Training on Keto

exercise
military
(Andrew Lyons) #1

I’m looking for a bit of experience / advice.

I’m at the end of week 2 of my second go at keto. I’ve been keeping to around 5/25/70 ratios a day, around 2000 calories. Not really had any major ‘keto flu’ symptoms, other then feeling a bit more tired than usual for a few days. I’ve lost about 4kg, down to 84.4kg (I’d like to get to 72-75kg).

I’m in the military, which involves physical training every day. Short sessions haven’t been too much of a problem but today we went for a tab (a hike carrying kit) and I hit the wall. About an hour in, done about 4 miles up and down hills and I was exhausted. I’ve never felt like that on a tab prior to going Keto. Usually I’d have had some sports drink in my water bottle, an energy gel or more importantly some Haribo to keep me going, but today I had just water.

My question is really what was going on today? What can I do about it? And what can I replace my little energy boosts with?

Thanks!

(D) #2

If I understand the things I’ve learned, you can only tap into about 1% of your body fat (31.5 kcal per/lb fat)…prolly less if you haven’t fully developed that pathway yet. 2 weeks doesn’t seem long enough to have developed the ability to tap into it all, so you most likely ran out of energy and then your body started chugging along trying to create more. In your case, I would use some quick carb source just prior to exercise so you don’t hit that wall…it’s gonna get burned right anyway, right? Alternate days that you do that, and you should start adapting. I know I struggled with lifting for a couple months…now I’m back to higher reps/sets like before.

(Alex Dyke) #3

So I’m not in the military but since taking on the keto WOE, I’m training daily (cardio) and also didn’t get keto flu

I started from a basic fitness level and struggled to do 30 minutes of cardio. After a few weeks, I was able to double the time, I’m now doing 90 mins a day without feeling much impact. This still probably less than you do!

What I’ve done is

  1. Build it up gradually, but once fat adapted, I felt turbo charged
  2. My cardio duration is now about stopping due to time rather than energy
  3. I make a Electrolyte / sports drink equivalent to help

I also participate in sports events that take all day (competitive paintball) and take my Electrolyte drink to ensure I don’t use commercial products

So what I’d suggest

  1. Switch from water to an electrolyte style drink to help
  2. Recognize that week 2 is still early in keto terms, I’d guess it will take another 4-6 weeks for you to become fully fat adapted
  3. Persevere and it becomes suddenly so much easier (mirrors my experience)
(D) #4

I second the electrolytes for heavy sweating days. There is a ketoade recipe on the forum. Test it out on your days off first though…you don’t want disaster pants on a tab.

(Andrew Lyons) #5

That’s where my lack of understanding comes in. I’ve read all this about being ‘thrown out of keto’ of you go over your 20g carbs, and worry about having to re-retrain my body.

But yes if you can do that, if I can take on carbs to be used immediately (and I will use them) without setting myself back then that soundsike a good idea.

Haha probably not. You sound fitter and like you do more than me.

The problem is I have to to be able to perform now.

Thanks for the advice guys.

(D) #6

I’ve chowed down on fries and been back in ketosis a few hours later…it’s not back to square 1 to have a blip of carbs…especially since it’s regarding a condition of employment.

(Alex Dyke) #7

Everyone is different and the need to perform now is a challenge! I think if you do the electrolytes it might just alleviate the immediate challenge

Stick with it and suddenly it’s like a switch. I have so much energy I now look forward to my daily cardio in a way that I never felt possible. I don’t struggle during or after exercise, no muscle stiffness next day, heart rate duration and recovery has significantly improved

It might happen quicker than I did… plus there’s a reason that more and more endurance athletes are adopting keto diets

(Bunny) #8

The longer your doing keto (27 week mark) the less carbs (glucose/sugar) you will need for energy, speed and endurance!

Make sure you get enough sodium, potassium (electrolytes) and magnesium because you will be sweating a lot and your supply will be seeping through your pours, the longer you are in ketosis the less frequent you will need to replenish the three when not physically active!

This may be the round of what your looking for: