New diet and bonking?

[Lynn39]

I have been following the South Beach diet for about a month or so. I'm trying to follow phase II right now which includes good carbs. For the most part, I have felt good.

Today I had planned a 30 mile ride. I woke up kinda dragging, felt like it took alot of energy to walk the dog around the block. I ate breakfast- eggs and toast & milk- about an hour before I left, still kinda dragging and I thought, maybe just go out for 10 miles, see how it feels. I rode about 4 miles, couple of small hills and I started feeling very weak, dizzy, sweating, I ate a few bites of granola, which was hard to do and I slowly went back home hoping I didn't pass out on my bike. When I got home, I drank some gatorade and ate some crackers and laid down, after awhile I felt better. I checked my blood sugar after this and it was 105. So it was probably quite lower.

I had gestational diabetes with my kids, I don't have diabetes now, but I tend to be glucose intolerant. My numbers run a little high.

Yesterday I didn't eat many carbs, but I thought I would be ok with eating breakfast before I went out.

Was this a bonk? Do I need to eat more carbs the day before I ride?

[SouthernBelle]

I'm quite familiar with SB. For rides of any mileage eat something carby around an hour before you ride. Also carry something with you. If you start feeling weak, find a place to sit down and snack.

[sundial]

I used to do Atkins and although it helped stabilize my glucose levels, it just didn't leave me with enough fuel for a good workout. I now eat a protein source with complex carbs about an 1 1/2 hours before my ride and it agrees with me. I like to eat a plain turkey sandwich using grainy wheat bread.

[mimitabby]

If you'd just eaten a nice complex meal, i don't think it's a bonk.
A bonk occurs after you burn all those carbs and there's nothing left.
You were feeling bad when you started.

How's the weather? is it hotter than you're used to? do you have a bug?

[Lynn39]

If you'd just eaten a nice complex meal, i don't think it's a bonk.
A bonk occurs after you burn all those carbs and there's nothing left.
You were feeling bad when you started.

How's the weather? is it hotter than you're used to? do you have a bug?

The weather is great. Maybe I do have a touch of something. I still feel a bit run down. I just wondered if the low carb thing depleted me. I did ride Sat & Sun and I was fine.

Thanks all for your help

[Tuckervill]

I did Atkins in the early part of the century. I lost a lot of weight but I didn't find it sustainable in general. On other times when I tried to start it again, I always suffered greatly from not eating enough carbs. Eggs and toast would not be enough fuel for me to work out on. Plus, I would get sick with some kind of cold or intestinal thing every single time.

So, I abandoned Atkins. I'm not against it for everyone....my dad and mom and stepmom all lowered their cholesterol using Atkins principles (using real butter and olive oil, for instance). But I can't live on it.

So yes, it could be your diet. On the morning you ride, eat more carbs?

Karen

[Triskeliongirl]

I have impaired glucose tolerance, and I eat a very low carb diet all the time (~30 g of CHO per day, modeled after Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution). I have no problems cycling (yes I can do centuries), but it is important to consume pre-ride protein and protein on the bike (protein shakes and almonds, the almonds do also have some fat and carbs, but not a lot of carbs). The protein is digested to amino acids, which are deaminated to yield carbon skeletons that can enter the TCA cycle and produce energy in the muscle. They can also slowly make gluocose by gluconeogenesis. Also, you can train yourself to run on a higher ratio of fat to carbs. The only thing I can't do is ride at *very* high intensity.

If in doubt, carry your meter and measure what is happening on the bike. I also had gestational diabetes, and my problem is that I undersecrete insulin, which often shows up first in pregnacy when insulin demands are high.

I don't think you guys should be advising someone with impaired glucose tolerance to eat carbs. If I eat carbs before or during my ride, I go hyperglycemic which makes me very tired and weak on the bike. Then when the glucose finally clears, it falls too quickly and I get symptomatically hypoglycemic, a very dangerous condition where I crashed once since its hard to concentrate and see.

[Tuckervill]

I didn't make a diagnosis that she was glucose intolerant--I simply made a suggestion. I don't think anyone can win a lawsuit because they followed a suggestion from a stranger on a message board.

Karen

[SouthernBelle]

If you are eating low carb on P2 of South Beach, you really need to reassess. It really isn't intended to be a low carbohydrate diet.

[Triskeliongirl]

I didn't say you did. She said she was glucose intolerant, so I was gently reminding folks that how a person with normal glucose tolerance can eat is not the same as one with impaired glucose tolerance.

I also agree with the comment that south beach is not low carb enough for someone who has impaired glucose tolerance. I suggest the original poster read Dr. Bernstein's diabetes solution.

I didn't make a diagnosis that she was glucose intolerant--I simply made a suggestion. I don't think anyone can win a lawsuit because they followed a suggestion from a stranger on a message board.

Karen

[CatSilver]

I also had gestational diabetes when pregnant, and thought I'd offer my own experience. I have found that when I feel the way you described, it is almost always related to dehydration rather than nutrition. Light-headedness is one sure sign (something I used to think was related to eating) and weakness is another. I've been riding about 100 miles a week through the winter and need to meticulously watch my water intake. I have to force myself, usually, to drink much more than I want to... and find that when I do, my energy, focus and general sense of well-being picks up in an hour or two. I'm so used to paying attention to eating (as a woman), and constantly underrate hydration.

for what it's worth.

[Lynn39]

Thanks Everyone for your suggestions, I will check out the diabetes book. I'm going to Dr. this week for a check up, I will talk to her about what happened. I think it might be a good idea to get my insulin levels checked also.

I also had gestational diabetes when pregnant, and thought I'd offer my own experience. I have found that when I feel the way you described, it is almost always related to dehydration rather than nutrition. Light-headedness is one sure sign (something I used to think was related to eating) and weakness is another. I've been riding about 100 miles a week through the winter and need to meticulously watch my water intake. I have to force myself, usually, to drink much more than I want to... and find that when I do, my energy, focus and general sense of well-being picks up in an hour or two. I'm so used to paying attention to eating (as a woman), and constantly underrate hydration.

for what it's worth.

Catsilver,
This is a possibility too, I assumed it was my eating. I'll have to be more aware of it before I ride. Thanks..

[Dogmama]

Also, you can train yourself to run on a higher ratio of fat to carbs. The only thing I can't do is ride at *very* high intensity.

As I recall, the better trained the individual, the more they convert fat to energy as opposed to carbs. People used to advise training at low intensities, i.e., not over 65% MHR before breakfast to train your body to utilize fat.

High intensity riding requires glucose which might be in short supply in the SB diet. I would hydrate well, as another lady suggested, and wear a heart monitor. Keeping your heart rate under 75% MHR might help. Teaching your body to operate in an endurance mode is essential for longer rides. I read that Lance Armstrong used to do 4+ months of endurance rides only. That means MHR of ~75% or lower.