# Wait what?? High fat protien diet?



## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

So I'm hurt and have been riding the trainer a bunch. Structured riding easy to compare efforts from day to day. Eating lean proteins, a bit lower carbs, fat and sugar typically riding 1.5-2 hours after eating. 

Yesterday morning I planned on taking a off day. Ate outside of my normal and had a bunch of fat rich food. Later I decided to hit the trainer anyways and to my surprise I was a animal on it. I ate a high protein fatty breakfast, just a banana at lunch and a high protein fatty supper with no intent on riding and hopped on the trainer like 4 hours after my last meal.


Is this a fluke or? I'm trying to get back down to where I was before getting Lyme and am pretty close but the last 10lbs have been really tough so I cut back a bunch of fatty food and carbs to try and burn it.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

The body likes fat as a fuel source. But...in the presence of carbs, it's hard to get the body to use fat. And it usually takes some time....days or weeks, for the body to really start using fat soley as an energy source and that only happens if there's a daily restriction of carbs...down to 20-25g a day. There's a bunch of people getting into the keto diet lifestyle again. I'm not sure how well it works for cyclists though. If you don't have periods of high excursions like pounding up a steep climb or sprinting...keto would be great for endurance style riding. But since a lot of us don't live in areas with pan flat riding...I don't know how well keto would do. Cycling for most is a pretty high glycogenic sport. I'm currently low-ish carbs...100-150g a day. I've lost 25+ pounds since last month. But I did a longish 50 mile ride yesterday and really suffered. Not sure how much was fitness and how much was borderline bonking or diet related. But I'm considering upping the carbs some to around 200g a day and see what that does for my riding and weightloss. I really want to lose another 25 pounds by end of the year so if it stalls or takes me backwards...I'll drop the carbs back again. Right now weightloss is more important that riding. I can currently ride 20-30 miles at a time with little problem so I'll just keep doing that. I have no real need to push the mileage out past that right now. But I do need to lose the weight so that's priority. But if I can lose weight AND ride better...well that's a huge bonus.


----------



## Guest (Sep 2, 2016)

^^Plus one on the lower carbs concept.^^ I carefully watch my carb intake but don't worry so much about protein and fat and I've been shedding weight for a while. My blood work comes back okay too (always been low on cholesterol). Fat is hard to digest, so you're body is less efficient at converting it to fat than it is at converting carbs to fat and it keep you feeling full longer after meals so you probably eat less (total volume). Still have to add in some carb (unless you're Eskimo) to keep mentally focused and don't forget that fat and protein rich diets probably require more water.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Yeah...definitely lots of water. I'm thinking about trying keto this winter when riding gets cut way back. Just to lose weight. I don't think it's great for performance though. But since rides will likely be a lot shorter and less frequent with more time on the trainer...I figure it won't be too bad. 

I do concentrate on eating plenty of protein. I don't want to lose too much muscle mass while I'm losing weight. I try to take in .8g per pound of LBM which ends up being about 180g a day right now. That's just a guesstimate based on some measuring with a tape and some online calculators. I've never had an actual BF% test done. I'd like to find someplace that does the bodpod or hydrostatic testing...or even a dexa scan...but I can't find anyplace near me. It would definitely help a lot to have a more accurate picture of your body comp to set up macros for your desired goals.


----------



## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

I've been restricting my carb intake for awhile now, probably a few months. Sticking to those lean proteins and I've been steadily dropping weight. I guess that kind of fits what Nubster said.

I had a bunch of water on hand and since I was on the trainer using a CTS trainer video I kind of knew when I get tired normally. I did drink a lot but I had a bunch more energy and never really dropped off. I think I found the side effect though, I was tapped out yesterday. Felt run down and weak but not sore. Now this might be because I'm hitting the trainer hard and doing rehab on my shoulder 6 times a day or just the diet change hit me.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

Yeah...I guess depending how low you go on carbs...maybe it's a glycogen replenishment issue? I don't know how long that takes if you are severely carb depleted (keto). I was reading another thread and it seems there's a handful of people on here that are doing keto and riding with success. Some claiming to be faster than they were before. Maybe due to more sustained energy and power output? Not sure how keto has affect their power surge needs such as a short steep climb or sprint type output. I haven't read all the posts yet but it's definitely interesting to read. Makes me a little less apprehensive to give it a try though I'm still not doing it until later in the year. I don't want to upset what I already have going on with a couple organized rides coming up this month and next. I'll wait until after the "season" is over and start playing around more and see what happens.


----------



## Rock Surf (Aug 28, 2010)

Ketogenic diet as others have said. I was listening to Joe Rogans podcast the other day. He's big into the Keto diet, and told a story about his friend who is an endurance rider. Said his friend would always bonk during long rides until switching to the Keto diet.


----------



## Ross1200 (Mar 27, 2014)

I've been doing the Keto diet for 2 months now. Riding power is better. I'm much less hungry. No sugar lows or cravings. And I've dropped close to 2 stone in about 2 months. All good in my eyes. I'm on around 20-25g of carbs a day. Mainly from veg and nuts. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

So odd, I did it again today on a 1.5 hour climbing drill. Never dropped power, bonked, felt tired. Used a lot of water at first then it leveled out. See if I feel tapped out tomorrow this time.


----------



## cavo (Apr 18, 2011)

I starttted with keto recently, about a week ago, mainly to shed some weight. 1st ride today since i changed my nutrition. Let me tell you, the ride felt different. I was slooow, or i should say i felt slow as i actually got some PRs at the beginning of the ride. I sterted feeeling better mid ride but the end was catastrophy. Had to take breaks on climb i normally clear without issues, high intensity efforts left me gassed out with burning quads. Tottaly wiped at the end of the ride. This is just one week in, they say 2 weeks in things improve. Will see.


----------



## Ross1200 (Mar 27, 2014)

It will. I've been doing it for 7 months. I feel better now riding than I did before I went Keto. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## cavo (Apr 18, 2011)

How about those higher end efforts. I really need to keep this "ability" here in Colorado's front range? 

Also, i am not seeing any weight loss so far, but i also starting going to jim lift weghts a bit so maybe i am loosing fat and gaining muscles so my weight stays put. Hoping.


----------



## J6y (Mar 11, 2017)

Something to remember is also your bodytype, its always over looked.. Following keto when you have a ectomorph bodytype kinda plays against your strengths, just like a high carb dieting for an endomorph. I'm in the nutrition game so this based on my years of working with all types/walks of people.


----------



## flying bison (Aug 3, 2014)

Can you elaborate on this? As an endomorph, is low carb high fat the way to go? (I'm an endomorph on keto)


----------



## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

J6y said:


> Something to remember is also your bodytype, its always over looked.. Following keto when you have a ectomorph bodytype kinda plays against your strengths, just like a high carb dieting for an endomorph. I'm in the nutrition game so this based on my years of working with all types/walks of people.


How do you know what kind of body type you are?


----------



## J6y (Mar 11, 2017)

flying bison said:


> Can you elaborate on this? As an endomorph, is low carb high fat the way to go? (I'm an endomorph on keto)


Sure, depending on your level of activity outside of the biking I'd stick with more of a low carb diet/high fat for sure Endo metabolisms tend to be a little on the slow side.. Try a percentage split like 35p 25c 40f with your total daily calories. Also try adding apple cider vinegar (cloudy) it helps with blood sugar levels which also helps with body composition (insulin sensitivity/fat storage etc) if you are trying to keep excess bodyfat off.

Keto is great but its also incredibly easy to slip out of ketosis and a nightmare to live a sociable life with much like paleo.


----------



## J6y (Mar 11, 2017)

dirtrider76 said:


> How do you know what kind of body type you are?


Take a look below










Some key traits are

Ecto - small joints
Meso - broad with a tapered waist
Endo - wide with virtually no taper for the waist

I've seen a few cross overs in my time but generally rare


----------



## flying bison (Aug 3, 2014)

J6y said:


> Sure, depending on your level of activity outside of the biking I'd stick with more of a low carb diet/high fat for sure Endo metabolisms tend to be a little on the slow side.. Try a percentage split like 35p 25c 40f with your total daily calories. Also try adding apple cider vinegar (cloudy) it helps with blood sugar levels which also helps with body composition (insulin sensitivity/fat storage etc) if you are trying to keep excess bodyfat off.
> 
> Keto is great but its also incredibly easy to slip out of ketosis and a nightmare to live a sociable life with much like paleo.


Cool, sounds like I'm on the right track. I know keto has given me more results than any other type of lifestyle. I will say, for me, keto is easy since I'm celiac which is why I started doing it. No more looking at labels at the supermarket.


----------



## Frogeron (Jan 22, 2018)

cavo said:


> I starttted with keto recently, about a week ago, mainly to shed some weight. 1st ride today since i changed my nutrition. Let me tell you, the ride felt different. I was slooow, or i should say i felt slow as i actually got some PRs at the beginning of the ride. I sterted feeeling better mid ride but the end was catastrophy. Had to take breaks on climb i normally clear without issues, high intensity efforts left me gassed out with burning quads. Tottaly wiped at the end of the ride. This is just one week in, they say 2 weeks in things improve. Will see.


Exact same thing happened to me. I felt WORTHLESS on two consectutive rides. It was actually embarrassing as I was riding with a couple of fast guys that I don't usually ride with. I've been at it a few weeks now and hopefully my ride tomorrow goes better. one of my rides last week I felt like a torpedo. Im thinking I just need to fine tune my gig.


----------



## dymen (May 10, 2018)

I was on keto diet, but while riding long distances, I felt not ok: my legs were weak and I was a little dizzy. I suppose it depends on the person.


----------

