GOT Fitness LOG

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Bruce Wayne said:
Where do you get the energy from to run if it isn't from the carbs? Are you relying on increasing your bodies ability to break down the energy in fats?
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Yes indeed. Your body switches from using carbs (stored in the muscles and as glycogen in the liver) to using its own fat stores - ie, you metabolize your own fat for energy, but, again I must stress - only in the absence of carbs.

You can tell when you are fat-burning because you will produce ketones as a byproduct, which can easily be detected in urine and on the breath (bad breath is the one bad thing about low-carb imo - after heavy exercise my breath reeks).

It's not a switch that your body can make quickly - that's why most low-carb programmes have an induction period of several weeks. Your body needs time to adapt, and doesn't become fully adapted for a couple of months. So low-carbing a few days before a race isn't "low carb" in my book. You are either low carb or you aren't. A big mistake that a lot of supposed low-carbers make is that they will try to alternate low carb one week, and low calorie the next because they still can't get around the idea that calories don't matter if you follow low-carb. This is the worst of both worlds imo.
 

Interesting. I've read a bit about conditioning the body to use fat rather than carbs. I'll confess to not researching it religiously, but have an inkling that it was good for long, steady efforts, but if you need any higher intensity efforts, the body can't metabolize the fat fast enough for it to be useful.

Is that fair?
 
Too cold for me here tonight, just cycled home from work and my fingers nearly frozen off. Honestly. Never felt so cold in me life! :lol: My [Poor language removed] 6km round trip to work is my exercise for today, hah!
 
butters said:
Too cold for me here tonight, just cycled home from work and my fingers nearly frozen off. Honestly. Never felt so cold in me life! :lol: My [Poor language removed] 6km round trip to work is my exercise for today, hah!
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Aye, it's not nice riding in the cold, especially if it's wet as well. There's nothing worse than cold hands imo. Sods law that on those days you also get a puncture and have to swap tubes with freezing hands.

Before Christmas I got hold of a thin pair of gloves to wear underneath normal winter cycling gloves. Thus far they've done the trick and kept my hands ok. Those and a decent pair of overshoes for my feet are essential at this time of year.
 

Bruce Wayne said:
Interesting. I've read a bit about conditioning the body to use fat rather than carbs. I'll confess to not researching it religiously, but have an inkling that it was good for long, steady efforts, but if you need any higher intensity efforts, the body can't metabolize the fat fast enough for it to be useful.

Is that fair?
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hmmm. I'm not sure it's quite as clear cut as that, and I reckon there's very little research out there that swings it one way or another. It's not quite so obvious as "carbs are easier for your body to break down, so can release energy quicker...."

Now, I must say that I'm not really an expert on this, but my understanding is that the human body basically has 3 energy systems - ATP, anerobic, and aerobic.

In very high energy output you're basically tapping your ATP system. This is basically a chemical stored in your muscles that allows very quick bursts of energy. Beyond this I don't know so much (especially how it is replenished), but key point is that you can't even begin to replenish it during this type of exercise, and once it's used its used, regardless of what your body's preferred fuel is.

Your anerobic (ie without oxygen) and aerobic (with oxygen) systems are fine with low-carb - they will function on ketones just as happily as with glucose.


From my own experience, I would say that when you begin living low carb and then go to exercise, you are likely to feel a little lethargic for the first 10-15 minutes, maybe for the first few weeks, maybe longer. I think this is where the idea comes from that low-carb is energy-sapping and isn't suitable for high-energy output. But think about it - your body has been used to burning carbs during periods of exercise and probably still wants to do that - it's never known anything else. Again, it's a switch that your body needs time to make.

Also, fat molecules are more complex than carbohydrates, and your body doesn't have a ready-supply of fat-energy ready to go as it does with glucose, so when you begin exercise your body needs to recognise that and move into a higher metabolic state and increase its process of breaking down fat into energy. So, again, I think this is typical that you need a longer warm-up period on low-carb vs high-carb. But once you are warmed up, you can sprint and do intervals just as you would on the high-carb diet.
 

DualityNSNO said:
First short run of the year, first step towards better fitness.

Only ran about 1.5km, but having not ran for nearly 2 months - I'll take that.

Tomorrow - again, and hopefully more.
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Welcome to the club mate. Well done on your run. Onwards and upwards.
 

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