Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 91 total)
  • LCHF/ketosis diet – anyone tried it?
  • nathb
    Free Member

    The missus has recently switched to the above and is loving the benefits – full of energy, no cravings, no junk food and mentally feels so much happier.

    My diet is largely carb based (pasta, bread, oats), with energy drink/gels for the race, as this is the way I’ve been taught is the right way for a cyclist.

    Now that the racing season is over for me I want to try and make the switch to lchf/ketosis state as an experiment, this isn’t to lose weight. However I’m a little sceptical I can increase my cycling performance, let alone maintain it for next season?!

    Anyone successfully made the change, or tried it?

    (Also added problem; I can’t eat dairy (gastro) and I’m a vegetarian 😆 )

    Jamie
    Free Member

    I think the bottom line is if it works then great, but it’s not a panacea.

    I think LCHF is mostly placebo and unsustainable for most people.

    It’s calorie restriction by any other name.

    If one cuts out junk food they’ll feel better.

    nathb
    Free Member

    Haha good spot, and just enough time to change it 😆

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    scotroutes
    Full Member

    Lots of that. I found it worked really well as the LCHF (and HP) makeup made me feel fuller for longer so I didn’t get hungry so soon and eat so much. It’s still reducing calories, just that it can be easier to do that if you’re feeling sated for longer.

    jambourgie
    Free Member

    I’ve been following a loose LCHF diet for a while. For me and my specific circumstances – it’s been amazing, life-changing in fact. But everyone’s different.

    I say ‘loose’, because I make up a lot of the saved carbs with wine 🙂

    Jamie
    Free Member

    Define life changing?

    ….and I mean this from a point of genuine curiosity, rather than the usual nit picking point scoring snidey STW angle.

    adjustablewench
    Free Member

    I have been doing it for a few months as it is also said to boost neurological recovery and that’s something I could really do with.

    I have lost weight (9.5kg since Jan – which is basically the weight I gained since I was diagnosed with cord compression the previous August and stopped from cycling until I’d recovered from surgery). I now seem to have reached a plateau.

    I don’t do high protein – as that actually prevents you from reaching ketosis, I do high fat which takes a bit of getting used to

    I have done a few 100 mile+ weekends on my bike but it’s hard to evaluate my energy levels as I do suffer from myelopathy which effects my power in my legs and arms. However I have not had any noticeable bonks or felt like I suddenly need to gorge on sugar to keep going.

    Lawman on here (I think – he’s also on Bearbones) is a keto guru – so I’d ask him if you are looking for further information. I found the book – the real meal revolution very helpful

    adjustablewench
    Free Member

    I’d agree it’s life changing -it does make me feel so much better – and it’s weirdly liberating to move away from sugar and carbs as you just eat less food.

    That sounds an odd thing to say but I eat nice tasty food but no where near the volume I used to – and I’m not losing weight significantly as it’s energy dense fatty foods.

    Makes packing food for bike packing trips easier as I have less stuff to carry 😀

    You realise how much of your diet is just carb bulk – much of which is processed these days, so good to avoid on many levels

    stevious
    Full Member

    A recent velonews podcast talked about some studies about keto diets – quite interesting.

    Fast Talk podcast, ep. 23: How periodization works… for your nutrition

    (I’m not here to bash the keto diet, but I know the OP is into racing so might be interested in a sports physiology perspective rather than an overall health one).

    Inbred456
    Free Member

    I had to make this change over a year ago to loose weight and get my blood sugar under control. Lost 5 stone over 7 months. Scary fast weight loss. Don’t eat pasta, rice, bread or potatoes. Nothing with added sugar in it apart from a bit of fruit. Diet consists of porridge with seeds and nuts and a bit of chopped fruit. Salad for lunch with some protein either fish or chicken. Nuts for snacking. Meat and veg for dinner. Nothing then till breakfast. When riding I take a carbkilla bar or a tin of mackerel. What I find is for the first few miles I struggle to get going then after about 6-8 miles it’s like a switch is flicked and I start to get going. I never hit a wall. Lads at work starting to struggle I just keep going and seem to get faster. Also the amount of water I need on a long ride has dropped dramatically, maybe due to weight loss but could be because I’m not breaking down carbs as I’m riding. Works for me but it takes a fair bit of will power at times. I never crash anymore or seem to run out of energy. On this type of diet eggs are your friend!

    braddersrm
    Free Member

    I tried it out and for the first 3 weeks I felt horrendous. Massive heeadaches, stiff joints etc. After that had eased off I noticed the things like getting a good nights sleep, losing weight quickly and generally feeling fresh. I was training for a marathon at the time so did it for this to see if I could see any improvements. Problem was I was running in New York with a group. Everywhere we wentfor food was burgers or pasta as everyone wanted to carb load. That was tough to do but managed it. Couldn’t say I felt any better or faster during the race, still go to about 18 mile mark and thought can’t wait for this to be over. After the race, first meal was a burger, chips and a pint of guinness! Felt pretty rough after that though! According to my watch I was actually 1 minute slower than the previous year but enjoyed it more.

    I would be keen to give the diet another go though but it takes commitment, especially at home if you’re cooking for more than one.

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    Inbred456 – Member
    …Also the amount of water I need on a long ride has dropped dramatically, maybe due to weight loss but could be because I’m not breaking down carbs as I’m riding…

    That’s interesting. When I lived outback in Oz, I often used to wonder about the ability of the guys working on the stations to get by on what appeared to be very little water compared to what I needed. They were usually very lean and lived on steak, eggs, tea and damper (made from flour) and worked hard.

    Is there any evidence for the reduced need for water?

    jimjam
    Free Member

    Jamie – Member

    I think LCHF is mostly placebo and unsustainable for most people.

    It’s calorie restriction by any other name.

    If one cuts out junk food they’ll feel better.

    It’s not calorie restriction by another name. If you replace sugar and refined carbs for fats, proteins and green veg your cravings go away. If I’m eating 4000 calories of shite a day and cut that down to 1800 calories of shite a day my blood sugar will still be yo-yoing all over the place and my cravings along with my hunger will be hard, if not impossible to control.

    If you go lfhc your cravings disappear as does most of your hunger. Even if you fall off the wagon and drop out of ketosis you have a much better understanding of how your food is the cause of cravings, not real hunger.

    eckinspain
    Free Member

    It can be life-changing when administered properly for some conditions such as epilepsy.
    We tried it for my daughter for a year but unfortunately it didn’t work for her.
    We put double cream and butter in lots of her meals to get the fat content up so if you’re non-dairy I guess you’d have to find something else. You can end up with lots of oily meals if you’re being strict about it.

    As above – eggs are your friend!

    Jamie
    Free Member

    It’s not calorie restriction by another name.

    That’s your opinion, man.

    …and no, I am not going to enter the blackhole that is an argument with jimjam.

    alcolepone
    Free Member

    could someone post an example days diet?

    interested in this, but am concerned by the high fat part. I have read that it can lead to higher cholesterol.

    cinnamon_girl
    Full Member

    I have read that it can lead to higher cholesterol.

    Professor Sir Rory Collins wants everyone on statins hence the reducing of the range. For a no-nonsense blog that cuts through the lies, by a NHS GP with a particular interest in cardio, go here:

    https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/

    Solo
    Free Member

    Jamie – Member

    Define life changing?

    ….and I mean this from a point of genuine curiosity, rather than the usual nit picking point scoring snidey STW angle.

    The research I’ve done so far on ketosis appears to suggest that during ketosis ketones enter the brain differently to glucose.
    Furthermore, the transport of glucose into the brain has been seen to degrade with age. However, during ketosis ketones can still enter the brain and as such provide sufficient energy to effectively make up the energy deficit for a degraded transportation of glucose into the brain.

    There are several clinical applications for a ketogenic diet, one of the more widely known is in the treatment of drug resistant epilepsy.

    So, yes, the ketogenic diet can literlally have life changing effects.

    If you’re genuinely interested, catch the Joe Rogan podcast with Dom D’Agustino. I found it very interesting.
    https://vimeo.com/228760263

    beej
    Full Member

    Another podcast – http://hearhersports.libsyn.com/episode-20-sports-nutritionist-heidi-skolnik-manipulates-diet-for-better-performance?utm_content=buffer8af13&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

    I like the distinction between nutrition and fuel.

    The blurb:

    This is a SPECIAL episode. Not only is it Episode 20! But my guest is superstar Sports Nutritionist Heidi Skolnik, who I worked with during my NYC racing days. I remember her with great fondness and admiration. It felt like visiting a secret weapon as I rode over the George Washington Bridge to get to her New Jersey office.

    In this episode we talk about fuel vs nutrition, manipulating diet to perform better, carbohydrates, and her work with The Julliard School and School of American Ballet. She works at The Women’s Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery and has a private practice, Nutrition Conditioning for Life Performance.

    Heidi’s practice is based on the science of nutrition. She has authored and co-authored 3 books: Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance, Grill Yourself Skinny, and The Reverse Diet: Lose Weight by Eating Dinner for Breakfast and Breakfast for Dinner.

    Heidi still works with private clients through her company Nutrition Conditioning for Life Performance in addition to overseeing the Sports Nutrition program at The Julliard School and School of American Ballet. In the past she’s worked with the NY Knicks, NY Giants, and NY Mets along with NHL, MLS, WNBA, Olympic competitors, professional cyclists, marathoners, and collegiate athletes. She also works at The Women’s Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery. And she writes for magazines, appears on TV, writes books, consults to corporations and the food industry, and presents to corporations, professional organizations, universities, and colleges.

    ton
    Full Member

    I know a bloke (and a fair few on here and on bearbones)will also know him.
    he lives by the keto lifestyle. you wont find a fitter bloke.
    rides the legs off most folk.

    Frankenstein
    Free Member

    Observed others on this diet and watched them lose weight.

    Personally I cut out junk, desserts and increase my activity vs intake.

    Handsomedog
    Free Member

    (Also added problem; I can’t eat dairy (gastro) and I’m a vegetarian )

    You might have an issue if the wife’s diet is anything to go by!

    My mrs suffers from a serious thyroid condition and has in the past struggled with her weight, IBS, joint pain, migraines all sorts of problems. She used a completely insane American LCHF diet in the run-up to our wedding a few years back and it worked wonders for her weight (she lost about 3 stone) but wasn’t that sustainable or all-round healthy. She’s tried loads of diets in the past but their either don’t work with her condition or actually make it worse. She recently decided to go back to a keto diet (slightly less insane) and it has definitely been life changing for her. She’s lost 2st (so far), she no longer gets IBS, and she’s much more comfortable in terms of joint pain and headaches. It’s definitely the diet because if she strays too much the symptoms return.

    Like others have said if it works then great – I can’t follow it, I like bread too much! 😆 She also had success with an intermittent fasting diet but unfortunately a change of jobs made that unsustainable.

    thejesmonddingo
    Full Member

    I’ve tried LCHF a couple of times,and feel so crap that i stopped after about 2 weeks,however I have a familial hyperlipidaemia,and my total cholesterol has been as high as 10.2,and on maximum statins is usually around 5.5 to 6,the only time I had it checked during LCHF it was 4.2,go figure 😯

    lodger
    Full Member

    Like Handsomedog, my wife has had short bursts of LCHF. The first time around worked really well as kickstart that transitioned into something a bit more sustainable. Second time has been hard work.

    She is a vegetarian that eats, but doesn’t particularly enjoy dairy. To make up the calories, she has to eat a lot of full fat cream cheese, nuts, double cream in coffee, skyr with added protein powder etc. If you couldn’t do that, i don’t know where you’d find the calories – you’ll get sick of coconut and avocado pretty soon if you eat it three times a day.

    I don’t know if your plan would be the same but hers excludes beans and pulses and most non-green veg too.

    You will lose weight, but mealtimes will be a drag and I’d be surprised if you could maintain the training intensity.

    Solo
    Free Member

    lodger – Member
    You will lose weight, but mealtimes will be a drag and I’d be surprised if you could maintain the training intensity.

    It might be worth clarifying that LCHF isn’t generally prescribed for sports, but rather a complimentary component of a lifestyle.
    Or where it may have a clinical application.
    Hence:

    nathb – Member

    The missus has recently switched to the above and is loving the benefits – full of energy, no cravings, no junk food and mentally feels so much happier.

    nathb
    Free Member

    Some very interesting reading, thanks guys & gals.

    I’m happy with my weight which flutters between 68-72kg (I’m 6ft), however I’ve found myself eating more and more junk and justifying it by cycling more – so I don’t gain the weight. What it does do though is it makes me very cranky after a workout, before I next get my meal or I find myself hitting the biscuit tin at work after a commute in.

    I can be very disciplined with food if I really put my mind to it:
    – I dropped my weight from 95kg to 65kg by cutting out junk and introducing minimal exercise
    – cut out dairy completely
    – became a vegetarian 4 years ago (joined the missus)

    So yeah definitely going to try and it, before I get diabetes or lose my teeth!

    Gastro wise; I’m on omeprazole for an undefined amount of time, so I guess I can try and reintroduce some dairy back in, just not milk.

    Don’t say this very often on here but some genuinely good responses here!!

    Going to order The Real Meal Revolution, are there many meat free meals in it?

    adjustablewench
    Free Member

    For recipes I find Pinterest quite good

    Every couple of weeks I do a bit of baking to ensure I have some snack foods – prevents me falling off the keto wagon

    Especially these crunchy keto crackers

    Good to have something to put your cheese on!

    forzafkawi
    Free Member

    I went into this in a big way several years ago and studied all the major sources around at that time including buying a couple of books. I stuck with it for several weeks to give it a good crack and see what the effects might be. Here are my thoughts:-

    1. If you are any sort of performance athlete then it doesn’t work. i.e. if you cycle for more than two hours at a stretch at a reasonable average speed of say 16+ mph then you will bonk. Don’t believe the stories of super marathon runners etc. it’s all a load of BS. Anyone who says they can do the above are cheating and are not on a strict LCHF ketogenic diet.

    2. I didn’t notice developing any special life-changing, super mental abilities all of a sudden. My diet before was generally pretty good anyway with only the occasional “treat”. I have never been overweight either so I didn’t try the diet for weight loss purposes.

    3. The diet can get very “samey”. A lot of fruit and veg is out and if anyone posting here is eating that then you are/were not on a LCHF ketogenic diet. As someone else said, you’d better like eggs.

    4. Read this http://anthonycolpo.com/why-low-carb-diets-are-terrible-for-athletes-part-1/

    paton
    Free Member

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8uSv6OgHJE[/video]

    forzafkawi
    Free Member

    That’s one of the books I bought. I reiterate, if you’re any sort of athlete it’s a load of cobblers.

    If you’re a couch potato who wants to lose some weight and the most strenuous thing you do is stretch for the remote, then go for it.

    paton
    Free Member

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=horIrfmLvUY[/video]

    spot
    Free Member

    J buhring seems to like it
    and she rides bikes a bit keto baby

    I did it for a while
    felt good. was lifting weights a lot @ the time
    also riding bikes a lot but more about riding long and far than fast.

    didn’t keep it up. got an injury so didnt work out for a while. so wtaching my intake went down the drain as well
    also, I REALLY like cookies.

    should start over.
    found it pretty hard because i do a lot of meetings where sandwiches are provided
    am not organized enough to Always take my own food.

    paton
    Free Member

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WVLrQmnnAY[/video]

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQbgdRoAfOo[/video]

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2398ztuI1Cc[/video]

    https://optimisingnutrition.com/tag/peter-defty/

    adjustablewench
    Free Member

    For work events with buffets I’ve taken to eating certain sandwich fillings out of the sandwiches with a fork and leaving the bread, gets some odd looks – but who cares a lunch of ham cheese and lettuce isn’t that bad 😀

    Solo
    Free Member

    forzafkawi – Member
    That’s one of the books I bought. I reiterate, if you’re any sort of athlete it’s a load of cobblers.

    If you’re a couch potato who wants to lose some weight and the most strenuous thing you do is stretch for the remote, then go for it.

    Well, as a cohort of one, you’ll also regconize that your personal experience quite possibly shouldn’t be used as a reference point for others.

    As others have pointed out, one size does not appear to fit all, regardless of the fact we all share the same basic physiology.
    What may be true for you, doesn’t necessarily apply to the N’th degree for others.

    Paton.
    I’m working my way through the first video, now, informative!
    Thanks.

    forzafkawi
    Free Member

    Solo – Member

    forzafkawi – Member
    That’s one of the books I bought. I reiterate, if you’re any sort of athlete it’s a load of cobblers.

    If you’re a couch potato who wants to lose some weight and the most strenuous thing you do is stretch for the remote, then go for it.

    Well, as a cohort of one, you’ll also regconize that your personal experience quite possibly shouldn’t be used as a reference point for others.

    As others have pointed out, one size does not appear to fit all, regardless of the fact we all share the same basic physiology.
    What may be true for you, doesn’t necessarily apply to the N’th degree for others.

    Paton.
    I’m working my way through the first video, now, informative!
    Thanks.

    No, you’re right, I’ve changed my mind. A low-carb, high fat diet is absolutely the way to go. You must try it. All these elite athletes can’t possibly be wrong. (Apart from the fact that they’re not actually on a proper LCHF diet that is).

    I’ve got a lot of time for Tim Noakes but that first video that paton posted is just full of so much anecdotal rubbish science I don’t know where to begin.

    How about Mark Allen – who won six Ironman events and totally dominated the sport for 14 years?

    “I didn’t do well on a high carb diet, it seemed like it was too low in protein and I personally needed a little more fat than Pritkin was saying and so I didn’t really tell people how I ate because it was so contrary to what was popular in the 80s. For me (40:30:30) that’s my ideal diet.”

    Flip me! Sorry to disappoint but 40:30:30 is not a low-carb diet!!!!

    The fat burning tosh from Noakes which follows this is just laughable.

    I’ve said my piece, there’s plenty of research which shoots LCHF diets for athletes out of the water but by all means waste your time with it if you are determined.

    Inbred456
    Free Member

    This is a low carb not no carb diet. I can definitely say from experience that I never have hunger pangs. We survived for thousands of years without easy carbs i.e. Gluten wheat based products. It’s about replacing bread rice and potatoes with complex carbs. Eating more veg and fibre and good fats.

    forzafkawi
    Free Member

    I think many here have a basic misconception about what a low-carb, high fat diet actually entails. You need to be eating less than 35g of CHO per day for ketones to stand any chance of forming. That cuts out an awful lot of fruit and veg not just bread, pasta, cereals etc. (and alcohol don’t forget).

    Anything less than this is just a reduced carb diet so don’t fool yourself that you are on a LCHF diet. By all means knock yourself out with it though.

    braddersrm
    Free Member

    Check out the website Yummly too for recipes, quite handy, can add and remove certain ingredients to fine tune available recipes.

    Spin
    Free Member

    Just stop drinking loads, eating loads and eating shite (by which I mean refined foods).

    Job done*

    *Requires will power and lifestyle changes which some may find difficult.

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