[manbeer]

The purpose of this isn't to explain a keto diet but there is a plethora of information out there for those that are interested. To give a quick summary it is basically what atkins diet was derived from. Mainly fats and protein, very few carbs (~20g a day net. Ymmv)
Your body may go through a crash period for a couple days a little ways into it where you feel sick and lethargic but after you break your reliance on carbs you feel great

Anyway i have done this off and on for a little over a year. The first time i lost 20 lbs and 4 percent body fat in a month with no working out, all while eating cheese and bacon. Even better was the fact that i had more energy than i have had since i was a kid and i didnt really get hungry ever.

Now, it is not usually recommended to do high intensity cardio on these diets for a few reasons. I wont get into it but rather will share my experience. Last year i did quite a bit of riding using strava and what i found was exactly what i thought. Most of the time on this diet i was faster. There were a few times that i was freakishly fast before but also days that i was a slug. Keto diet gave me consistency.


Meaning on my road rides instead of going from 16 on a crappy day, 17.5 average and 19 on a perfect day, i was between 17.5 and 18 every day. The only downside that i found was that my energy reserves were not quite as good for sprinting, climbing difficult hills etc. All in all it was a good tradeoff though. Also sometimes while eating normally i get almost violently hungry while i ride. Like i would fight someone for food. Not so on the diet

Anyway, the purpose of this thread was to see what others experiences were with this and maybe encourage a few others to research it and give it a shot. Im back on it and feel better than i ever did eating carbs.

 

[Joshua_B]

No one is doing good long term on that diet, you can't starve yourself into fitness. Your body runs off glucose, not fat. No reputable endurance athlete is on a low carb diet. Those diets just lead to thyroid damage, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and overall poor heath, just ask Dr. Atkins, oh wait....you can't he died of heart disease.

 

[irishpitbull]

No one is doing good long term on that diet, you can't starve yourself into fitness. Your body runs off glucose, not fat. No reputable endurance athlete is on a low carb diet. Those diets just lead to thyroid damage, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and overall poor heath, just ask Dr. Atkins, oh wait....you can't he died of heart disease.

+1 LOL Good Fing luck... High Carb/Low Fat will get you ripped and fast on a bike.

 

[manbeer]

No one is doing good long term on that diet, you can't starve yourself into fitness. Your body runs off glucose, not fat. No reputable endurance athlete is on a low carb diet. Those diets just lead to thyroid damage, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and overall poor heath, just ask Dr. Atkins, oh wait....you can't he died of heart disease.

Actually atkins didnt die of heart disease but rather as a result of a fall he had, thats a common rumor though

I felt the same way until i tried the diet, but using ketones for fuel gives much more consistency. I have as much energy now as i did when i was 16, where as before i had ups and downs no matter what. Its hard to put into words the effect it has but the additional energy is very noticeable

 

[MSU Alum]

I thought ketones were a by product of breaking down fat stores to supply energy in the form of ATP, rather than the actual source of the energy.

 

[beanbag]

According to the book "Paleo Diet for Athletes", you should increase your carb intake before and after an event.

 

[dave54]

A keto diet is prescribed in certain medical conditions, most notably epilepsy and certain cancers. It is altering your body chemistry, In those specific medical conditions, altering the chemistry is the point, part of the treatment, and the patient remains under a doctor's care.

People without specific medical conditions should not routinely go keto. Very few people remain on these fad diets very long, so no major harm will be done. In a few months most people will slip back into a normal (healthier) eating pattern.

Since 1920 an estimated 23,000 fad diet books have been written. Not one has withstood the test of time and proven effective in the long run.

 

[Guest]

No one is doing good long term on that diet, you can't starve yourself into fitness. Your body runs off glucose, not fat. No reputable endurance athlete is on a low carb diet. Those diets just lead to thyroid damage, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and overall poor heath, just ask Dr. Atkins, oh wait....you can't he died of heart disease.

One of the most ignorant comments that can be found on MTBR. Good job.

 

[Joshua_B]

No the fad diets are the definition of ignorant.

 

[irishpitbull]

No the fad diets are the definition of ignorant.

Fad, unhealthy, and unsustainable.

 

[Devincicx]

I don't think his comment was 100% ignorant. What is the point of low carbs anyway? Are carbs the ennemi?

Training or practicing whatever endurance sport on a very low carb diet is just a bad idea. There are way too many body functions running on carbs. Carbs supports training adaptations, immune function and performance overall.

Experts recently stated it quite clearly, any endurance athlete wishing to perform should rely on carbohydrates before, during and after training. There is hardly any way you will come around this very simple fact.

 

[Guest]

"What is the point of low carbs anyway? Are carbs the ennemi?"

Not universally, but in many cases they are. More directly put, high glycemic index carbs and fructose are absolutely the "ennemi". Frutose is literally a poison.

"Training or practicing whatever endurance sport on a very low carb diet is just a bad idea."

Don't know where this "training ... endurance sport" business came from, but you're displaying the same ignorance as others are.

"There are way too many body functions running on carbs. Carbs supports training adaptations, immune function and performance overall."

Your body doesn't run directly on carbs and there are NO essential carbs. Oxygen supports "training adaptations, immune function and performance overall", as do fats and proteins. What you have said is meaningless.

"Experts recently stated it quite clearly, any endurance athlete wishing to perform should rely on carbohydrates before, during and after training. There is hardly any way you will come around this very simple fact."

Since when did this become about "endurance athletes" and when did you get to choose the "experts"? This thread is about riding on a low-carb diet, not about performing at the very highest levels on one.

Low carb diets aren't a fad except to the uninformed.

 

[irishpitbull]

"What is the point of low carbs anyway? Are carbs the ennemi?"

Not universally, but in many cases they are. More directly put, high glycemic index carbs and fructose are absolutely the "ennemi". Fructose is literally a poison.

Your body doesn't run directly on carbs and there are NO essential carbs. Oxygen supports "training adaptations, immune function and performance overall", as do fats and proteins. What you have said is meaningless.

.

"Fructose or Fruit Sugar is ONLY a problem when Fat content is high. Fat blocks the wall of the veins and arteries. This causes high blood sugar levels. So no, Fructose by it self is not a poison." Dr. Graham

"Adenosine Triphosphate and Gluclose work directly with one another. So without SUGAR there is very little intracellular energy transfer."

"Fruit Sugar is your friend, Fat is your enemy."

FYI I eat nearly 700 Carbs per day. I'm 165lbs and 7% BF

 

[jazzanova]

I have been paleo for 2 years. High fat, low carbs diet.
I do not think the word "diet" properly describes my eating habits, it is more of a lifestyle and I do not feel limited in any way.

I have had some inflammation problems, which had lead me to try different diets in the past and paleo has worked the best.
I am not 100% off the fructose, since I consume a significant portions of fruit (trying to limit it though to 20g/day), but have been successful to increase my intake of vegetables (in all forms - raw, cooked, juiced...)
Besides the high quality fruit and vegetables I eat mostly organic grass fed chickens and beef. Wild caught low mercury fish 2-3x a week. Duck, Game, Lamb...
Grass fed eggs.
Sprouted nuts and seeds.
Very little dairy.
No rice, no potatoes (occasionally have sweet potatoes), no grains (no bread or pasta.) No legumes, only occasionally sprouted been hummus.

We (I and my wife) prepare about 95% of our meals at home.

My diet also consist of high quality fat (ghee, grass fed butter, lard, goose and duck fat, organic bacon fat, coconut oil, macadamia oil, olive oil for cold salads...)

I do feel much healthier and energetic. My inflammation is under control. All my blood test have been very good.
I am free of any pharmaceutical drugs.
I use natural supplements, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidants. I am not very strict about this and do not take them on regular basis.
But when I do it is vit. D and K, omega oils, curcumin, msm, astaxanthin, magnesium...

I rarely drink alcohol, not even beer (I know, weird...)
But I like beneficial herbal teas - rosehip, ginger, nettle, licorice...
I never consume regular sugar, use raw honey and maple syrup instead.

I have always been lighter with 140lbs and 5'9" and it has not changed since being paleo, if anything I have harder time to gain more weight . Which can be a challenge with low carbs...

I usually bring some boiled eggs, bacon, nuts and fruit on my longer rides and it works for me.
I do not race though so I can't comment on that.
I am also practicing intermittent fasting - I eat only in 6-8 hour window, usually from 11am to 6pm. So I don't eat prior or during my morning rides, unless they last more than 3 hours.

Another important thing is a good night sleep. I struggle sometimes with this simply because I lack the discipline to get in bed on time

 

[Guest]

I lost 20 lbs.
I eat rib eye steaks.
I drink beer (lots).
I'm not on a diet.
I quit processed foods.

 

[Devincicx]

"What is the point of low carbs anyway? Are carbs the ennemi?"

Not universally, but in many cases they are. More directly put, high glycemic index carbs and fructose are absolutely the "ennemi". Frutose is literally a poison.

"Training or practicing whatever endurance sport on a very low carb diet is just a bad idea."

Don't know where this "training ... endurance sport" business came from, but you're displaying the same ignorance as others are.

"There are way too many body functions running on carbs. Carbs supports training adaptations, immune function and performance overall."

Your body doesn't run directly on carbs and there are NO essential carbs. Oxygen supports "training adaptations, immune function and performance overall", as do fats and proteins. What you have said is meaningless.

"Experts recently stated it quite clearly, any endurance athlete wishing to perform should rely on carbohydrates before, during and after training. There is hardly any way you will come around this very simple fact."

Since when did this become about "endurance athletes" and when did you get to choose the "experts"? This thread is about riding on a low-carb diet, not about performing at the very highest levels on one.

Low carb diets aren't a fad except to the uninformed.

You clearly lack basic nutritional and physiological knowledge, you should not call people ignorant especially when saying fructose is a poison and oxygen supports training adaptation and immune function. Go read a bit before dismissing what people have to say regarding you ''belief'' based on actual knowledge on nutrition and physiology.

Stop claiming people say meaningless stuff just because it hurts your pretty darn stupid dogma.

Go ahead, neg rep me and go read another bro-science blog out there.

 

[TopGearTilly]

My dad had 5 stints put in his heart and his blood results were horrible. He went Ketogenic probably a half year ago and he has dropped 60 pounds, his blood test have come back off the charts good, and he has more energy than i've ever seen. He's been taken off all his heart meds and all the other stuff he was on and just takes vitamins now.

Anywho, I of course am my fathers son just younger. My blood test are horrible and i'm sure heart disease is in my future. HOWEVER, I do Ironmans and centuries for fun and my dad doesn't. I really really want to know how to fuel for longer events? What have you (the ones not knocking this lifestyle change, not diet) been doing to fuel on longer rides?

I've been reading through Peter Attia's EatingAcademy and i've noticed he eats Keto all the time, but uses just enough carbs for fuel during some events.... what are you all doing?

 

[theMeat]

What are you eating now?

 

[TopGearTilly]

Honestly I haven't changed my bike diet because I know what works, but to remain in ketosis I will need to change it. I do the typical Gu's, Cliff Bars, and usually Accelerade in my bottles... but that is nothing good for a Keto diet.

 

[TopGearTilly]

I'm afraid that yo yo'ing by eating lots of carbs on the bike/run then going back to 70% plus in fat, that can’t be good. My body will be confused and not know whether it should be processing the carbs or ketones. It’s hard to find any athletes, other than Peter Attia, that tell you how they fuel for longer events while on this lifestyle. I want to hear what others are doing.