Low carb cycling?

[Dannielle]

Thanks!

I avoid grains entirely (wheat, oats, rice, corn, etc) so no bread or pasta for me. I don't eat potatoes either. And I also don't eat sugar except for a controlled bit when I'm on the bike. I'm super careful with it though and stick to agave nectar (low GI) as much as possible.

I get most of my carbs from vegetables and fruits. I don't weigh/measure most things...just the things that can get me in trouble with carbs (fruit) or calories (fats). I've been at it a while now so I can eyeball most things. I pretty much load up on the veggies (no measuring there!) and eat normal sized servings of protein once or twice a day.

That probably sounds crazy restrictive but I have substitutes for most things so I don't really miss anything. Instead of pasta I use shirataki noodles, spaghetti squash, or zucchini shredded into long strips. I have a grain-free roll recipe that works great as a bread substitute. And cauliflower is a magical vegetable lol. I use it to make pizza crust and as a potato substitute (mashed faux-tatoes, faux-tato salad, cauli-tots).

I read a lot of diet/nutrition books as I find them inspiring and motivational. The one that's closest to what works for me is Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint. Love that book.

Anyway, hope that answers your question

[gnat23]

Dannielle, thanks for bringing this up! I've been trying something similar to this for a few weeks now ever since reading Paleo for Athletes.

The first time I tried, I had a horrible time with the adjustment. Headaches, no energy, no gas in the tank for bike rides, basically. I was starting to wonder if it was a choice between dieting *or* exercising, since I couldn't seem to do both. But after a big 6-week trip (when I didn't care about what I ate at all), I came back and went paleo right away, and I had a much easier time.

I now eat fruits and veg for my carbs most of the time. Before a ride of 1-2 hours I'll have juice or sushi. Before a multi-hour ride, a big bowl of oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar. During a ride, it's mostly gels and cytomax and such. After the ride, I might have a cookie or a beer right away, but I settle back into paleo pretty easily. For weightlifting, yoga, or running I find I don't have to carb up.

Once it clicked, I feel like I *got* it. No more ravenous pre-dinner snacking, far fewer moodswings, and my bike sprints actually feel more powerful.

-- gnat!

[Dannielle]

that's exactly it. I DO feel I need a little carb boost on the bike. But I try to time it just right...almost using sugar/carbs as a medicine, if that makes sense. I want it in me when I'm riding and used up when I'm done.

I often have a larabar in the car on the way to the trail. And when I'm riding long I pack a little cooler with a protein shake made with 1/2 banana to enjoy when I'm driving home.

But when it's hot like it is now I find myself going for gels (prefer chocolate #9 with agave) or cytomax to drink. I switch to propel or crystal light to drink for the last hour of the ride with the intent of not having any any sugar in me when I'm finished.

I, too, don't feel the same need to add extra carbs for the gym. Just when I'm on the bike for a couple/few hours. And especially in the heat. That seems to make a big difference for some reason.

I really want to read Paleo for Athletes. I haven't managed to track it down in ebook form yet or else I'd have read it by now. I try to stay out of book stores. I get into big trouble in them lol.

[lattae]

Danielle,, I'm amazed at your wt loss. Congratulations , I bet you feel so much better. I've had difficulties with wt loss with biking the past couple years. I've requested the Paleo for Athletes book from the library and will be anxious to check it out. I have hypothyroidism and always need to watch my simple carb intake. I find if I eat potatoes, pasta, breads on a regular basis that the wt will not come off. I think that I'm carb sensitive and I may be the type of person that should consume my carbs mainly from fruit and vegetables also. I do use Hammer Heed for my sports drink and use the hammer gels while biking. This year has been particularly difficult to lose wt though. I've always been able to take off 10 lbs each summer with biking, probably being menopausal doesn't help the metabolism either.

[Dannielle]

Interesting that you mention hypothyroidism. I have thyroid issues too. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 9years ago and struggled for years with it being treated inadequately (at the time I believed the dr who told me all was well and my symptoms were in my head). When I finally switched Dr's it was found that I had thyroid cancer. I was treated for it which involved having my thyroid removed so I'll always be on thyroid meds.

I feels tons better. For me the weight gain was in large part due to how sick I was with my thyroid issues. Once I was feeling like a human being again it was time to get busy undoing the mess I had become.

I turn 40 on Tuesday and I'm determined my 40s are gonna rock.

If you find that sort of eating works well for you, too, you might check out http://www.marksdailyapple.com Lots of good, free info there.

I'm thinking I might pick up Paleo for Athletes this weekend. Really interested to read it.

[EasilyLead]

i have lost a ton of weight(pun intended) and have never cut back on carbs while riding.


here is how its done. while riding your body needs carbs to keep riding longer than 1-2 hours. after your workout is done there is a small window of opportunity that your body will open up its stores and accept carbs and proteins that go into your body stores to refuel. after about 4-5 hours this metabolism slows down and you will be converting extra carbs/sugars to fat. so this is the time to eat. if you do this you will recover very fast and not be sore or barely even tired.

so i eat while i ride and just after to refuel. then i snack often all day, but very sparingly amounts. you will be burning calories at twice the rate after a workout for a while, so even just watching tv you can lose weight.

if you can workout in the morning, you will burn more calories all day doing normal everyday stuff. this really works. you won't feel tired because you have refueled your body and you will lose weight.

the only draw back is that if you don't snack(very lightly and low carb) and drink lots of water, you will feel hungry.


doing this will also super charge your metabolism for anybody type.

[jezbael]

I've been following the Zone diet for about a year, which is based in low GI foods, controlling insulin and lowering inflammation.

Foods I eat little of: most grains (except for steel cut oats), tropical fruits, starchy veggies, sugars

Foods I eat more of: green veggies, berries, apples, plums, apricots, lean protein, monunsaturated fats, beans, lentils

I've lost 25 lbs and climbed out of being pre-diabetic.

I'm constantly searching for portable proteins that I can take bike touring. I've recently discovered Sosoya (dehydrated soy pieces) which I'm pleased about.

Currently researching powdered egg whites, but can't seem to find much except for the stuff that people use in protein shakes. Has anyone tried it reconstituted and cooked as scrambled eggs?

[Faster Pussycat]

Danielle,, I'm amazed at your wt loss. Congratulations , I bet you feel so much better. I've had difficulties with wt loss with biking the past couple years. I've requested the Paleo for Athletes book from the library and will be anxious to check it out.

I found the paelo diet WAY to hardcore and personally I question the science behind it. I lost 10kg using Precision Nutrition and although it was a lot of effort and organisation it did work.

Despite being quite small I still had a spare tyre of belly fat that I just couldn't shift. I saw a sports dietican who put carbs back into my diet. Quite a lot by my standards. I had to buy bread! In three weeks, based on my caliper measurements I lost 2.5kg of body fat and another 2kg in the following month. Introducing carbs really "tidied" up the midsection.

The meal plan from the dietician was far, far FAR simpler and more practical than the paleo diet or precision nutrition. Having researched the scientific literature I am now a bit sceptical of diets that eliminate entire food groups. Some people are more sensitive to insulin and need super low GI diets but you tend to need to experiment and find out what combination shifts the fat

Even John Berardi advocates actual increased carbohydrate intake for endurance athletes.

So while the moderate carbs from veggies worked, given the KM's I was going reintroducing complex carbs gave me far better results. I was also happier, less tired and spend much less time preparing food and more time doing the rewarding things in life.