First ride since starting Atkins.
 

Had a great ride today. Though the wind was very strong, headwind wasn't fun but tail wiind was great, it was still a great ride.

The mileage for the ride was shortend a little, by about 12 miles or so. No one wanted to battle wind and climb hills so we decided to just deal the wind. It still provided a great work out for everyone.

Total distance was about 23 miles.

Contrary to what other people have said to me about the Atkins diet I in no way had any problems with energy during or even after the ride. And beleive me the wind was intense enough to creat a very strenuous resistance to ride through.

I did not bonk nor was I depleted of energy at the end of the ride.

In fact after I got home and showered, my wife, our dog and I went for a 1.5 mile walk, then we went shopping. After coming home I went out and did a little work in the garage to get the lawn mower ready for the season.

Only now am I mildly tired.

Why? Well I can only assume it is because my body ws and still is burning its fat stores for energy. I know it didn't use much in the way of carbs. Hell I only consumed a total of 12 grams today.

So who says I really need a lot of carbs. during the weight loss? Especially when I have all this fat to burn off for energy.

The question I'll have to answer eventually though is: What happens after I lose all the weight I need to lose?

Well right now I'm not to concerned about it, I'll deal with it when the time comes. I am taking this one step and one day at a time, and I have only just begun.

Good on ya N_C and remember to do some kind of activity everyday!
Gordon p

Congratulations on the ride.I also did a long ride yesterday that went well so now I'm psyched about doing some overnight trips in the near future.About bonking from my experience those relying on sugar for fuel bonk sooner than those relying on fat and those with low bodyfat levels bonk sooner than those with higher bodyfat levels.It is basically a survival response where if you deplete your carb stores and your fat levels are low enough the body senses a famine/stavation situation by protecting remaining fat by breaking down less essential(for survival)muscle.So if you are not bonking now on low carbs by all means stick with what works but keep in mind as your bodyfat levels get lower/approach your goals you might stall out and have to change your approach for this same reason .I mention this because many people for whom real low calories and/or carbs work initially eventually get frustrated when their progress stops /plateaus sort of their goal and blame genetics when a different approach is all they need.

N_C,

How long have you been doing the Atkins?
I believe that longer rides (like centuries) are more the
concern when talking about bonking and Atkins
(not to make light of your ride).
Glad its working for you. . .
keep up the good work.

Marty

Most people only bonk on long rides like centuries because they have loaded up on stored carbs which must be depleted first before they bonk.However since N_C loaded with only 12 grams of carbs he would have started with depleted carbs or depleted them early on in his ride.So there does seem to be some merit in what he is saying but it would also be interesting to see how he does as the length/intensity of his rides increases .

My understanding of bonk also requires that you exceed your bodies capacity to metabolize fat stores by exercising at rate way above that level which for even modrately fit ppl is 300cals/hr.A fit person with a fair bit of cycling experience can easily ride around 100 miles in the flatlands w/o food intake,provided they keep cal consumption under like 600cals/hr.....for a guy at my weight thats a sub 6hr century.Now,eating a low carb diet will definitely mess up your stamina on long rides IF you push hard enough,and thats a big IF,many dont do that.Yes ppl with low fat % are more susceptible to running out of fuel so to speak,but also usually recover quicker once they eat something.Ppl with low body fat are also more likely to be able to push hard enough and long enough to reacj ketosis all other things being equal.

horndude Thats why I said those relying on carbs for fuel (ie going faster would include these)would bonk sooner but you can still bonk going slower in the situation I described (ie depleting glycogen).Yes it is more feasible to continue on here(with training) at the expense of breaking down muscle for fuel (I think I use to be an expert at this lol) which I not sure should be a priority for someone trying to lose bodyfat.N_C 's stated objective is to train in a fatburning mode so he should train at a more slow to moderate pace .His milage may not seem great to some but keep in mind he is relying more on fat for fuel than most so he is still burning plenty of fat at those distances.Keep in mind if his objective is to train to utilize fat as fuel while training it may conflict with goals many cyclists prioritize such as going as fast as possible or completing a century in a certain time.

I guess in a roundabout way thats what most concerns me about the atkins diet.Yes if you take it easy and ride at a moderate pace but fast enough and long enough you will lose weight from fat being burned,thats gonna happen regardless.All it takes is some daily steady exercise like cycling and your body will automatically do this as it gradually increases your metabolism to handle the load.My concern takes effect after youve lost significant weight and getting within 20-35lbs of a realistic healthy target weight,at that point its real easy to overdo it and have bonking probs IMHO.Being on the atkins diet for a long time concerns me too,I dont think it should done for very long.I am aware that many ppl have probs with carb consumption and putting on weight,and in that case I think atkins for a limited time anyway is prob worth a try.Overall though I still think a steady exercise program and well rounded diet is the best way to go.

I wouldnt recommend high mileage at first at all,but like 30-45mins per session several times/wk,everyday if possible,at a nice steady pace that gets HR up enough to make the body start looking for fat stores to burn.You can live on a high fat/high protein diet and do just fine as far as energy goes,I dont think it makes as much of a difference as many think until you hit like the 3000cal/day+ level.Above that carbs become necessary because you just cant digest enough food quickly enough to replenish glycogen stores and still exercise at a heavy level.Its still hard on the body being on atkins,IMHO,much more so than whats needed in most ppl's cases anyway.Maybe drastic situations require drastic measures?I still think for practical reaosns atkins is for relatively sedate ppl and should only be a temporary way to start to lose weight,but not finish the process.Hey I hope NC has success with it and sticks with it and it helps.

Please consult with a doctor before embarking on the Atkins diet. Consider a TSA blood test prior (to check for low thyroid function, a common undiagnosed condition). The consequences for certain people can be serious: don't play games with your health.

horndude I agree totally with what you have said.The value of the keto diets IMO is getting off overconsumption of carbs and learning to gradually add proper ones back in for performance purposes.

In a high protein, very low carb diet, where does the brain get it's needed glucose? The brain does not burn fat, nor protein. It requires sugar. According to Covert Bailey ('Fit or Fat' - book on low fat eating) the body simply converts protein to carbs. If you are not eating enough protein, then the body will break down muscle tissue, otherwise, you are usually spending extra money on protein to create carbs.

12 grams of carbs would equate to about 60 calories. This is hardly enough to run even my pea brain. The sugar's got to come from somewhere.

First from protein breakdown to glucose and secondarily from fat breakdown to ketones.And before you start on the dangers of prolonged ketosis note he said this was a two week stage not a long term diet plan.

Hey all thanks for the responses. Those of you who made comments about what pace and intensity level I ride at are correct.

I read a while ago, that by riding at a fairly moderate pace, not "balls to the wall", but going on longer rides, more then 20 miles or so and maintaining my heart rate at around 155 to 160, I found that fat burning is much higher. Now accomponied with the Atkins diet the fat burning has increased to a even higher level. Which is what my goal is.

I have started to reach this goal but still have a ways to go. My rides will increase in lenght and intensity as the warmer weahter progresses. So time will tell how my body reacts on century rides with only 20 grams of carbs. in me.

I decided to stretch out the unduction phase of the diet till after my wife returns home from Texas, (she left this morning on a business trip for her company, Tyson Foods.) She will be back home on May 9th. But right now I'm just starting the second wekk of the induction phase.

After that I go into what is called the Overall Weight Loss phase, or OWL. Still reading and learning about it.

But so far so good.

Again thanks.

Already done all of the above. It was my dr. that put me on this diet in the first place.

I did it! I lost 50 lbs last year doing just what you are doing. I have started adding back carbs to my diet. I do stay away from bread and potatos on most days. I also have days I only eat green stuff and low GI stuff. When I ride long rides I do eat carbs along the way, because I did bonk last summer and I do not want to do that again!
I have actually gained some weight back but I think it is in muscle, because of how my cloths fit. I have more problems with pants being tight in the legs now and not the waist.:D

I did my first 64 mile ride of the year last week and felt great afterwards.

Keep up the good work, don't over do it and keep riding.

How long did you stay on the induction phase of the diet? Are you now on the Ongoing Weight Loss Phase, or the Lifetime Maintenance?

Here are some corrections, general info & some clarifications.

First of all it is called Ongoing Weight Loss or OWL, not Overall Weight Loss as I stated earlier.

Second the book I'm using is titled Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. Which I believe is his most recent book published. How it differs from the previous book/books I do not know. I figured it best to use the most recent and up-to-date book I could find.

For those that have either done the diet, or at least own or have read a copy of any of the Atkins' books, which book/books were they?

To clarify a few things:

It is only the induction period that lasts for a minimum of 2 weeks, not the whole diet. And the 20 grams of carbs a day are only during the duration of the induction phase. So this diet in part is a actual lifestyle change.

Once a person is past that they can decide how many grams, using what the book suggests as a guidline, to incoprprate back into their diet.

How ever the it is strongly recommended that "junk carbs." are never consumed again.

At this point I can not yet recommend the diet to anyone who needs to lose weight and has not tried it yet. I am not to the point the where I can offer such advice.

How ever I am starting to see results. So much so that sometime in the next 2 weeks I'll post what my weight is and will not be embarresed about it.

What I learned today in biochemstry class is this. Glucose is the preferred fuel for the brain, however it can utilize ketones. Glucose is the ONLY fuel for red blood cells. Maybe the few carbs you get in a day are sufficient for those RBCs...

You do realize you just resurrected a 5 year old thread right? :eek:

Whats the search function for?!

Yes, but ... nobody is on the Atkins diet anymore. It was a fad, and it's over.

Isn't South Beach the "new" Atkins?

For morons to dig up old threads!

Yeah, I thought South Beach was the new Atkins. Of course, Dr. Atkins is dead. I thought South Beach was dead, too.

South Beach really isn't much like Atkins. South beach has a very short term (2 weeks-ish) low carb section, but after that it has a reasonable mix of fat/carbs/protein, and it does not feature the high fat approach that Atkins does. It's not very far from what you'd find in "food for fitness".

South beach is a decent long-term diet for most people. For athletes you need to modify around training.