Such low carbs....can I still perform?

KathleenKP · April 2013

I have been plateaued for a couple months with my weight loss. I have also been exercising intensely, typically 11 or 12 hours a week. I'm holding steady with my weight AND my measurements. While I'm sure I am gaining muscle from the workouts, I may also be losing some muscle due to my diet.

I very recently cut back on the sugars, and am following the plan here. My workouts are seriously being affected. I'm dragging. (And not even sure if I'm losing weight yet!). Before I was following Weight Watchers, so still eating pretty well, but with more fruit. Still not much in the complex carbs. I don't eat many simple carbs, even before, except for occasional chocolate binges.

I think I was probably under eating, so I'm working on adding in about 30 grams of protein and some fats from avocados and nuts each day. I don't want to add a lot of volume, because that has always been my eating issue...no need to train myself to eat more volume!

*****Can I cut back on the sugars/carbs like this and still expect to perform as before in my workouts????*****

pegasus925 · April 2013

I do intense workouts and training for a marathon.
I eat no sugar and 2 ounces of vegetable pasta a day.
The rest is protein, 2 apples and vegetables.

It took about 2-3 weeks for my body to balance out and I was wiped at workouts but now I'm fine.
I just pushed myself to 12 minute miles and Im very pleased with myself

albertabeefy · April 2013

I have been plateaued for a couple months with my weight loss. I have also been exercising intensely, typically 11 or 12 hours a week. I'm holding steady with my weight AND my measurements. While I'm sure I am gaining muscle from the workouts, I may also be losing some muscle due to my diet.

Quick fyi, if you're dieting, you're not gaining muscle ... you'll gain in strength (ie: recruit more existing muscle fiber to complete a task) but you don't gain muscle except in very rare circumstances in very rare people.

I very recently cut back on the sugars, and am following the plan here. My workouts are seriously being affected. I'm dragging. (And not even sure if I'm losing weight yet!). Before I was following Weight Watchers, so still eating pretty well, but with more fruit. Still not much in the complex carbs. I don't eat many simple carbs, even before, except for occasional chocolate binges.

Without seeing your diary I can't comment here. Personally I often eat only 40 to 70g of carbohydrate a day, and fuel approximately 10 hours of exercise per week on that just fine - but I'm ketogenic.

If your carb intake is too low to fuel workouts, but not low-enough to be keto-adapted, then yes, you likely cannot perform well. Again, I'd have to see your diary to know if this might be what's happening.

I think I was probably under eating, so I'm working on adding in about 30 grams of protein and some fats from avocados and nuts each day. I don't want to add a lot of volume, because that has always been my eating issue...no need to train myself to eat more volume!

*****Can I cut back on the sugars/carbs like this and still expect to perform as before in my workouts????*****

If you're under calorie need dramatically, you'll likely not have the energy to perform.

If you're eating too-few carbs for optimum glucose-fueled performance, but not so low as to put you in ketosis and become keto-adapted (where you primarily burn fat for fuel), then you'll not have the energy to perform.

That's been my experience with reduced carbohydrate intake and heavy exercisers.

Loftearmen · April 2013

Why don't you look into the carb nite solution if you're thinking about keto dieting. I have been running it 3 months on 1 month balanced diet at maintenance for two cycles now. I started at 350lbs with approximately 30% bf and am now 310lbs with approximately 23% bf. It's the best way to keep muscle while cutting.

ArroganceInStep · April 2013

Why don't you look into the carb nite solution if you're thinking about keto dieting. I have been running it 3 months on 1 month balanced diet at maintenance for two cycles now. I started at 350lbs with approximately 30% bf and am now 310lbs with approximately 23% bf. It's the best way to keep muscle while cutting.

What are your workouts like?

ETA: That question was at the OP, quoted the wrong thing.

Lupercalia · April 2013

Who knows? There's a lot of missing info. Perhaps unlock your diary?

Also tell us about your workouts--what are they like? Duration, frequency, what do you do?

Like Albertabeefy, I manage ok on 40-70g carbohydrate/day on average. I work out pretty hard 5 to 6 times per week, strength training 3 of those days, with some metabolic conditioning tacked on to the ends of those workouts. Kettlebell training in a cardio interval style on the other days.

I was trying to stay under 50g all the time, but found that was just slightly too little on a daily basis. Bumping up to 60/70g on certain days made all the difference.

KathleenKP · April 2013

Let me figure out how to unlock my diary. I just started tracking here a couple days ago, but it's typical of how I eat except that I cut my fruit consumption in half and I haven't had any chocolatein the last couple of days. I've been tracking on paper with the Weight Watchers program until I started here the other day.

So this is my weekly workout routine (I do all of this every week):

I swim 2 miles, three times per week. I swim IMs, not just free. On a team, with a coach. Always been a swimmer.

I run 3-4 miles, three times per week, and walk an aditional 1-1.5 miles as warm up/ cool down. I'm slower, trying to do speed work with sprints/walking. Usually pace is 5.5mph when I run distance work. For spedwork days, I've been working the main set at 1) 6mph and 2) 1 min sprints at 7mph followed by 90 sec walk. Been running since Jan 2 this year.

I take spin (cycle) classes at the gym, twice per week right now, 14-15 miles per class. This is new for me in the last month.

I weight lift, using a cardio circuit, 45-60 minutes, three times per week.

I do Zumba, 1-2 hours per week.

ArroganceInStep · April 2013

Let me figure out how to unlock my diary. I just started tracking here a couple days ago, but it's typical of how I eat except that I cut my fruit consumption in half and I haven't had any chocolatein the last couple of days. I've been tracking on paper with the Weight Watchers program until I started here the other day.

So this is my weekly workout routine (I do all of this every week):

I swim 2 miles, three times per week. I swim IMs, not just free. On a team, with a coach. Always been a swimmer.

I run 3-4 miles, three times per week, and walk an aditional 1-1.5 miles as warm up/ cool down. I'm slower, trying to do speed work with sprints/walking. Usually pace is 5.5mph when I run distance work. For spedwork days, I've been working the main set at 1) 6mph and 2) 1 min sprints at 7mph followed by 90 sec walk. Been running since Jan 2 this year.

I take spin (cycle) classes at the gym, twice per week right now, 14-15 miles per class. This is new for me in the last month.

I weight lift, using a cardio circuit, 45-60 minutes, three times per week.

I do Zumba, 1-2 hours per week.

You might not, but my guess is that carbs would help with your workouts. I know if I were doing that much I'd need them.

jimmmer · April 2013

This much endurance work needs some carbs..... or else you'll be a sad panda.......

ETA eating at a deficit and doing endurance style training won't build any real muscle (only in a severely detrained individual, and only at the very beginning...)

Such low carbs....can I still perform?

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