Feeling weak on the bike


(Karl L) #1

I’m almost done week 2 of keto (for the 2nd time!) and while I feel great overall, I’ve got no power on the bike. I generally ride trails a few times a week, and last night in particular I felt pretty week. I’m generally a pretty strong climber, but I felt like I hit my cardiovascular ‘red zone’ very easily plus had no leg strength at all.
Yeah, I know my body is just starting to transition to keto, but I hate getting dropped (especially on hills)!


(John) #2

This is just me, and there was a long time between my fat boy riding and today but I have noticed a few things.
It got better as I maintained keto longer.
My pace seems dramatically different, my heart rate increases very quickly on climbs, and I can’t go nearly the pace I used to, I bitched about this in another post before I found some things out.
What has changed is endurance, I can ride much longer now, and instead of trying to match a certain pace I do what is comfortable which is generally going to a little harder gear. I used to be able to spin a bit up hills but my legs turn to lead fast, but if I go a gear or 2 harder I power through it and it seems easier on me.

I think you ride a lot more than me though,


(Richard Morris) #3

Some of that is likely that you are mid-adaptation. It took me 6 weeks [quote=“jmbundy, post:2, topic:11888”]
What has changed is endurance, I can ride much longer now, and instead of trying to match a certain pace I do what is comfortable which is generally going to a little harder gear.
[/quote]

Yeah that was the same for me. I used to have more burst mode. Now I have endurance and I can endure longer on my top gear, going straight up hills :slight_smile:


(Karl L) #4

Good stuff; thanks for the input! Yeah, I know it’s a process and I’m just getting started, I just felt ‘off’ and wanted to check in.


(ianrobo) #5

remember mate fat adaptation can be longer than keto adaption.

IMHO my best method was to go on short fasted rides which kind of super boosts the system, forces it to use fat.


(What The Fast?!) #6

I’m with you. I’m riding much slower overall. 6-7 weeks ish into keto for me and my b/f has noted that I’m not keeping up quite as well. I’m tracking everything in Strave so I can see when it starts to improve.

I like that. It’s about that time of year here in Vegas where we have to start our rides mighty early in the morning to avoid the 100+ degree heat. I used to have to get up extra early so I could have a snack, now I can snack on my body fat!

I will say, I think that part about endurance improving is accurate. I used to have to ALWAYS have a snack right before a ride. I rode Tuesday afternoon having not eaten anything in 4-5 hours and I did just fine. In fact, if it were for my sit bones screaming at me, I know I could have ridden much longer.


(ianrobo) #7

All I would say is that fasted rides so much against the paradigm it feels wrong. Stay close to home, do loops close do can bail out but then one day, magic !


(Richard Morris) #8

Yeah Jeff Volek found cyclists still getting better times 6 months into their adaptation. Normal people don’t notice these small improvements but cycling is one sport where small improvements are more obvious.


(What The Fast?!) #9

I’ve noticed that my in both cycling as well as in my strength training classes (TRX, kettlebells, Pilates) that my endurance is great but I don’t as much OOMPH (explosive power) for the intervals, jump squats, hills, etc, but I hear that improves with fat adaptation as well?


(ianrobo) #10

it does BUT I would make a point that you do lose top end power, everyone recognises it. It therefore depends on what you what to do, if you are sprinter, you will need carbs.


(ianrobo) #11

too true Richard as of course all cyclists use Strava to measure themselves (esp us in IT ha ha )


(Karl L) #12

I didn’t know that! What about keto power lifters? Surely they wouldn’t give up carbs if it negatively affected their top-end power.
I’ll need to peruse ‘show me the science’ on this one!


(ianrobo) #13

Well go to the Ketogenic Athlete for that and Danny Vega

I speak from a cycling point of view on this but for me not an issue I am endurance and not interested in top end power


(Richard Morris) #14

My strava is an embarrassment as I still haven’t recovered from my knee issues.


(ianrobo) #15

sadly a knee injury is the worse possible for cycling. I have ridden fine with pulled hammy’s and calves but when I did my knee in a few years back it was awful !


(Karl L) #16

I’ve been following that on the podcast; hope you see some improvement soon!


#17

I have noticed the same thing. I am 3 months in. I have a power meter on my bike and have notice a 20% drop in power and also my heart rate rises faster. Disappointed because the reason I wanted to lose weight was to be faster going uphill but the opposite has happened. The reason for this is mainly climbing hills and fast group rides you are mainly anaerobic which requires carbs. Something I recently started doing is about an hour before an intence ride I eat 1/2 cup of oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of Karo Syrup (no fructose in this) and it has helped. Main thin is it does not take me out of Ketosis because I am burning it right away.
Second thing I started doing is making sure I get plenty of sodium. I drink 2 cups of bouillon and salt my food. Along with drinking plenty of fluid my resting heartrate has come back down.( More blood volume?)


(ianrobo) #18

Also as Steve Phinney confirmed to me, Keto does push the HR higher (Peter Defty also said this) and an idea is to eat more salt.


(Karl L) #19

Has the pre-ride carb intake shown an increase in power?


#20

I have definitely seen an improvement. Definitely not back to where I was but better. I have also lost 30 lbs and I am sure some of it is muscle. Wish I had body fat tested before I started.