Comments on: Do You Really Need Carbs To Workout Effectively?

By: Elliot Wilson

Elliot Wilson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 08:39:00 +0000

I know a real difference has been made in my progress after I’ve stopped eating so much grains & carbohydrates. I’ve also felt a great deal more energy.

By: Mark McManus

Mark McManus — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:33:58 +0000

@Zack. Yes, count sugar alcohols – most are bad news. Some are ok like erythritol. For more, see my post here
https://musclehack.com/how-to-calculate-net-carbs/
@David. Thanks for your input. Yes, CKD’s are certainly sufficient for weight training. You’re right to have extra carbs on the Tuesday. I advise some people who feel performance is starting to suffer to implement a mid-week carb spike.
@Ian. Yes, dextrose is ok. In fact, high GI carbs have been shown to be better at refilling muscle glycogen than low GI ones (at least for the first 24 hours of a carb up). Just don’t dump 100g into you at 1 time. 50g of carbs at a time works well.
@Dave. Yes, I’ve heard about epileptics being put on ketogenic diets before – haven’t really studied it much though. Thanks.
@Rikard. Thanks man.
@Josephine, Sean, Ben, & Alan – Thank You! 🙂
Mark

By: Zack

Zack — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:49:24 +0000

Hi Mark,

I am not sure if you have ever mentioned this in any of your blogs, but i was wondering if sugar alcohols should be counted when calculating net carbs when on the mans diet.

By: David

David — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:23:33 +0000

The point at which the body switches over to primarily glucose oxidation is called the Lactic Threshold, and it roughly corresponds to 75% of VO2 Max in trained individuals (so the study was conducted at the LT). Performance above the LT requires a ready supply of glucose, with Liver glucose playing a major role. So once in ketosis, exercise above the LT up to the VO2 Max threshold will suffer, while exercise below the LT will not. Note that ketones do not get used by muscles for fuel to any significant degree (being mainly reserved for the brain).

If you look at any non-beginner marathon training program, you’ll see that you need to do three basic types of training runs.

1.) Intervals at VO2 Max pace, which is roughly the pace you can sustain for 11-minutes and no more. Research has shown that this tyep of workout increases mitochondria density in Type IIA fibers the best.

2.) A 25-30 minute run at just above the LT, which turns out to be just about the pace you can hold for 25-30 minutes and no more. Same study shows that this increases mitochondria density in Type I fibers the best.

(Ref: Dudley, G. A., P. C. Tullson, and R. L. Terjung. Influence of mitochondrial content on the sensitivity of respiratory control. J. Biol. Chem. 262: 9109-9114, 1987)

3.) A long run at 65% of VO2 Max pace to full fatigue. This run likely is responsible for making Type IIA fibers act more Type I like (eg. the Type IIA mitochondria adapt to convert fat more readily into ATP).

I am on a cyclic ketogenic diet, and I am training for a marathon while also continuing to lift weights to add muscle mass. For my aerobic training, I do VO2 Max interval runs (timed miles) on Sunday after my carb up while Liver glycogen is still available. I then do a 30 minute run on Tuesday at just above my Lactic Threshold pace (I eat an extra 25-40g of low GI carbs at lunch that day). Then I do my long endurance run on Thursday (completely in a ketogenic state by now). I then do a 48 hour carb up on Friday and Saturday.

The point is, glucose may be needed, even by endurance atheletes, but there’s no reason a cyclic ketogenic diet cannot provide it. Interestingly, I’m aware of no studies that have specifically looked at the effects of a cyclic ketogenic diet on endurance atheletes (and I have looked).

By: Ian Robinson

Ian Robinson — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:30:07 +0000

I am 6 weeks into my low Carbs/high Fat/Carbs loading life style(Don’t like the word Diet). I have tried 60, 40, 20 grams of Carbs to see how my body adjust and to see what is best for me. I am still able to lift heavy and do cardio on the low carbs day and I love the look and the fat burning feeling. I am more weak on the 20 grams of Carbs but I see more cut from it and muscle may be a lttle flat. When I carb up I am very strong but it’s true I do feel a little boated (Squat and bench on those days). I use 20 grams on my day off lifting and 40 grams when training and I find that does the trick. Mark I have one question is Dextrose power ok to bump up the Carbs on the carb loading days.
Thanks for alway providing good reading and motivation for us.

By: dave

dave — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:06:02 +0000

hmm, so i generally eat low carb anyways – do high fat to keep weight on (i love peanuts, so usually go with those) and also do an occasional ‘weekend carb load’ every other weekend (meaning, eat a lot of crap), but this is all because i tend to shrink rapidly without some kind of light carb intake…

*however* regarding ketogenics and energy, you may find more interesting studies in the world of epilepsy – the ketogenic diet and approach was actually first used to treat epilepsy (with strong results for seizure control in children) a long, long time ago – and they only happened to notice that it had a strong effect on weight control with high energy levels (meaning no loss of muscular tissue, but rather lower body fat etc)…

By: Rikard

Rikard — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:55:43 +0000

Jimmy More got an interview with world-class Swedish triathlete Jonas Colting.

He credits his low carb diet for his results.

Link with to Jimmys blog where you can hear an interview with Jonas.

https://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/?p=5091

By: Alan

Alan — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:55:10 +0000

I find no drop in performance without carbs. The only carbs I eat are from lots of green veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage, spinach etc, and the occasional apple. I weight train 5 days a week for 1 hour per session and get good pumps and finish the hour feeling great! I usually have a slurp of extra virgin olive oil a few times a day, get a very good one and they taste quite nice. I eat lots of full cream (no milk) cheese and leave the fat on my steak. I never feel bloated anymore and don’t crave junk or bread or pasta etc. I have been eating virtually no carbs for over 6 months, previously low carbs but I cut out wheat and grains as an experiment.
All I can say is it works for me.

Alan.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:49:24 +0000

Great research. I’ve been on the Anabolic Diet for a few months, but it’s hard not to eat carbs when they seem ubiquitous in modern society. Plus my parents don’t like that I’m eating so much fat. I’ve noticed that carbs now make me feel tired and less satisfied, however, and hopefully any cravings will soon be completely gone.

Anywho, this is just the type of research I wanted to see. I don’t know how you find all of these, studies, but keep it up. Great article.

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:40:25 +0000

Same story as Josephine here, except I’ve also noticed that I don’t get nearly as cold in the winter as I used to since going low-carb. Strange, huh?

By: Josephine

Josephine — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:03:37 +0000

Hi Mark,

I agree. I’ve been doing a very low carb usually no more than 20g per day and it totally got me ripped last year. The best one that works for me is protein based on my lean weight and the rest fat. My abs just started coming out all of a sudden and the definition was there. I tried just about every diet out there and this one is the best. I have more enery of this diet than I do when I add carbs. I actually started adding more protein to my diet and some more carbs for a month now and I put on more muscle but my fat percentage also went up. I started the low carb again as of today for the summer and will probably be doing the GLAD diet come winter. Also, when I eat carbs, I’m always very bloated and and very uncomfortable, with the high fat, I don’t have these problems. Maybe I’m carb sensitive. I’m going to compete for my first time next year in April in either the fitness or figure category and this is the diet I’ll be using to cut up. Love all yours articles!!