LCHF - Exercise Advice?

Once you are "keto adapted" or "fat adapted" you should be able to use the fats as fuel and not need sugars.

Some people who run "ultra marathons" have now switched to using fats as fuel because you don't "hit the wall" around the 20 mile mark.

Opinions vary but as far as I can see using small amounts of glucotabs may not conflict with LCHF but you do need to keep track of how much glucose you are taking on board.

I don't cycle hard enough to be a good example, but I can manage 2.5 hours on just coffee, double cream and butter. Then again I don't think I have ever used glucotabs.

@Tripl

TripleXL said:

Good afternoon everybody.

I've decided to give the LCHF change of lifestyle a go. One thing I can't seem to find information on is what happens when it comes to exercising?

I enjoy riding my mountain bike, especially in the spring/summer weather.

Will the amount of high fat I'm consuming be a 'replacement fuel' (for want of a better term) to carbs?
Should I continue to use glucotabs or will this defeat the object of the LCHF?

A tad confused

Thank you!

Wayne

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Are you T1 or T2 Wayne? Advice will be similar but slightly different depending on it.

I heartily recommend the two Voleck and Phinney books on Low Carbing (LC Living and LC Performance).

They will probably answer every question you can imagine asking - and then a few more.

I'm going through this dilemma at the moment, and not found a source of info that's grabbed me. So I've kinda made it up myself... plus as a type 2 I dont have the worry of hypos to take into account.

Exercise-wise, on top of walking 10,000 steps per day, I split that between one 30-45 min bout of exercise 4 or 5 times a week which I call "non-endurance" and once a week I do an "endurance" activity.
Non-endurance (ie no need to "refuel" during the exercise, only rehydrate) is either touch rugby, a 5k run, 45minutes spinning, or a 1,500m open water swimming etc. For these food-wise I don't do anything in particular, just follow my normal eating habits (quasi LCHF). If I'm doing 800 calorie fasting day I try and concide that with a "rest day".

However on Sunday mornings I like to go out on at least a 2-hour road bike ride and prepare for that by having either 3 egg cheese omlette or a scrambled eggs on seeded brown toast some 60 minutes before starting out, then a banana an hour or so into the ride. When I get back I'll do a home-made protein shake with added frozen berries for colour and flavour. Drink plain tap water to keep hydrated.

I'd stress this is totally made-up by me, key is that I "listen" to my body and if I'm feeling lethargic or tired, I'll recharge with a snack like a chicken breast with pesto- quick and easy.

TripleXL said:

Good afternoon everybody.

I've decided to give the LCHF change of lifestyle a go. One thing I can't seem to find information on is what happens when it comes to exercising?

I enjoy riding my mountain bike, especially in the spring/summer weather.

Will the amount of high fat I'm consuming be a 'replacement fuel' (for want of a better term) to carbs?
Should I continue to use glucotabs or will this defeat the object of the LCHF?

A tad confused

Thank you!

Wayne

Click to expand...

You will need to "adapt" first which can take 2-6 weeks, depending how severely you restrict your carbs and be accompanied by "Carb Flu" which encompasses anything and everything from headaches to constipation

For me it took 2 weeks, a few days of const, cured with plenty of water and 2g of salt per day.

Once you're over this, you will be burning fat and have no need for any carb loading whatsoever. You'll be able to train and perform in a more sustained way, with optimal output.

I run every day and train with weights 3-4 times a week

If you are serious and like reading, the best book by far for sports people is:

"the art and science of low carb PERFORMANCE", Phinney et al.

They have another with the same title with the last word transposed with LIVING....as a sports person you want the performance version. It really is terrific and will answer all your questions.

Best wishes,

Kevin


Sent from my iPhone using DCUK Forum

TripleXL said:

I enjoy riding my mountain bike, especially in the spring/summer weather.

Will the amount of high fat I'm consuming be a 'replacement fuel' (for want of a better term) to carbs?
Should I continue to use glucotabs or will this defeat the object of the LCHF?

Click to expand...

No, you shouldn't need glucotabs. It took me about three weeks to "fat adapt", but after that I found that I could manage sustained exercise much better than I could prior to changing my diet.

I don't worry about whether or not I'm in ketosis. Once you're fat adapted you can get most of your skeletal muscle energy from beta oxidization of fats, ketosis not require. I'm sure that when I exercise long enough to get nice lowish BG levels that I do go into ketois, but I don't bother trying to measure it or anything. When exercising I just go by the principle that if I feel ok then I am ok.

@TripleXL if you are LADA, it is worth considering requesting of your GP that you go onto insulin. LADA is a form of T1 and using Gliclazide, your beta cells are encouraged to generate additional insulin.

This is a bad thing, as the auto immune attack on the beta cells is linked to one of the building blocks of insulin, and more insulin increases the speed of destruction. Most of the "cures" and "remedies" that we've seen suggested rely on existing beta cells so preserving them as long as possible it rather important.

I'm tagging @LucySW and @Daibell as other LADAs.

TripleXL said:

Thanks @tim2000s.
Just to be clear, I aren't chasing a cure or remedy. Far from it. I intend to simply lose weight, eat better and feel better
I will speak the diabetic nurse/GP, though. I've only recently been put on Gliclazide through my own stupid actions and bad decisions when it comes to dealing with the curveballs of life.

Click to expand...

To be fair though, if you have been diagnosed with LADA, you have a type of T1 diabetes. This is an auto-immune condition, not T2D and the results of it are inescapable. There is nothing you could or could not do as part of your lifestyle to stop its onset. Your own actions and decisions (stupid or otherwise) would not stop your beta cells being damaged and in the longer term, a requirement for insulin. At best all you can do is delay this.

LADA is not type 2 and shouldn't be treated as such. Have a read: http://crick-tech-munch.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/latent-autoimmune-diabetes-in-adults.html

If in doubt, ask to see a GP.
Helpful if there is a GP who specialises in diabetes.