Hokiedad4

"Fat burns in the flame of carbohydrates" is a simple statement of fact. Fats do not burn apart from the Kreb's cycle, which requires carbohydrates to run.

Fats do not burn during fasting. During fasting, the body uses the most readily available energy source, first glycogen and then protein, primarily muscle.

There are lots of quacks out there who will tell you that during fasting the body converts fat to carbohydrate by a process known as gluconeogenesis. But humans do not have the enzymes required for gluconeogenesis. Therefore, we cannot convert fat to carbohydrate. Period. This is described in any basic biochemistry textbook.

daviddavieboy

Grazing in of itself is not bad. As long as there are still 3 large meals at least 5 hours apart and in between should consist of protein and veg with NO carbs. Salt is also REQUIRED to rehydrate properly and for electrolyte balance. During hard efforts up to 2 grams of salt can be lost per liter of sweat.

SquidPuppet

There sure is a lot of clueless in this thread.

andcarrotrope

Eat less, ride more, lose weight

ThermionicScott 

They would indeed be quacks, since gluconeogenesis is the process by which protein is converted to glucose, not fat.

coominya

No, the real problem is you have become obsessed with your body, you have body dysmorphia, you should seek professional help. I'm not joking, I'm a clinical psychologist by profession.

redlude97

not sure if you're being sarcastic or dense? one of the main components of gluconeogenesis is glycerol derived from triglycerides(fats). It is one of your body's main way of making glucose when glycogen deprived

redlude97

WTF? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7647479

f4rrest

Oh, you must have missed the rolling coal thread...

HerrKaLeun

+1

bike related to this thread (somewhat): I yesterday rode 100 km with eating almost nothing and didn't feel hungry.
Started my day with coffee and plain whole mike yogurt (no fruit or sugar added) and was at work till around 10:00 (office work). then ran some errands and started my ride at around noon. Still nothing further eaten and not hungry. took one banana, 2 apples and 2 pears with me. Took tons of water. After about 55 km I ate the banana and the apple. Actually only ate the apple because i felt obligated, not because of hungry. At 80 km ate a pear. i actually only stopped because my butt hurt. Brought the remaining apple and pear home

DrIsotope

I'm 44 years old, I ride 200-250 miles a week at varying intensities, lose about 0.5lbs a week, and I manage this on a steady diet of... whatever-- I have exactly zero self-imposed dietary restrictions. I might step on a scale once a week, unless I'm leaving on a long ride on a hot day, and need to track water loss. Burn more than you put in, you'll lose weight. If you're taking in 1800kcal a day and not losing weight, then you need less than 1800kcal a day.

Oh, and I retain A LOT of water. On a hot day, a weight swing of 8-10lbs is not uncommon. Eight 8oz glasses a day? Maybe if I'm sitting on the sofa. It's just five in the evening and I've had seven quarts.

redlude97

doesn't really tell us anything without intensity.

ThermionicScott 

The protein to glucose pathway does exist in humans, wasn't aware until doing a little googling that other creatures had a fat to glucose pathway. I learned something.

nicetry

I ride plenty.

Thanks though casual.

nicetry

Silence rookie

nicetry

Yeayea

nicetry

Who

canklecat

You need to see a doctor to determine whether you're retaining water. And a sports nutritionist for the rest.

I can say what worked for me, but I'm 59, with Hashimoto's thyroid disease and lifelong problems with hypoglycemia. Different challenges than most folks deal with.

My optimal weight is 155-160 lbs, same as when I was in peak condition in my 20s as an amateur boxer. Nothing has changed to affect my optimal weight. A little redistribution but that's about it.

About 15 years ago, especially after being disabled for awhile by car wreck that busted up my back and neck, my weight got up to 205. Way too heavy for my frame.

I don't fast. That's a guaranteed bonk for me -- been there, done that. Doesn't work for me. I eat when I'm hungry. Learned that the hard way through years of blood sugar problems. Diabetes runs on both sides of the family so I'm trying to avoid the extremes that lead to low blood sugar and cravings for sugar and junk food.

I cut out most junk food and carbs, although I eat bread and potatoes.

I never stopped eating meat of any kind, or butter or intake of animal fat. I never believed those old dietary guidelines and they turned out to be based on bad research. Meat and natural fats even out my blood sugar so I don't experience the ups and downs I did when I was younger, and subsequent cravings for quick sugar fixes.

Last year I got down to 155. Wasn't really trying. Turns out I had a low grade infection. After that was treated my weight has hovered between 160-165. I have a bit of a pudge but that's beer. My only real vice. I drink one or two beers a day, usually after a ride.

If I really wanted to get serious about stripping down to my optimal weight and eliminating that slight pudge, I'd have to cut out the beer. Not gonna happen.

Coincidentally I had my first bonk in more than 10 years during Saturday morning's ride. No idea why, just a rough guess. I ate the same pre-ride breakfast as usual. Only difference was I slept only 2-3 last night. Probably didn't drink enough water. Saturday morning was 79F, but felt like 90F due to 80% humidity, and it got hotter quick. About 8 miles in I was getting gut cramps. I eased up and kept going but by mile 14 had to pull over with spasms in my neck, arches of my feet and legs. I carry Glukos tablets with me just for this. I chewed two, drank plenty of water and sat in the shade for 15 minutes or so. I was ready to go and rode the 10 miles home, although I cut the planned 50 mile ride short. No point pushing myself, it's not a contest.

Anyway, assuming you've accounted for everything -- and it sounds like you have -- you're pretty much down to needing professional medical and nutritional advice.

BTW: Do you check your blood pressure daily? And check for swelling? Occasionally my BP spikes and it coincides with slight swelling around my shins and ankles (hence my forum nickname -- cankles). Congestive heart failure also runs in my family, another reason I got more serious about weight loss and exercise.

redlude97

did no one answer the question yet? it is water weight. Specifically the glycogen molecule has quite a few water molecules associated with it(weakly bound) at a ratio of 1g:3-4g. For a normal person this is ~500g glycogen and 1500-2000g water

gilpi

A low carb diet works every time. Not sure about the fasting thing or its health issues. When I mean cutting carbs, Im not talking about an extreme fad diet, just cut back on your flour, starch and sugar consumption, you will lose weight period.

deapee

OP...

You seem to have come in here, asked a question that a doctor probably couldn't answer even after a thorough examination - because some things are just how the body works - namely water retention in the cells of the body...then you get pretty abrasive / dismissive with just about everyone who has tried to take time out of their own day and help you.

wphamilton

Since OP is meticulous about his data, I just want to weigh in on one thing: throw out the weighing from immediately after bike rides. That water loss is primarily from the blood, and therefore should not be included in any weight loss calculations or comparisons. It is always replenished back to the blood stream (else risk over-burdening the heart).

Hokiedad4

In humans, correct. But most animals can convert fatty acids to glucose (via acetyl CoA conversion to pyruvate).

nicetry

I respond the way I was responded to

jack pot 

++1 >>> it makes little difference what you weigh as long as you are physically able to perform reasonably strenuous exercise/tasks on a day to day basis ... weight fretting is a psycho disorder ... "actively" live in moderation and barring accident you will live as long as your DNA allows ... a car lite lifesyle would seem to be the best diet to achieve your ends