and I played video games all day. I'm venturing in to new territory now.

    wait until you are keto adapted (ie, give it at least 6 weeks, but may be more as per your individual response) and then look into MCT oil use, perhaps using a ketone race fuel. However, if you are keto adapted you'll find like me (ultracycling) that you can fuel long rides on a tub of mascarpone or some spoons of MCT oil if need be. This gives immense freedom, especially if riding audaxes or similar, because you don't have to worry about carb fueling every hour.

    Make sure to keep up the fluid and the electrolytes: you'll have to drink more than you did previously. I adapted my bike to be able to carry more large bottles because of this.

    PS, I use ketocana, http://www.prototypenutrition.com/ketocana.html and usually load one bottle with it, for instance to drink before major climbs on the route. I'm using it less and less though.
  • Persephone7676
    Persephone7676 Posts: 91 Member
    lodro thanks for that information. I have never heard of MCT oil until now. I'm still playing around with calories and all, not sure if I'm overdoing calories on some days or not. It's still early so I suppose I'll have to play around with it. Today I was starving but I suspect it's b/c I'm not recovering well as my quads are still sore. Normally that has faded by day 2 after a workout. I can't have chocolate milk any longer and don't know if I really need something like that anyways b/c of the higher protein intake?
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    lodro thanks for that information. I have never heard of MCT oil until now. I'm still playing around with calories and all, not sure if I'm overdoing calories on some days or not. It's still early so I suppose I'll have to play around with it. Today I was starving but I suspect it's b/c I'm not recovering well as my quads are still sore. Normally that has faded by day 2 after a workout. I can't have chocolate milk any longer and don't know if I really need something like that anyways b/c of the higher protein intake?

    when I started out on keto, I didn't worry that much about being over a calorie goal, as long as I ate to the right macro ratio and stayed in ketosis. Then, after a few months, I tracked calories as well as macros and developed a pattern of eating that was predictable and steady: I taught myself to eat the keto way. Now, if I'm on a bike ride, again, I'll focus on keto food and calorie goals take the back seat.

    For instance, last week, I did a 100 km ride out to a favorite camping spot on an island: did have lots to drink (with salt in it, really helpful) and had dinner, to my macro ratio after the ride, and again lots to drink.

    Next morning cycled around the island, and breakfasted with cheese and cold cuts (and coffee, of course, haha), then stopped halfway to eat 250g of mascarpone, with some salt and pepper, straight from the tub. Drank copiously again. Hopped on the ferry midday, then on the train, and ate when I got home at about 6 PM.

    When I'm on a ride, I figure that calories that I take in get thrown into a deep hole, caloriewise. So I don't pay attention to that. But I do stick to my macros and I tend to favor foods that give me a good bang for the buck. I learned the hard way that large meals on a ride are not for me. But everyone's body is different.

    If you're starving, eat something with fats! I don't think you need chocolate milk, but if you're sore longer than you expected to be, mind your electrolytes while on the bike. And also, cramps are often a sign of simple muscle fatigue, so extending training will really make a difference with that too. Happy riding!