Lowcarb eating and running stamina/energy levels.....

[toadette]

I have started eating low carb today. Plan is to follow it for a week or two before re-introducing some complex carbs (and try to lose my craving for starchy, refined carbs in the process hopefully).

I run between 3.5 and 5 miles twice a week and wondering if the lack of carbs will effect my stamina and energy levels at this distance (especially as I am running a 5k this weekend with a friend and don't want to slow her down!)

Thanks, toadette

[toadette]

Bump, anyone?

[toadette]

One last try....

[stickytape]

I have found that I have less energy for working out while on low carb diets, but I've read comments from others who have not had that experience. Please post and let me know how it goes for you. I've been on a regular low-calorie diet for a while and I'm switching (out of boredom mostly) to a low-carb plan again. Good luck

[toadette]

Thanks stickytape. I'm going for a run tomorrow or Thurs so I'll see how I get on. The low carb sites and running websites I checked have posts from some who find it has no effect but others who do. S'pose I'll just have to go out for a run and see how I get on! If I'm struggling then I'll introduce some wholegrains.

[gladders]

hello! have done atkins before and am tryng again. am also a keenish runner and have put that on hold.

last time, i ran fine for about 20 minutes and then ran out of steam. had no energy at all. i have run marathons and never hit the wall, but think this was it, and that does make sense as atkins is all about getting rid of the glycogen from your body and glycogen is your fuel for any aerobic excercise. if you have none then your body has to brun fat - great news, but much much harder for you body...

have you tried yet? if a real problem, you might have to calculate your carb needs for you planned run and up your daily intake to reflect that? (realise this goes against what you've read elsewhere, but just my experience...)

[toadette]

Hi gladders. Well done on the marathons btw, that's my ultimate goal but think it might be more of a dream! It's the depleted glycogen stores when low-carbing that I've been wondering about and whether energy levels plummet once the readily available stores run out. I would be probably okay-ish on the 5k but I'm doing a 10k in a couple of months so I'm planning on keeping the runs to 50 minutes to an hour. Can't get out tonight for run to try it out, will try tomorrow night.

How did you find doing atkins before? I want a quick-fix way of shifting 10lbs and thought it would be the way to go. Not sure now whether it will tie in with the running though. Maybe I'd be better doing low-GI and combining the longer runs with a couple of slower and shorter 'fat-burning' ones.

[gladders]

hi there - yes have odne atkinds before and found it a very good way of shifting weight fast... some of that is the water that yous tore along with the glycogen, but when i did it for a month or so, a decent amount did stay off so here'e hoping!

i think it's too extreme to be able to keep running on, so some of the more moderate low GI ones might work better longer term?

certainly, if you're doing a 10k race, then you would need soemthing to sustain you?

personally, the photos from my last race were so bad that am happy to go cold turkey from the running for a while just so that i look vaguely human in cycling shorts for the next one

[OrmIrian]

It will feel like you are going to die for the first week or two. Really awful. But if you persevere with the lc eating the energy levels will return better than even in many cases. The bad patch might start within a few days and last for a couple of weeks or it might take longer to start and not last as long. It varies from person to person but once it really hits you are in ketosis which is the main purpose of lc diets.

If I were you I'd cut back (not stop) the running until the worst is over.

[toadette]

Lol re:cycling shorts, gladders. My running kit isn't very forgiving either

Thanks OrmIrian, that's interesting. I'd be happy personally to cut back on the running for a few weeks until the 'feeling crap when exrecising' bit is over but have already agreed to do a few races with a friend over next couple of months so can't really lower pace/distance at the moment. Maybe low-GI might be the more suitable plan until these races are over.

Have either of you any advice about altering running speed/distance to get in the fat-burning zone? I think I am benefitting more from cardio-vascular workout when I'm running (9 to 10 minute mile, 4 to 5 miles per run) and so no weight loss being achieved through exercise. Could be the amount I eat and drink normally though that's preventing the weightloss...

[OrmIrian]

I would leave it until the 5k run (race?) is over at least. Low-GI is good but I personally didn't find it as effective with weight loss - lc really gets things started quickly. My normal diet is more or less low-GI but I use lc as a boost from time to time.

I am no expert in heart rates and fat burning. But I am very aware that since I started running at a steady pace for an hour or more 3 times a week I have lost lots - inches at least, I don't really use scales. In fact I lost so much without dieting that I got a bit worried . The short quicker runs I used to do didn't do it for me at all. When I tested my heart rate a few weeks ago it never rose about 145 which I think is the fat-burning zone. Well I'm guessing it must be. Someone posted a useful link on this the other day. Will try to find it for you.

[dinny]

Toadette - hello!

I have already come to thinking I can't sustain induction for a week or two! so am just going the Low GI route

[OrmIrian]

Oh on dinny It's a bugger isn't it?

My foot is sore but I'm managing some running again now. Last night foot was doing fine... but then I got stitch And had to walk most of the way home.

btw - induction sounds really hard but it's not. And after a short time you start to lose your appetite and it's much much easier.

[dinny]

really want to do it but I can't eat many foods on the induction list

glad you are running again! I can't ever imagine being able to ever again!

[toadette]

Hi dinny

I hate it when I can't run too. Hope your back is better soon. And your foot too, Orm.

I haven't been able to get out for the last few days after getting insect bites on my last run (I run along a riverbank). Have had an allergic reaction to the bites and my ankle is really swollen now. Dosing myself with anti-histamines and hydrocortisone cream in the hope that I can get back out in next few days. I'm itching to get my trainers back on again.

[minorbird]

I have been low/healthy carbing it now for nearly a year - that is during marathon training as well. I just added an extra bowl of porridge on my run days.

Glycogen levels don't really start running low until after mile 6 or so - which is when you might consider topping them up with a gel or energy drink. Try sipping a little lucozade sport before or during your run - that should tide you over. I body build as well - so I take a lot of caffine which means I use that for energy instead of food prework out. (We're mad us!) I wouldnt suggest it if you're not used to caffine but you might wanna try a lucozade caffine boost drink - i call it premuim petrol! It basically disguises fatigue to help you run for longer and faster. It's only got around 100 calories - so I use it as one of my daily snack allowances.

If you jug your meals around and/or take an energy drink - I dont think you should have a problem running on a low carb diet - as long as you are at least eating some carbs during the day? Best of luck!

[dinny]

Minorbird - what's an average day's food for you?

[minorbird]

A typical day is:

breakfast - 1 slice of wholemeal toast plus 3 egg whites (or two whole eggs) or porridge or branflakes.

Mid morn snack : low fat yog or 2 rice cakes or 2 peices of fruit (or combination)

Lunch: Chicken fillet - big salad & cottage cheese.

Afto snack: Whatever I didnt have in the morning - or if not hungary - whenever I am!

Dinner: 75grams brown rice/pasta or 150g potatoe with lean meat & veg or salad

If I'm ravinous - I will have a glass of OJ (not from concentrate) or a handful of raisins... thats considered naughty when body building!

[minorbird]

plus I do drink diet coke/diet red bull and tea and coffee (with sweetners) to top up! Oh and 3 litres of water a day. And various supplements - mainly glucosomine and fibre sure.

[gladders]

minorbird - that's quite a lot of carbs for a low carb diet? certainly way more than on induction - that explains why you don't run into difficulties until 6 miles....

on the fat burning query - i have never really understood this idea that there is a fat burning zone that you get into at a certain heart rate. When you do the marathon, you have enough glycogen stores to run up to 20 miles before you hit the wall and your body starts burning fat.... Why would runnign at a different heart rate make that happen earlier? Can someone explain?

[minorbird]

not really Gladders - it's only one slice of bread and the tinyest portion of rice/pasta or potatoe youve ever seen per day!

Ricecakes excluded of course - although they're only around 20g.

I've never understood heart rate! All I know is mine likes thump on hills!

[toadette]

Maybe the 'fat-burning' heart rate's just a myth then?

[toadette]

Off to google.......

[sfxmum]

I only run about 3 miles 3X a week on average and I usually do a GI diet mainly because of my PCOS.
usually I have porridge for breakfast and at dinner usually complex carbs, small portion, protein and veg , usually 7pm then nothing till breakfast
I tend to run in the morning on an empty stomach and I find that is ok

[toadette]

here

here

and here

Could be a bit of a myth then? I always thought it was important because the machines at the gym all have those target graphs...can just ignore them now then

[OrmIrian]

If your heart rate is too high you can't burn stored fat fast enough to provide the energy you need and you start to use glycogen from your muscles. That's what I read anyway. It seems to make sense from my experience. Long steady runs get me thinner than short fast runs.