Warning to any exercise enthusiasts thinking of low carbing.

[The Sauce]

I finally decided to try low-carbing as my ass is still significantly more obtuse than it needs to be. However I run 5 miles about 3-4 times a week. I may have jumped in too quickly but I went straight to 30-40gm carb diet. I ran on the first day and everything was ok. On the third day I went to run and at about one mile felt like I was going to have a heart attack - my legs went to rubber, I was drenched in sweat, and I couldn't figure out whether I wanted to throw up or pass out. I made sure that I was well hydrated in advance too. That entire night I suffered palpitations.

Now finally, four days later I was able to get back up to my usual 5 miles off the diet (there were a few other crappy runs inbetween). What a horrible experience. I was really hoping it would work out too. I realize that this is far from a scientific study but I can not recomment the diet to anyone who complies to a significant aerobic workout routine.

 

[Looney]

That was an idiotic post. How do you know it wasn't coincidence? What exact on a low carb diet would cause your legs to go rubber, drench in sweat, etc? And yes, there are marathon runners that do low carbing too... visit some of the low carb msg board and you'll see it.

 

[IamDavid]

You did jump in to quickly.. Read the book and how to do it before jumping in!

 

[UDT89]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
That was an idiotic post. How do you know it wasn't coincidence? What exact on a low carb diet would cause your legs to go rubber, drench in sweat, etc? And yes, there are marathon runners that do low carbing too... visit some of the low carb msg board and you'll see it.

why is it idiotic? he had an experience and shared it. i took it for what it was worth. just another reason why Dr. Atkins method is pointless

 

[StageLeft]

I suppose you did go into it too quickly. My only experience with low carbing is something I did back in about 97 before most people had heard of Atkins (indeed I was basing it off another source too). I tried my best but around day 3-4 I had to bail. I have willpower but it was destroying my sense of wellbeing. I truly felt really quite sick. Perhaps I did it wrong as well but no matter because I just love carbs so much and I can lose weight with the more conventional approach.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
That was an idiotic post. How do you know it wasn't coincidence? What exact on a low carb diet would cause your legs to go rubber, drench in sweat, etc? And yes, there are marathon runners that do low carbing too... visit some of the low carb msg board and you'll see it.

Well, I did consider the possibility that it was just a bad day. However, I have been running 5 miles for a long time and never had to stop early before. So this was a real anomaly. And then it was several runs more until I got back up to my usual 5 miles so somethign was off. All that I can think of was that due to being in the starvation mode all of my glycogen stores were exhausted and I was just very acidotic. I don;t see how starting more gradually would change that but I guess it's possible.

 

[Mallow]

Wow, you think you are over weight and can run for 5 miles straight at a moderate pace? That is pretty impressive to me... now I'm thinking I'm really out of shape. I can't even run 3 miles at a moderate pace :/

 

[Krakerjak]

The main pre run fuel for runners are fast burning carbs since fat and all the like that you eat when low carbing prohibit insulin rushes. You run pretty far and the low carb diets cut out exactly what you should be eating before a run.

 

[UnatcoAgent]

I'm trying to keep below 20 a day, jumped in 5 days ago, fine so far.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Atkins is NOT appropriate for above average athletes. By definition, Atkins is designed to create a marginal ketotic state where the body preferentially uses fat oxidation (fatty acids/ketones) by depriving the body of glucose from stored glycogen or the diet. If you dramatically reduce the intensity of your workouts it is conceivable that you might be able to tolerate Atkins. But only the worst physician on the planet would recommend a reasonably well-trained individual to decrease their exercise frequency/intensity to compensate for a poor diet.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: Krakerjak
The main pre run fuel for runners are fast burning carbs since fat and all the like that you eat when low carbing prohibit insulin rushes. You run pretty far and the low carb diets cut out exactly what you should be eating before a run.

Yah, that's more or less what I was thinking. I was probably already somewhat acidotic from the ketosis and then running ramped up the ketosis/acidosis another notch and just blew me out. No carb stores anywhere probably at that point. With glycogen spent glycogenolysis was out. All that was left was gluconeogenesis which requires fat breakdown and, hence, more ketosis.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Krakerjak
The main pre run fuel for runners are fast burning carbs since fat and all the like that you eat when low carbing prohibit insulin rushes. You run pretty far and the low carb diets cut out exactly what you should be eating before a run.

That's entirely incorrect. Runners don't benefit from carb burning... it's a myth that eating spaghetti or any other high starchy foods the night before is beneficial. Fact is, carb is very slow to convert to energy... definitely not within the spam of a 5 mile run, or even a marathon run.

Atkins is NOT appropriate for above average athletes. By definition, Atkins is designed to create a marginal ketotic state where the body preferentially uses fat oxidation (fatty acids/ketones) by depriving the body of glucose from stored glycogen or the diet. If you dramatically reduce the intensity of your workouts it is conceivable that you might be able to tolerate Atkins. But only the worst physician on the planet would recommend a reasonably well-trained individual to decrease their exercise frequency/intensity to compensate for a poor diet.

At 30-40g of carb, he isn't reaching ketosis.

 

[Renob]

why is it idiotic? he had an experience and shared it. i took it for what it was worth. just another reason why Dr. Atkins method is pointless


I know there are millions of people out there like me who would say your wrong, what type of low card diet were you fallowing if it was Atkins did you read the whole booK and fallow it to a T ???

I have lost almost 75lbs in the last 8 months and have way more energy then I did when I was a carb freek.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: Snatchface
I realize that this is far from a scientific study...

Just keep that in mind. I mean, you could've had some sort of virus... You never know what caused your problems.

I highly doubt that a couple of days of 40g worth of carbs is going to affect your performance for 5 days.


For this one example, I'll bet that I can find hundreds of people who'll say that low carbs does not affect their aerobic performance. Myself being one of those. I can run farther now than I could a month ago (before I started low carb'ing) and I haven't had a single day where I struggled.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Full speed sprint < 5 secs uses ATP exclusively. The rapid phosphorylation of ADP by creatine phosphate gives you a few more seconds. This process requires no oxygen but produces mad lactic acid.

Moderate to moderately-high intensity exercise uses predominantly glucose (muscle/liver glycogen) with a small contribution from fat oxidation. If you prolong the activity the proportion of fat oxidation increases as glycogen is depleted. If you decrease the intensity of exercise you burn proportionally more fat but the residual boost in metabolism caused by exercise is reduced.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: Krakerjak
The main pre run fuel for runners are fast burning carbs since fat and all the like that you eat when low carbing prohibit insulin rushes. You run pretty far and the low carb diets cut out exactly what you should be eating before a run.

That's entirely incorrect. Runners don't benefit from carb burning... it's a myth that eating spaghetti or any other high starchy foods the night before is beneficial. Fact is, carb is very slow to convert to energy... definitely not within the spam of a 5 mile run, or even a marathon run.

Atkins is NOT appropriate for above average athletes. By definition, Atkins is designed to create a marginal ketotic state where the body preferentially uses fat oxidation (fatty acids/ketones) by depriving the body of glucose from stored glycogen or the diet. If you dramatically reduce the intensity of your workouts it is conceivable that you might be able to tolerate Atkins. But only the worst physician on the planet would recommend a reasonably well-trained individual to decrease their exercise frequency/intensity to compensate for a poor diet.

At 30-40g of carb, he isn't reaching ketosis.

I dipped my urine. I am an ER doctor and have access to chem strips. I was ketotic.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
Full speed sprint < 5 secs uses ATP exclusively. The rapid phosphorylation of ADP by creatine phosphate gives you a few more seconds. This process requires no oxygen but produces mad lactic acid.

Moderate to moderately-high intensity exercise uses predominantly glucose (muscle/liver glycogen) with a small contribution from fat oxidation. If you prolong the activity the proportion of fat oxidation increases as glycogen is depleted. If you decrease the intensity of exercise you burn proportionally more fat but the residual boost in metabolism caused by exercise is reduced.

I agree... but in a moderate intensity exercise, you aren't going to be burning carbs for energy.

 

[Ryan]

YOu're not an exercise enthusiast if you didn't know that, genious

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: rbloedow
YOu're not an exercise enthusiast if you didn't know that, genious

Well I thought I'd give it a try anyway.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

I agree... but in a moderate intensity exercise, you aren't going to be burning carbs for energy.

I think we arguing over semantics. In moderate intensity exercise say 8 minute miles (I will ballpark that's about 400kcal/hr but I don't really know) you are burning plasma glucose which will be replenished by glycogen stores . . . which used to be dietary carbs. During the early part of your run relatively little fat oxidation is taking place but as you continue to run more fatty acids will be liberated resulting in fat becoming the primary substrate for metabolism within 30-40 minutes of starting your regimen.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

roadrunner.com

Nevermind 8min/miles burns 200kcal/hr for a 75kg runner . . . damn running sux.

 

[sandorski]

I question the need for a "diet" by somone who regularly runs 5 mile stints. It seems to me that if some body shape bothers you that much, go get cosmetic surgery or something, don't risk your health with some trendy "diet".

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

I question the need for a "diet" by somone who regularly runs 5 mile stints. It seems to me that if some body shape bothers you that much, go get cosmetic surgery or something, don't risk your health with some trendy "diet".

I despise the Atkins hype, but given a choice between a trendy diet that often fails and general anesthesia . . . I will have my steak medium-rare.

 

[The Sauce]

Well I do run ~ 20 miles per week, but I am very far from being in good shape. Perhaps I have a genetically slow metabolism, not sure. And let's just say there was that little lapse in my routine called Morrowind I still intend to cut down on the carbs...just not all the way.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Snatchface
Well I do run ~ 20 miles per week, but I am very far from being in good shape. Perhaps I have a genetically slow metabolism, not sure. And let's just say there was that little lapse in my routine called Morrowind I still intend to cut down on the carbs...just not all the way.

How exactly do you define "good shape"? Rounded buttocks? A certain Buttock/height ratio or some other ratio?

IMO, the term "good shape" is a misnomer. It is not the dimensions, it is the strength of mainly the cardio-vascular system. I suspect your cardio-vascular system is in way above average "shape".