Low carbohydrate diets for energy burners - Advice needed.
Discussion
I've got back around to rock climbing after a 20 year lay-off, and I'm doing some backpacking too, as a way of regaining fitness. I'm about 33 pounds heavier than I was for many years up until around five years ago, when I started gaining weight from around 13stone 5lb to my present rather portly 15stone 10lb. Being 6'8" the weight is ok, but I'd like to get rid of a bit of flab, and increase the muscle proportion.
Can any PHers offer any advice about which foods it's easy to cut down on, which should be substituted in for the ones I ought to avoid or reduce, and what pitfalls someone who burns a lot of energy in exercise may run into while simultaneously trying to lose weight?
Can any PHers offer any advice about which foods it's easy to cut down on, which should be substituted in for the ones I ought to avoid or reduce, and what pitfalls someone who burns a lot of energy in exercise may run into while simultaneously trying to lose weight?
Yugguy said:
I dunno what foods to advise mate, but just to be careful, I tried doing Atkins and still maintaining the same level of exercise and about 10 days in I almost fainted while running.
I could carry a Glucose drink or lucozade tablets I guess, for a quick enrgy hit and sugar readjustment. I don't know what's on and off the menu in the Atkins diet. Do I have to buy the book, or is there a convenient online list of foods online you can point me to?
I've worked with the nutritionists behind the England Rugby Team and Redgrave and Pinsent and they all agree that it comes down to a simple formula:
Calories in > Calories out = Gain Weight
Calories out > Calories in = Lose Weight
The backpacking should be an excellent way to lose weight. Don't go near the Atkins diet with a barge pole, the only diet information that is physiologically useful is based on the glycaemic index. Try switching normal potatoes for sweet potatoes etc; paradoxically they are extremely low glycaemic.
Calories in > Calories out = Gain Weight
Calories out > Calories in = Lose Weight
The backpacking should be an excellent way to lose weight. Don't go near the Atkins diet with a barge pole, the only diet information that is physiologically useful is based on the glycaemic index. Try switching normal potatoes for sweet potatoes etc; paradoxically they are extremely low glycaemic.
tallbloke said:
I dunno what foods to advise mate, but just to be careful, I tried doing Atkins and still maintaining the same level of exercise and about 10 days in I almost fainted while running.
I could carry a Glucose drink or lucozade tablets I guess, for a quick enrgy hit and sugar readjustment. I don't know what's on and off the menu in the Atkins diet. Do I have to buy the book, or is there a convenient online list of foods online you can point me to?
If decide you really want to do the Atkins then PM me your address and I'll send you my book. It didn't work for me but it may do for you...
I'm with Yugguy, low-carb diets are not suitable for anyone that wants to also do any high-exersion exercise. I've done the Atkins and found I couldn't run, mountainbike, swim or pretty much anyting that required some serious effort, as I had no energy and felt like I was fighting through flu-like symptoms when I did.
Try looking at the South Beach/GI style diets, they start off in a similar way to the Aitkins, but allows a lot more carbohydrates in your diet. Only difference is it's all complex carbs that take a long while for your body to process (thus you don't get hungry so quickly). Because you are still taking in some carbs, you still get the energy to exercise, but don't get the glycemic up and downs a diet with simple carbs and processed sugars give you.
>> Edited by Jay GTi on Monday 30th January 10:40
Try looking at the South Beach/GI style diets, they start off in a similar way to the Aitkins, but allows a lot more carbohydrates in your diet. Only difference is it's all complex carbs that take a long while for your body to process (thus you don't get hungry so quickly). Because you are still taking in some carbs, you still get the energy to exercise, but don't get the glycemic up and downs a diet with simple carbs and processed sugars give you.
>> Edited by Jay GTi on Monday 30th January 10:40
Lion-O said:
I've worked with the nutritionists behind the England Rugby Team and Redgrave and Pinsent and they all agree that it comes down to a simple formula:
Calories in > Calories out = Gain Weight
Calories out > Calories in = Lose Weight
Sounds sensible. So eat the same stuff as usual but buy smaller plates then?
Yugguy said:
yep, cos the thing is you DO need carbs, you need energy, but it's all about the right kind of carbs.
You'd probably find that weight will come off if you get back into your exercise and cut out refined foods and sugar.
I've always cooked proper grub rather than eaten processed foods. My beer consumption was high last year, but that's coming under control too now, averageing a couple of pints a day now. Maybe I'll switch to wine only at home.
I'd heard the sweet potato thang, and also isn't rye bread lower in carbohydrate than wheat? None of it can be found out on the backpacking trail in the corner shops of Britains high country of course, buit I guess the problem is more the calorie intake midweek when i don't exercise as much.
Must eat more fruit too. Are there any particular fruits which are especially beneficial?
Yugguy said:
If decide you really want to do the Atkins then PM me your address and I'll send you my book. It didn't work for me but it may do for you...
Not that I want to full on do it, but I'd certainly be interested in a read and a look at the food lists. YHM and you can always nominate another friend for me to send it onto after I've read it.
Hi Tallbloke
(I'm an active rockclimber and mountaineer , and do a lot of long distance backpacking and trekking etc. )
For high calorie burn aerobic exercise it would be a big mistake IMHO to avoid carbohydrates , they are essential to maintain your blood sugar levels .
What is very important is the *type* of carbs you consume. You need a diet which is rich in low G.I (glycaemic index ) carbohydrate which burns at slow rate and maintains steady blood sugar levels. Low G.I food also makes you feel "full" so you tend not to eat too many calories - so a low GI diet is consistent with attempting to get fit and lose weight.
Eating sugary foods while doing high calorie burn exercise will lead to surges in blood sugar , followed by a crash in blood sugar level when your body produces more insulin to compensate - so you get a sugar "rush" followed by a crash which leaves you wanting to scoff more chocolate.
Before undertaking several hours of hard aerobic exercise I will eat a large bowl of oat based muesli with 2 bananas , then top up with bananas and sandwiches as I go. I eat very little chocolate or biscuits , and avoid too much fatty food. Some fat in your diet is OK - as that is also slow burn and helps reduce the surge /crash in blood sugar.
(I'm an active rockclimber and mountaineer , and do a lot of long distance backpacking and trekking etc. )
For high calorie burn aerobic exercise it would be a big mistake IMHO to avoid carbohydrates , they are essential to maintain your blood sugar levels .
What is very important is the *type* of carbs you consume. You need a diet which is rich in low G.I (glycaemic index ) carbohydrate which burns at slow rate and maintains steady blood sugar levels. Low G.I food also makes you feel "full" so you tend not to eat too many calories - so a low GI diet is consistent with attempting to get fit and lose weight.
Eating sugary foods while doing high calorie burn exercise will lead to surges in blood sugar , followed by a crash in blood sugar level when your body produces more insulin to compensate - so you get a sugar "rush" followed by a crash which leaves you wanting to scoff more chocolate.
Before undertaking several hours of hard aerobic exercise I will eat a large bowl of oat based muesli with 2 bananas , then top up with bananas and sandwiches as I go. I eat very little chocolate or biscuits , and avoid too much fatty food. Some fat in your diet is OK - as that is also slow burn and helps reduce the surge /crash in blood sugar.
alfaman said:
Before undertaking several hours of hard aerobic exercise I will eat a large bowl of oat based muesli with 2 bananas , then top up with bananas and sandwiches as I go.
Are dried 'nanas any use? Fresh ones are pretty heavy. I tend to alternately breakfast on tuna and omlette on the trail as Muesli gets a bit dull, and I don't reckon much to powdered milk! I'm not big on cake and choccy either, but I do like those spanish things that taste of halva and cinnamon with almonds in.
tallbloke said:
Before undertaking several hours of hard aerobic exercise I will eat a large bowl of oat based muesli with 2 bananas , then top up with bananas and sandwiches as I go.
Are dried 'nanas any use? Fresh ones are pretty heavy. I tend to alternately breakfast on tuna and omlette on the trail as Muesli gets a bit dull, and I don't reckon much to powdered milk! I'm not big on cake and choccy either, but I do like those spanish things that taste of halva and cinnamon with almonds in.
I tend to eat fresh bananas only when not carrying the food on a long trek.
Banana "chips" you buy in supermarkets are not very good as they have tons of sugar added .... however you can buy dried nanas in Afro-Caribbean shops - they look totally disgusting ( like dog turds ! ) - but are better.
When I'm on a long distance trek I try and keep the food weight to about 1kg per day - last really big treks I did were in NZ (plenty of good trekking food available ) and Malawi ( nearly starved ! ).
Trek diet would be :
brekkers : Cold oats and powdered milk with raisins ( *full fat* dried milk tastes great - but hard to buy in the UK - low fat dried mild is totally disgusting ). Eggs would be ok if eaten with some slow burn carb.
lunch/snacks : oatcakes (or oat crackers) / cheese / dried fruit / cashew nuts / salami or pate or biltong ) / and some biscuits or choc.
dinner : quick cook noodles or pasta plus soup mix and then add in Tuna or salami. plus crackers and cheese to follow ( or dried fruit and custard )
Yugguy said:
There's not a lot of fruit and veg in that trek diet though is there?
no , not much - I'll take dried fruit and powdered fruit drink mix , and there is plenty of fibre in the oatmeal , nuts and crackers.
Fresh veg. obviously weighs a ton for few calories - but you could always add some dried veg to the dinner ( just not always available in remote trekking regions )
I reckon for a week or two you can do without the usual "5 a day " - what matters is getting enough slow burn calories for minimum weight - so the diet will be quite fatty .
i am doing a 'low fat' diet.....the average person has a fat burn of 95 grams per day......so looking at it simply if you have less than that you will lose weight....it has worked for me. just keep an eye on what your eating, exercise, and you will shed a few pounds....i have 
loads of fruit and veg is recommended and cut out those snacks like crisps and choccy
loads of fruit and veg is recommended and cut out those snacks like crisps and choccy
Of course if you want to keep all that vegetably goodness with no weight, check out
www.eatyourgreens.com/
www.eatyourgreens.com/
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