Too early to carb up?

(Amanda) #1

Hi everyone. I’m 3 weeks into keto (have been very strict with my macros) and I’m going for a 9 mile hike Saturday. I’ve been struggling a bit with fatigue (still experimenting with high doses of electrolytes and switching to decaf) and I really want to be my best, or close to, for this hike.

So…my question. Should I carb up the night before? And if so, how much and what foods?

Or…is it too soon and/or carbing up will have an adverse affect?

2 weeks ago I did a 5 mile and did okay, but had awful lethargy and fatigue the following week; might have been the electrolyte imbalance, though.
Thank you!!!

(Stacy Blanchard) #2

I think you should listen to your intuition. If you feel like carbs would be helpful, then maybe that is your body telling you that is what is needed.
I personally would not do that. I took nuts and tons of water on my 9 mile mountain hike.
Everyone’s experiences and needs are going to be different. There is no ‘one’ answer.
I think in deciding you need to remember what your goals are and why you started this journey in the first place. Some people should probably never cheat while others might have more metabolic flexibility.

(John) #3

I would take a fatty snack with a couple carbs with me like cashews (salted for bonus electrolytes). As long as it isn’t too strenuous for too long you won’t have any use for carbs.

(Amanda) #4

We’re doing 2 peaks, Mount Adam’s in NH being one. It’s a bit strenuous. If having a sweet potato the night before will give me more energy, I’ll do it, but if it’s not going to make a difference, I won’t. This is the first time I’ve done keto. Aren’t we supposed to have a bit more carbs for strenuous activity? I’m getting conflicted responses.

(Amanda) #5

Would it give me more energy? Eating more good carbs the night before?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #6

If you had been eating keto long enough to be fat-adapted, I’d try to persuade you to do without the carbs, since you really wouldn’t need them. But this early in the way of eating, all a day of carb-eating is likely to do is keep you from reaching fat-adaptation for a longer while than it would take otherwise. Do as you think best.

(Alec) #7

I think you need to go either fat or carb, and avoid a mixture. If you go mostly fat, and then take in some serious carbs, you will spike your insulin, and suddenly you don’t have access to your fat (insulin will stop you burning fat). For how long will depend on how insulin resistant you are. If not very IR, you should be ok whatever strategy you have. However, if you are IR, then your high insulin could linger, and lead to you feeling weak/low energy because you can’t burn fat after the carbs have run out.

So decide which strategy and go for it big time. If I were you, I would go fat/no carbs. Let us know how you go so we can learn.
Cheers
Alec

(LeeAnn Brooks) #8

I can only tell you my experience if trying to run a 5k at 4 weeks in.

I opted to not do any carbs. It was a struggle and it wasn’t my best time, but I completed it.

I’m glad though that I didn’t try to carb up. It took me 9 weeks to know I was fat adapted when I ran a 10k no problem. I think ultimately for me it would have slowed down my progression. Not just to fat adaptation, but to learning this new WOE. Had I said it okay to add carbs for this, then I would have been more inclined to find other reasons to add them.

Again, this is my experience. So take or leave what you will.

Best of luck.

(John) #9

You’re on the border, you aren’t fat adapted yet so nobody can really say how you will react. Eating it the night before won’t really do anything other than making you bloated and storing carbs that way, your muscles should be full anyway. If you take some carbs during or after they are absorbed by your muscles quickly (there is a limit so don’t go overboard, 30 per hour if memory serves) and those won’t affect your insulin, which would in turn block fat burning and make you crash. Take cashews or the like (fats with higher carbs but still keto) and see how it goes, if you fear a big crash take a pack of gummi bears and you will be covered.