Bootcamp - the questions thread

[BIWI]

From experience of past Bootcamps, in the first few weeks the chat threads move really, really quickly and it's difficult sometimes to see/answer everything.

So this is a place to post any questions that you might have. Those of us who are old hands at low carbing will check this thread regularly and make sure that we answer you as soon as we can.

frillymilly i do reasonably long-distance running - up to 10k, though usually 5k most times i run, so not huge distances by any means

i don't eat carbs before or after, and won't eat much immediately beforehand (a piece of cheese or hardboiled egg maximum), then eat a proper meal 30-60 mins after finishing

most people find that in the initial switchover to low carb exercise is considerably harder, even if fit, because the body isn't used to processing fat for energy and no longer has glycogen reserves. however, this should go back to normal after a couple of weeks. in fact, many people find that because they aren't using glycogen stores, which once empty can be hard to push through, they don't hit a 'wall' when low carbing and exercising

you shouldn't technically need carbs for endurance exercise, but if you are racing then you might need to take advice about optimum intakes

i haven't read much about this though, and your best bet would probably be to read the art and science of low carbohydrate performance by volek and phinney as it will give a much better view

Welcome Whiskers! Sorry I didn't see your post - what did you do yesterday about your food?!

crabby!!!
PLEASE do put up your recipes for low carb berry ice cream, cheesecake and crumble after your DD heads off to NZ (or sooner if you have a moment though you sound crazy busy atm)

See, you is a legend in your low-carb lunchtime!

FrillyMilly - my running speed has dropped significantly since starting this - i can still go the distance (up to about 10 miles) but my min/mile time is about 1 min slower. Have you noticed a difference?

Yes I have noticed a difference. An easy route I do quite often (20 miles) is taking me an extra 20 minutes. I am hoping to do a 100 mile ride at the end of summer so not sure how to train for it as well as low carb.

Its really annoying isn't it. I wonder if any long term low carbers have noticed this in the past and got their speed back?

I don't know whether to stick to short rides and HIIT sessions until I'm at the size I want to be then up my carb intake a bit to start training properly/maintaining my weight. The electrolyte powder I have to make my drinks is actually really low carb but the gels I would take during a long ride are pretty much just carbs/sugar.

how long have you been low carbing?

You should be able to get your speed back once you're adjusted to low carbing. But as Willie asks, how long have you been doing it?

I was doing it for a few months before Christmas. I fell in to old habits and am now on day 3 of the übercamp. I have not done any exercise yet but noticed before Christmas that I wasn't able to maintain my usual speed. I'll just stick at it.

Can you eat too much veg on boot camp?

Pop and sorry to sound stupid but what is flax? It's name sounds carby but lots are having it so it can't be x

mlig yes in the sense that if you are particularly sensitive to carbs (which given your earlier posts you may be), then you could be eating sufficiently large quantities of even low carb veg that it provokes an insulin reaction

if you're worried about that, then it may be worth (boring I know), weighing your usual portions just to check how many grams of carbs you are consuming

flax is the same as linseed. it is very high fibre and therefore very low carb

ground flax is in quite a few low carb baking recipes. personally i like it but it does make me stall - i don't know why!

Ive been low carbing for 2 weeks tomorrow, run around 4 times a week. So its not been ages but my runs consistently slower when I feel I pushing myself hard over that time. I hope it does get better (not that I need to be fast for any reason, i just enjoy seeing faster times!) Do you think the speed will come back BIWI from what you know? I can't find a lot online, just lots of people saying low carbing isn't good for speed but can be ok for endurance.

I was hoping the weight loss would make me faster too!

The book that Willie linked to is worth a read.

Other than that, all I can offer you is anecdotal: I started training for a 5K run last year, (which I completed in October) and have always run in a fasted state - first thing in the morning. It's never been an issue for me, and my times got better and better. My fastest time was just under 30 minutes for 5K which, as I'm 54, I was pretty pleased with!

You do need to allow your body to be properly ketogenically-adapted, i.e. you have to have switched it from carb-burning to fat-burning. Once that has been achieved, which should take a couple of weeks/a month, then you have plenty of fat reserves - either from bodily or dietary fat - to fuel you for whatever activity you want to engage in.

Thank you x

I've been LC'ing since December and I have noticed that although my PMT isn't worse , it last so much longer. I used to feel a bit crappy for a few days but now it's more like ten days.
Anyone else noticed any changes?

Apart from this I'm enjoying the LC'ing WOE.
Husband is super impressed that I'll actually eat some pork scratchings (never thought I'd see the day....)

Anyone doing this LC with no gall bladder? I've lost almost 7 pounds since starting woe on boxing day. Now though after high fat meal I get pain/tender stomach. I really want to continue as its the only woe I've done wch I have managed to stick to! However t'internet is advising high protein LOW fat when you have had gall bladder out. Also no matter how much water I drink I am constipated! Take constipating anti depressants anyway so may have to use dulcoease or something. I eat flax seed every day and just bought some oat bran to see if sprinkle of that on yoghurt will help. Just need advice! Thanks

ok I'm still a little confused about the sweetner/sugar thing?! whilst I'm totally sold on this woe, life is going to get in the way sometimes and I want to make the best choice possible.

I've found a LC recipe for pastry, savoury its fine but for sweet pastry it suggests adding sweetner - is this better than sugar then?

Also, Its my daughters birthday soon and I really want to make her a special cake (and eat it!) - so just as a one of treat, should I be using sugar or sweetner?

Tia!

Re gallbladder my understanding is (and bear in mind I have no relevant qualifications) that the liver can produce sufficient bile to handle a high fat low carb diet, but in the absence of the gallbladder to store the bile it can take a while for the liver to get used to producing enough to process the fat, especially if precious diet was very low carb. So it may be better to slowly increase fat intake to accustom the body more gradually