'Low carb' diet

[Bearbonesnorm]

How long before I become 'fat adapted'???

I've read everything from 3 days to 3 weeks. I've also read that not everyone can become fully adapted.

I'd certainly advise taking some 'back up' carbs with you on your trip. I've found with no carbs I really suffer but add a small amount (doesn't have to be much) and I'm fine.

The changes I've experienced so far haven't really been that positive, they've included, mood swings, tiredness, general lack of interest in anything and if I'm honest, hunger I'm starting to believe that a reduced carb diet rather than a zero or low carb diet is the way forward. If you want to lose weight then it's great but if you actually want to function and are active, then I think some carbs are required.

*All the above might just be me being soft!

[gairym]

The changes I've experienced so far haven't really been that positive, they've included, mood swings, tiredness, general lack of interest in anything and if I'm honest, hunger

same here.

i'm carrying on hoping that it'll all pass but i'm not loving it!

[Ian]

Right, I've been doing this "diet" for about a week now, and so far haven't had any potatoes, rice or pasta and only a small amount of cereal (fortified with nuts and dried fruit) this morning instead of my usual eggs, and no bread since Tuesday. All things considered I don't feel too bad, but I am out on the bike tomorrow with flatfishy, so he can bear witness to how weak and feeble I am on the climbs. I'm about 4 lbs lighter than I was last week. We'll see how next week goes.

[Taylor]

s8tannorm wrote:
The changes I've experienced so far haven't really been that positive, they've included, mood swings, tiredness, general lack of interest in anything and if I'm honest, hunger

The wife talked me into joining her doing a protein shake diet about 6-7 weeks ago. Shake for breakfast and lunch then a healthy dinner.
I lasted nearly 2 weeks before I bailed for all the same symptoms you mention.
About 3-4 days after failure I was feeling pretty much back to normal.
The first week seemed fine but god I was grumpy by week two. Maybe that was the lack of alcohol I was suffering from though.

I am out on the bike tomorrow with flatfishy, so he can bear witness to how weak and feeble I am on the climbs.

You wouldn't believe how happy that quote makes me! :D

[Ian]

This weekends ride will be fuelled by three of these: http://www.multiplydelicious.com/thefoo ... con-cakes/
lentils and chicken for tea, some nuts and 9-bars for breakfast

[Taylor]

I can confirm Ian is weak and feeble.
He's 40 minutes late

[pedalhead]

9 bars are vaguely exciting for riding, though loaded with sugar Ian so not actually low carb

After much trial & error, I've decided that Snickers bars are the best riding snacks for me. I just can't maintain the low carb thing when doing longer rides. 133 miles & 4 snickers last Sunday, 105 miles and 3 snickers today :D . Oh, and a sneaky full sugar Coke stop at 85 miles...I usually can't abide it, but on the bike that stuff is rocket fuel! I guess that's why the Pro Tour riders have flat Coke (or so I've heard).

[gairym]

I'm starting to believe that a reduced carb diet rather than a zero or low carb diet is the way forward.

that's what i like about The Paleo Diet for Athletes book as it (sensibly in my opinion) deals with the inherent carb requirements of endurance sports and offers training and nutritional advice without being all militant about the paleo-ness.

also - 9 bars are brilliant!!! i only came across them recently (when back in the UK) but i'm already addicted!

[Ian]

Well that was an experience. Not felt so empty, cold and disfunctioning at the end of a ride in a long time. Had I have been on my own, I suspect I could have been in a bit of trouble. I don't think the food thing helped, and I need to get at look at that Friel et al book to better understand fuelling requirements while riding ( though 9-bars were consumed on the ride). However, on my return to home little Sophie has been sick over the weekend, so I think I'm suffering some ill-effect from that. Was nearly sick yesterday evening once we (Taylor) had put the tarp up.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Right then, I've been doing this for about 6 or 7 weeks now. I've not excluded all carbs but have certainly haven't had many, what I have had has been in the form of veg. I seem to have settled down into some kind of routine and this is what I've discovered:

I'm over a stone lighter than I was when I started
I don't actually feel any fitter/healthier.
I still get cravings for carbs ... maybe that never subsides.
I'm much less fussy about what I eat ... in fact I'm not that interested in food (until I get a carb craving).
I need some carbs when I'm riding!

Anyone else still playing about with this ... or are you all back on real food ?

[Ian]

I'm over a stone lighter than I was when I started

I was thinking last time I saw you that you could do with loosing a bit of weight

I am still on it in some fashion - about 3 weeks in, 6 lbs lighter. I generally feel OK, though I haven't done a lot of riding due to a knee problem. What bothers me most about the diet is that I can't tell if the weight loss is down to metabolised fat or broken down muscle - the latter is the primary mechanism for fuel when food is scarce.

Have generally managed to avoid bread and pasta and potatoes, but have had rice on occasion. I've eaten a lot of veg, and cooked some very nice things that I wouldn't have done otherwise. Cutting out all carbs isn't feasible I don't think, nor advisable unless you're overweight and looking to slim down. I still need calories on a ride, and and have found I need to put fuel in sooner than I would otherwise have done on a carb-diet. Effectively, I sort of need to carbo-load before a ride, which defeats the whole point I think. Because I don't consume many carbs, my level of muscle glycogen is low and consequently, when I'm hauling myself up that steep climb on the SS, there isn't much in the tank for top-end exercise.

What has been a big PITA is getting primal food while out on the road. Work has had me all over the place lately, and what you start to look at it you realise how much of food is designed around carbs and/or gluten.

[FLV]

I've been procrastinating about trying this out.

Whilst I could definately stand to lose a few lbs (or kilo's) I kno wthat if im not eating the bike performance is nowhere.
I'm considering a Food is Fuel policy and well, just putting in the fuel when needed and low / no carbs when possible.

In preparation ive been browsing the isles of the supermarket. Bearing in mind that i live away from home 3 nights a week and only have a microwave to cook with, its certainly not going to be easy. Also, the canteen here has a choice of sandwiches or sandwiches.

I think i will attempt it though and see what happens.

Giving up the wine and beer will be tough too though

[gairym]

Anyone else still playing about with this ... or are you all back on real food ?

I've now been eating according to the rules of the Paleo for Athletes book (almost exclusively Paleo but with some variations such as more carbs when doing high output activity etc...) for a little over month.

It's not without it's initial short-comings: tiredness, cravings and over-eating other items (fruit and drinking loads of fruit juices) and I did hit a hurdle when dark chocolate was allowed as, to be honest, I've kicked the arse out of that loophole ever since!

But.....now that things have settled down I'm feeling good. I've not lost much weight (and I've got some to lose!) but I think that's because I've massively increased my sugar-high fruit/juice intake and haven't been out on the bike much (due to there being crap-loads of snow recently).

I agree with Ian about feeling like there not being much in the tank and so I feel the need to refuel and keep topping up sooner than normal.

I've also now alienated myself from the entire French population as if there's one thing they understand less than a vegetarian then it's someone who's not eating butter!!!

All-in-all I'm keeping going for now and will see how things change when I take advantage of another mini-cheat that the books rules allow - which is to eat 3 meals (out of 21 weekly meals) that have some of the less-bad carbs in them (rice and potatoes etc...) whilst still avoiding grain-based carbs entirely - maybe that'll help with the fuelling issue - we'll see???

Am feeling good and healthy though.

[Dan_K]

I have been using the "My Fitness Pal" app to calorie count (scanning item barcodes etc) and in 2 weeks of use, i've lost 5lbs.
I found that i've become really competitive with myself to stay within the set limit. Exercising means I can eat more so an hour on the bike means I can reward myself and still stay within limits.
Interestingly, i've found myself eating less carbs as a result because green veg is so low in calories. I've also resited the urge to snack because when you actually see the calorie content of an item, it makes me think twice about eating it.
Effectively, no food is off limit but it does mean a splurge at lunch time limits what I can have for dinner.

[gairym]

Screw 'low carb' as a way to lose weight - I've just discovered the perfect method!!!

Do a 3 day (16 hour-a-day) weekend catching, killing, butchering and preparing an angry +300kg/50st pig and then catch a horrendous stomach bug which puts you on your ass (next to a toilet for most of the day ) meaning you eat nothing but half a bowl of tomato soup in 24 hours

Simples!

[Cotic_soul_rider]

I'm currently half way thru a self test to see if I'm gluten intolerant. I've only cut out wheat and Oates, I feel weak and cranky.....I can only guess how bad you guys feel cutting out carbs completely.

[gairym]

Thought I'd re-visit this one with an update.

It's now been 3.5 months without dairy/lactose and 2.5 months on the 'Paleo diet for Athletes' and here's where I'm at:

Energy -I seem to back up to my regular energy levels. But.....if I don't cheat (apparently I'm allowed 3 'cheat' meals a week on the Paleo for Athletes diet) and have some carbs before/during/after a big ride I really suffer the next day recovering.

Weight - After no change eating dairy-free and a month of no change on the Paleo regime I've since lost a stone (14st down from 15st - at 6'2").

Food - Have been eating loads of salads with nice oily fish as well as much meat, veg, fruits, nuts, berries and seeds etc... - am loving the food I've been eating! When I've been having my 'cheat' meals I've still been avoiding dairy and only really cheating with potatoes and rice rather than with cereals/grains.

Overall I'm liking the whole thing and plan on keeping going for the foreseeable future.

It's a bugger when travelling and/or eating out but it's possible with some thought!

How's everyone else doing?

[Bearbonesnorm]

How's everyone else doing?

I'm pretty much still onboard. I will have the odd jacket potato but no rice, pasta or bread. My desire to try new things has dwindled and I seem to have settled down into some kind of routine which seems to work.

Carbs are still required riding but not in great amounts. Otherwise energy levels seem pretty stable and the mood swings and cravings have gone. I'm not really sure if I feel better for it or not but I certainly don't feel any worse.