Your favorite electrolyte/salt drink cycling on keto?

(Richard Dort) #1

Having dug around on the forum a bit I found the threat about adding salt water pre ride to get your power back. I did over do the whole month of June, and electrolytes weighed heavily on my mind last week as I was a wreck by the end of last week. Did some searching on YouTube and more digging around here. I have found some people like just simple pink himalayan salt mixed in some water. One person pointed to a Thomas Delauer ACV drink mix, and yet another to some electrolyte drops from Amazon. I am 41, and trying really to just get fat adapted, but into Keto would be a bonus. I just would like to recover better and make sure my minerals are balanced properly. I am leaning twords the Thomas Delauer concoction, but isn’t that something you drink once or twice a week? Is that enough? And to put things in perspective. My fancy bike computer and web sites say that my typical ride home from work on my loaded 66lbs commuter bike is AS stressful on my body as riding for twice the distance and twice the time on my CX “race” bike doing laps on the greenway at a local park.

Any thoughts?

#2

I start my day with an ACV drink that has collagen, salt, and cream of tartar (potassium) in it. I got the idea for the salt and cream of tartar part of it from one of Thomas Delauer’s videos. As I recall, Thomas also squeezes a lime into his drink. I’ve done this, and it improves the taste, but I usually don’t bother with it. (Thomas provides other reasons for adding the lime though.)

I also add some LyteShow (which I got from Amazon) to my hydration reservoir when I do a strenuous activity outdoors.

I also salt my food liberally.

If your bike commute is not especially long or especially warm, I wouldn’t worry about adding an electrolyte to whatever drink you bring with you for the ride. Just make sure you get enough salt and other minerals throughout the rest of the day.

(Richard Dort) #3

That’s the thing, its only a 4.4 mile 23 minute commute. But its hot as you know what. Many times my bike computer tells me the ave temp is 94 with a max of 100. The other day the max was 102. I don’t bring a drink with me. But I drink right before I leave, and when I get to work.

#4

For your 23 minute commute on a hot day, I think it makes sense to consume some electrolytes in some form after your ride. I don’t know that it needs to be immediately after your ride; if you get everything you need from the food you eat at your meals, that’s probably okay.

I live in the Phoenix area. I recently did a hike lasting a little over 5 hours (in which I hiked 11.2 miles with over 3,000 feet of elevation gain). I brought two 3L hydration reservoirs with me. I used LyteShow in both. I drank a little over 5L of the 6L that I brought with me. I felt pretty good when I was finished; I think it likely that the electrolyte supplementation in my water helped me to avoid cramping.

But I also do shorter hikes (less than two hours) and hikes in cooler conditions. I don’t bother adding electrolytes to my water in those conditions, nor do I worry about supplementing with electrolytes either before or afterwards. (Though, as I mentioned in my earlier post, I do make an effort to make sure that I consume enough salt during the day.)

(LeeAnn Brooks) #5

You can’t become fat adapted without going through ketosis. I’m confused on this statement.

(Richard Dort) #6

Sorry, I think I need to dig more into the difference between fat adapted and in keto.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #7

Ketosis simply means your body is producing ketones. This happens relatively quickly if you lower your carb intake to 20 net grams. Ususally within a few days.

Fat adaption takes longer. Your body needs to learn how to use the ketones for fuel. Until then, you’re mostly just peeing them out. Fat adaptation, or Keto adaptation as it’s sometimes referred, typically takes 6-8 weeks. At this point, you are using the ketones for fuel.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #8

https://www.perfectketo.com/fat-adapted/ I had never heard of fat adaptation without ketosis either, but this article says it is possible. Can’t wait to read more answers to your question.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #9

I’m not really sure about the premise of the article. The entire first part basically explains the process of getting into ketosis (though it doesn’t call it that) and then becoming fat adapted as a result.

“First, you’ll experience the initial phase: carb withdrawal. This, which is sometimes referred to as the keto flu, can last anywhere from 3–14 days. It’s when your body works through its carb reserves and screams for you to replace them.

From there you’ll shift into the second phase, which can last between 6-8 weeks. Here your body really starts to make the transition from burning glucose to fat.”

Sounds pretty much like the Keto adaptation process.

But then it says you don’t have to be in ketosis to become fat adapted. If that’s true, it wouldn’t be the case for anyone on a ketogenic diet as the entire point is to place your body in a state of ketosis. I wouldn’t think anyone in this forum would be aiming for anything other than being in ketosis.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #10

I wondered that too. And also wondered what the connection between BMR and fat-burning is. Why are some people naturally thin no matter what they eat? Is their BMR high enough so that they burn everything off?

(LeeAnn Brooks) #11

I’m reading The Obesity Code. It talks a lot about metabolic set points.

It’s really fascinating.

And totally crushes the whole CICO thing.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #12

That’s next on my reading list. Ordering it now.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #13

I got it for kindle but also opted to get the audio version as well so I can listen in the car on my commutes to and from work.

I also got Nina Teicholz’s The Big Fat Surprise, but it didn’t come with audio. I started reading this one first and switched to The Obesity Code to listen to it while I went for my run today, figuring I would just switch back and forth for when I had time to read vs when I could only listen, but I got so wrapped up in the Obesity Code that I’ve decided to just go completely through that one first instead.

Though honestly I enjoy reading myself vs listening to the audio. Still, I will be able to get through it much faster this way.

Now if only I could break my obsession with this forum, I’ve really get through them both lickidy split.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #14

me too - i’m not really a forum addict (I tell myself), just a speedreader!

(Kevin Sodhi) #15

I usually prep my water bottles or CamelBak with water and Nuun tablets.

(ianrobo) #16

hmmm I would disagree … I think if you go for LCHF rather than Keto the same impact would be seen … there is a difference between fat adaption and ketosis of course

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #17

It depends on what you mean by the terms “LCHF” and “keto.” As I understand it, the only difference is the carb limit, making “keto” a subset of “LCHF.” In any case, I share the same understanding as LeeAnn, and I don’t see how we can become fat-adapted unless our body starts making ketones. I don’t see how the mitochondria of the liver and muscle cells, much less cells in the brain and other organs, can start burning fatty acids and ketones if the body is storing all its fat in adipose tissue. You need low insulin—which means low glucose—in order to mobilize fat to be metabolized, and that means getting into ketosis.

(ianrobo) #18

Not disagreeing at all but through blood measurements recently just been in official ketosis of 0.5 or above for about a third of measurements yet feel great …

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #19

Your liver may be producing fewer ketones because your muscles are better at metabolizing fatty acids directly. It’s all part of becoming more efficient at fat metabolism in general. Remember the athletes Phinney studied, who had barely detectable levels of BOHB in their blood, but who were clearly metabolizing fat/ketones as they exercised. If you feel great, that certainly says “fat adaptation” to me!

(ianrobo) #20

Oh yeah Paul and no way I could do an hundred mile ride fasted as I did last weekend !! I have done a bit more carb cycling though before events