Keto Diet and Cycling Fitness

[Norman H]

I agree there is often conflicting advice out there for type 2 diabetics. It would be good to have a source for that which you quoted. In fairness the same criticism can also be aimed at advice for Ketogenic diets. That's the nature of the internet and why a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Good quality advice is available, from both medical professionals and dieticians who are well up to date with modern thinking. Anyone with this condition would be well advised to seek that advice.


As you say this is a discussion about ketogenic diets for cyclists. You pose the question: “Keto for cycling, why the heck not”

Well, if it works for you, fine. I'm not saying that ketogenic diets don't work, just that there are known risks for certain individuals and the long term consequences of having elevated levels of ketones circulating in the blood are unknown. I'm not sure that any benefits are really needed for your average recreational cyclist.
That said, there may well be all sorts of health and therapeutic benefits from following a ketogenic diet and these may prove to be the most useful outcomes for such a strategy but it is best that these are investigated under medical supervision. The problem with the diy approach, especially when adopted by evangelical wannabe athletes, is an overenthusiastic and ill informed application of the principal.

[ianrobo]

I agree there is often conflicting advice out there for type 2 diabetics. It would be good to have a source for that which you quoted.

official NHS website, diabetic UK ay the same, basically keep popping the sugar in the form carbs despite having a sugar disease, you are aware that very few people need Carbs as food aren't you ? The only people are maybe those that have a very rare fat resistance gene.

The problem with the diy approach, especially when adopted by evangelical wannabe athletes, is an overenthusiastic and ill informed application of the principal.

What application ? Do you trust doctors that much, the same that will give you a Statin when studies show it has a 1% chance of success ?

You try it, if it works, fine, if not go back to your pasta's and breads ... or don;t bother at all.

The one thing a low carb diet won't do is make you sick, be it Keto, Paleo, Vegan or numerous others.

Too many carbs and you WILL get ill at some point or at least overweight.

[Vorpal]

Because I'm not worried about performance & I like cake.

[ianrobo]

Because I'm not worried about performance & I like cake.

then that is your personal choice and you are welcome to it. I am just saying there is another way and a way that works.

[nez]

i've struggled with T2D for years. Went on a LCHF diet in October, lost 18 kilos till yesterday and blood sugar = normal. Its hard to argue. Also please don't confound ketoacidosis and ketosis. [emoji846]

ps also I never go hungry


I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels

[ianrobo]

i've struggled with T2D for years. Went on a LCHF diet in October, lost 18 kilos till yesterday and blood sugar = normal. Its hard to argue. Also please don't confound ketoacidosis and ketosis. [emoji846]

ps also I never go hungry

great news mate and not the only one to hear that. Are you off all your meds now, if so you are cured and so many say you can not be.

[nez]

I dont take them. The nurse said the only way to be sure is to stop taking them and up the testing, so that's what I've done. so far my blood sugar is like everyone else's- normal with a short lived spike immediately after food. I suspect if I went back to eating carbs i'd have trouble again though. I dont intend to find out. btw for those reading this I'm not on the extreme end of low carb. I eat apples and some porridge. but I cook the porridge from groats. Sometimes I think the diet should be called 'no processed diet'!

thanks for the encouraging thought

[ianrobo]

I dont take them. The nurse said the only way to be sure is to stop taking them and up the testing, so that's what I've done. so far my blood sugar is like everyone else's- normal with a short lived spike immediately after food. I suspect if I went back to eating carbs i'd have trouble again though. I dont intend to find out. btw for those reading this I'm not on the extreme end of low carb. I eat apples and some porridge. but I cook the porridge from groats. Sometimes I think the diet should be called 'no processed diet'!

thanks for the encouraging thought

ah that is more Paleo then than Keto but same principles except for the need to get into Ketosis, have you done any bloods or Breath for that

[nez]

i've used the pee sticks. it stays just inside the keto range all the time, more or less. From my pov, its just a question of avoiding carbs. Of course you do end up having some, but it's so much simpler and less hassle than counting! It means i get theough a lot of celery as the base for snacks, but it's not hard

[ianrobo]

i've used the pee sticks. it stays just inside the keto range all the time, more or less. From my pov, its just a question of avoiding carbs. Of course you do end up having some, but it's so much simpler and less hassle than counting! It means i get theough a lot of celery as the base for snacks, but it's not hard

yep sounds good but you prove the point some in this thread think that carbs are needed. Like myself you have incidental carbs used tied to fruit and vegetables and more important no added sugar crappy processed foods.

All those years you and I eat so called healthy food and you look now at the ingredients and think what-on-earth was I doing ?

I was pre diabetic according to blood tests about 8 months ago yet fit and no one would say fat. Proves fat is caused by T2D and not the other way round.

[nez]

well you're riding a chopper up ben nevis if you expect to prove to medical profession things they 'know' aren't true. Even those who agree with you have to be very circumspect about how they express it. Ive just spent 11 years working in a university and am well acquainted with the arrogance induced by certainty among well-educated people and the amount of backbone it takes to go against this certainty. I would say take what works for you but don't get too disappointed if logic isn't a close companion of your medical advisors.

[ianrobo]

well you're riding a chopper up ben nevis if you expect to prove to medical profession things they 'know' aren't true. Even those who agree with you have to be very circumspect about how they express it. Ive just spent 11 years working in a university and am well acquainted with the arrogance induced by certainty among well-educated people and the amount of backbone it takes to go against this certainty. I would say take what works for you but don't get too disappointed if logic isn't a close companion of your medical advisors.

funny enough I had to see the doctor or something, weighed me and saw I lost all the weight, Explained to her how and nothing said ...

thats actually a positive

[mjr]

well you're riding a chopper up ben nevis if you expect to prove to medical profession things they 'know' aren't true.

I didn't find Ben Nevis. How about Ventoux?
[youtube]Jba8gLgGz1g[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jba8gLgGz1g

[ianrobo]

just to show how good this WOE is, today I did a 4 and half fasted ride.

Over 115KM, NP of 230W and all very good and well.

[nez]

well you're riding a chopper up ben nevis if you expect to prove to medical profession things they 'know' aren't true.

I didn't find Ben Nevis. How about Ventoux?
[youtube]Jba8gLgGz1g[/youtube]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jba8gLgGz1g

Brilliant. I'd read about that but not seen it. tbh I was struggling to remember which mountain it was so plumped for one that was wrong but British.

The other day I weighed out the 18 kilos I lost in clay. No wonder I go up hills easier now!