Is my metabolism slow or what?

[stevek]

Through a lot of trial and error I finally discovered yesterday it takes 3 hours to get the energy from the fruit I eat before I ride.
Things got so slow I could not loose weight no matter how little I ate. So now riding 10 miles twice a day it is getting better. But still 3 hours for the three pieces of fruit to kick in? Two hours or more (not sure yet) for an energy drink to kick in.
My lunch that usually is protein and fat takes about 6 hours to kick in.
It sure makes it a pain to plan ahead.

 

[dhk]

Originally posted by stevek
Through a lot of trial and error I finally discovered yesterday it takes 3 hours to get the energy from the fruit I eat before I ride.
Things got so slow I could not loose weight no matter how little I ate. So now riding 10 miles twice a day it is getting better. But still 3 hours for the three pieces of fruit to kick in? Two hours or more (not sure yet) for an energy drink to kick in.
My lunch that usually is protein and fat takes about 6 hours to kick in.
It sure makes it a pain to plan ahead.

Unless you have low blood sugar problems, or have been on a very restricted diet, not sure why you need anything to "kick in" for energy before you ride. If you're getting enough protein at breakfast and lunch, and keeping your blood sugar under control, I think you should be able to do easy 10 mile rides at any time.

Suggest you try eating the fruit or other hi-gylcemic carbs (in limited amounts) right after your daily rides, not before, so that your muscles can quickly replace any spent glycogen and recover. I'd also suggest avoiding sugar and hi-glycemic starches the rest of the time. If you're trying to lose weight, you want to stay in the fat-burning zone. This diet approach worked for me last year successfully.

 

[stevek]

Originally posted by dhk
Unless you have low blood sugar problems, or have been on a very restricted diet, not sure why you need anything to "kick in" for energy before you ride. If you're getting enough protein at breakfast and lunch, and keeping your blood sugar under control, I think you should be able to do easy 10 mile rides at any time.

Suggest you try eating the fruit or other hi-gylcemic carbs (in limited amounts) right after your daily rides, not before, so that your muscles can quickly replace any spent glycogen and recover. I'd also suggest avoiding sugar and hi-glycemic starches the rest of the time. If you're trying to lose weight, you want to stay in the fat-burning zone. This diet approach worked for me last year successfully.

I can ride the 10 miles but it is like work even little hills I have to go slow. Sometimes almost 2 miles MPH slower average. Wednesday I went home really because I did not want to be on the road in the dark. I ate the same foods as usual but when I left at 3 I felt so tired the whole ride. Friday I ate the same thing but I left at six and had my fruit at 3 instead of the usual 4 pm. I had far more energy and the ride felt good instead of a struggle.
My diet is a bit wacky. If I ate more fat at most meals I would have energy all the time. But I seem to only really find much at lunch. breakfast is the fruit then usually beans and some meat. Lunch is some meat and cheese and maybe a hot meal with veggies and meat. I usually eat 1/3# of meat and the same of cheese. I was eating ¼# but I found I was hungry 3 hours later. Sometimes starving. Then I eat three pieces of fruit at 3 pm now (lunch is at noon) and ride home at 6pm.
If I don’t eat a lot of fat or fruit I just can’t peddle the bike worth a dam.
Right now I am eating a fair amount of food and still loosing weight. But since I found myself allergic to grains I have not had as much energy all the time.
I don’t feel tired when not riding my bike but I don’t have a lot of energy either.

 

[xc_gumby]

Originally posted by stevek
But since I found myself allergic to grains I have not had as much energy all the time.

What's the medical definition of your condition? Its a disaster for you if you can't derive energy from grain based carbs (rice, pasta, burghul, cous cous, noodles etc).

You also seem to eat a lot of meat. I think this is bad for your liver & kidneys over a long period.

 

[stevek]

Originally posted by xc_gumby
What's the medical definition of your condition? Its a disaster for you if you can't derive energy from grain based carbs (rice, pasta, burghul, cous cous, noodles etc).

You also seem to eat a lot of meat. I think this is bad for your liver & kidneys over a long period.

I am allergic to them. When I stopped eating so much of them I seemed to become allergic. I could eat grains once a week without too much problem. All it does is make my asthma kick in a bit. But if I eat it two or three times in a row (like three days in a row) I get flue like symptoms. And I will get nice and sick if I don’t eat a bunch of fruits and veggies and no more gains. This has happened enough times when I eat grains more then once that it is a pretty regular thing.
I am somewhat low carb but I eat beans and fruits. I just can’t eat enough fat for all of my energy.
We evolved eating meat. We did not evolve eating grains. That kidney thing about meat and protein has not been fact for most people.
It’s hard for me to tell if beans really help in the energy department as when I eat them I don’t have time to get them in my system. Fruit works well for the hour ride as long as I eat it soon enough.
Your body can burn fat or carbs for fuel. I don’t eat enough fat to do it all and I can’t eat enough complex carbs for long lasting energy.

 

[worldgod]

hey check your thyroid and have a thyroid blood test in any blood test clinic:

What is hypothyroidism?

The thyroid gland, located in the lower front of the neck, produces hormones that are extremely important for the regulation of the body's metabolism.

When the thyroid gland is unable to produce sufficient amounts of these hormones - thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) - then a large number of problems arise in all of the body's systems due to the decrease in the body's metabolism.

Hypothyroidism is more common among elderly people, especially women, and affects 1.5 to 2 per cent of people over the age of 60 years. However, the condition also occurs in younger patients.



What causes hypothyroidism?

The main causes of hypothyroidism are:



chronic autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland, also known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. In autoimmune conditions the body's immune system seems to turn against some of its own tissues.


complications arising from previous surgery to the thyroid gland or from radioactive iodine treatment, both of which are used to treat overactivity of the thyroid gland.


an inherited incomplete development of the thyroid gland.


as a consequence of treatment with certain medicines such as propylthiouracil, carbimazole, amiodarone and lithium.


taking large amounts of iodine for example in some cough syrups or excessive amounts of dietary supplements made from or containing kelp.



What are the symptoms?

Decreased metabolism can affect every organ of the body including brain, heart, skin, intestine and muscles.

Symptoms tend to appear gradually over a long period of time. For this reason, decreased metabolism in the elderly is often mistaken for changes that take place naturally with age.

Typical symptoms of decreased metabolism are:



decreased tolerance of cold environments


depression and lethargy


weight gain


constipation


dry, rough skin


coarsening of the facial features and a deep voice


thin, dry hair


poor memory - among the elderly this may be the only symptom of decreased metabolism


in severe cases, dementia.



How can hypothyroidism be prevented?

People who have been treated at some time in their lives for an overactive thyroid gland have an increased risk of developing underactivity, because the methods of treatment reduce the amount of functioning thyroid tissue. Thus, it is advisable to have the thyroid gland checked once a year.

Avoid taking natural medicine and dietary supplements that contain large amounts of iodine.



How does the doctor make a diagnosis?

When hypothyroidism is suspected the diagnosis can be confirmed by taking a blood sample to measure the concentration of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). This hormone is produced in the pituitary gland of the brain and also plays an important part in regulating metabolism.

When the amount of T4 and T3 in the blood is too low, the pituitary gland sends a signal to the thyroid gland to work harder by releasing more TSH. This increase in TSH shows that the thyroid gland is underactive and needs to be stimulated.

Occasionally, the doctor may order further blood tests in order to detect an abnormality of the immune system, which may help the diagnosis.

Sometimes, especially if the patient has a goitre (enlargement of the thyroid), the doctor might also recommend an ultrasound examination.



How is a hypothyroidism treated?

Permanently decreased metabolism requires lifelong treatment with thyroxine tablets.

Usually, a small dose is recommended to start with, which is then increased gradually until an accurate dose has been reached.

When this has been achieved, it is usually necessary to check the patient's metabolic rate only once a year.

The hormone tablets have virtually no side effects. However, patients should watch out for symptoms of increased metabolism, which may occur if the dose is too high.

In the UK, patients taking thyroxine treatment for hypothyroidism are entitled to free prescriptions.



Future prospects

With proper treatment, people with a decreased metabolic rate are able to lead completely normal lives.



Based on a text by Dr Thomas Heiberg Brix and Dr Lazlo Hegedüs, consultant

 

[2LAP]

Originally posted by stevek
Your body can burn fat or carbs for fuel. I don’t eat enough fat to do it all and I can’t eat enough complex carbs for long lasting energy.

Even the leanest person has enough body fat to provide energy for completing a number of marathons back to back, so not eating enough fat will not be a problem in your cycling/energy riddle.

While both fat and carbs provide energy for exercise; carbs supply energy at a FASTER RATE and are in limited supply (fat being the opposite). As your diet is low carbohydrate and you exercise regularly you may have 'low glycogen stores' or 'glycogen depletion' when during exercise and when resting afterwards.

Given that the energy from carbs is supplied at a fast rate, it is the most important source of energy for exercise and becomes more improtant as the intensity of the exercise increases. With limited carbohydrate in the body, you become glycogen depleted (i.e. the bonk, knock or 'hitting the wall') and have to slow down.

Try eating more carbs either from simple sugers (i.e. sugar, sweets, cakes, etc.) which are less healthy or from complex carb sources which tend to be more healthy. As you can't have grains, try potatoes, bananas, dried fruit, etc. (or look on the net for lists of high carb foods that you can eat). To continue your weight loss, remove calories of fat and protein from your diet to replace with carbohydrates. As carbohydrate foods tend to be less calorie dense that fatty foods, you'll also be eating more.

Exercising lots on a low carb diet is not a very good idea.

 

[stevek]

I have started eating more fruit. I eat 6 pieces a day usually 4 banana’s. I usually eat beans for one meal. Sometimes two.
I don’t’ feel tired all the time like I used to before I started riding. It’s just if I don’t eat early enough riding is more work then Joy. When I have lots of energy I fly. I weight 240 or a bit less right now. I started at 265 when I first started riding in the summer last year.
I don’t know if it is really lack of energy sometimes or my asthma. but if I eat the fruit way before my ride my asthma is less. Then I have more energy to pedal with. One of the days I had the most energy my business Christmas dinner (work for myself) I had two 1/4 # pounds of different higher fat cheese and 1/3 pound of dry ham and some potato chips. ham I hd so much energy I flew home and set a new record. My asthma never bothered me at all and I could pedal as fast as I wanted too.
But most days I just don’t eat a huge amount of fat. It’s hard to get fat into your meals when every place has cut fat.

 

[stevek]

I talked to a nice slim fellow in the LBS yesterday and he has to eat his fruit 3 hours ahead of time too.

 

[2LAP]

Originally posted by stevek
I have started eating more fruit. I eat 6 pieces a day usually 4 banana’s. I usually eat beans for one meal. Sometimes two.
I don’t’ feel tired all the time like I used to before I started riding. It’s just if I don’t eat early enough riding is more work then Joy. When I have lots of energy I fly. I weight 240 or a bit less right now. I started at 265 when I first started riding in the summer last year.
I don’t know if it is really lack of energy sometimes or my asthma. but if I eat the fruit way before my ride my asthma is less. Then I have more energy to pedal with. One of the days I had the most energy my business Christmas dinner (work for myself) I had two 1/4 # pounds of different higher fat cheese and 1/3 pound of dry ham and some potato chips. ham I hd so much energy I flew home and set a new record. My asthma never bothered me at all and I could pedal as fast as I wanted too.
But most days I just don’t eat a huge amount of fat. It’s hard to get fat into your meals when every place has cut fat.

Are you serious? I think that you should see a qualified nutritionalist! Your diet sounds very unhealthy and in its present state it is NOT going to help your cycling. You ate 1/2 a pound of cheese in one sitting, with chips and ham; can't you see that this might be bad for you! Particularly for your blood lipids/heart disease risk! Do you think that your performance on your bike following your christmas meal might have been due to the carbohydrates in the potato chips rather than the fat in the cheese? As I said before, even the leanest humans have enough fat stored on their bodies to allow multiple marathons to be completed. Rarely in humans is fat consumption 'too' low.

Originally posted by stevek
But most days I just don’t eat a huge amount of fat. It’s hard to get fat into your meals when every place has cut fat.

To me it sounds like most of what you eat is fat! Even lean red meats have fat in them, its just not visable. Seems like your protein and fat intake is too high, and you (and your cycling) would benefit from more carbohydrates. To maintain your weight loss, keep your calorie intake the same.

Most western diets are too high in fat, and yours seems to be towards the high end of this! I think a nutritionalist would give you some good advice and education, alternativly a bood on nutrition might do you good (stay away from fad diets though).

 

[stevek]

on days I at potato chips before I never got too much energy from them. but that day I was blasting. it was my bonus. I don't eat like that very often. but since that day I lost two pounds.
Last time I had my blood checked I was eating more fat and less fruit and I had great readings.
But as far as fat Most low carbers eat more then I do.
The thing is fat is not all that bad. It is bad when you mix it with complex carbs. That’s where us Americans get in trouble. If you burn only fat for energy you better eat enough.
My average food intake is for breakfast three pieces of fruit or two and orange juice. Some bean and weenies right now. About 600 calories in the two.
Then for lunch I may have Chinese food without rice mainly meat and veggies or 1/3# of meat and 1/3# cheese. I used to eat ¼# but I find it does not fill me up if I pushed the ride at all I may eat less meat and cheese and eat some veggies and or salad. Then at 3 three pieces of fruit. Then when I get home I eat whatever I can think of. It may or may not have any fat it it. Or just a little.
I ride 10 miles in the morning to work and 10 miles home 5 days a week.
I average 1# a week weight loss or more if I watch what I eat on weekends. But even if I eat fried potatoes and 7 oz of chocolate on a weekend I usually loose the weight.
But if I eat much complex carbs that week I don’t loose anything.

 

[2LAP]

I don't want to post too much here as its all been said in the 'weight loss' thread, however most health profesionals would disagree with your post. Perhaps I am getting your posts wrong, but based upon your posts, I think you should see a nutritionalist to check out what you are eating.

Originally posted by stevek
on days I at potato chips before I never got too much energy from them. but that day I was blasting. it was my bonus. I don't eat like that very often. but since that day I lost two pounds.
Last time I had my blood checked I was eating more fat and less fruit and I had great readings.

Thats great news; particularly as you are overweight as most people who are overweight have poor blood lipid results. Perhaps you should consider your 'postprandial triglyceride response' when eating high fat and perhaps your doctor could do a fat tolerance test too look at this.

Originally posted by stevek
But as far as fat Most low carbers eat more then I do.
The thing is fat is not all that bad. It is bad when you mix it with complex carbs. That’s where us Americans get in trouble. If you burn only fat for energy you better eat enough.

I thought that Americans (like the rest of the western world) are getting fatter because a greater energy intake and smaller energy expendature. Most people say its simple carbs that are the problem due to the insulin response; why do you think that complex carbs are the problem? Also for people who are nomal weight, no smoking and exercising, insulin and diabetes is rarely a problem.

Originally posted by stevek
My average food intake is for breakfast three pieces of fruit or two and orange juice. Some bean and weenies right now. About 600 calories in the two.
Then for lunch I may have Chinese food without rice mainly meat and veggies or 1/3# of meat and 1/3# cheese. I used to eat ¼# but I find it does not fill me up if I pushed the ride at all I may eat less meat and cheese and eat some veggies and or salad. Then at 3 three pieces of fruit. Then when I get home I eat whatever I can think of. It may or may not have any fat it it. Or just a little.

Thare aren't many meals with no fat in them, particularly if your not eating many carbs.

Originally posted by stevek
I ride 10 miles in the morning to work and 10 miles home 5 days a week.

No doubt better for your blood lipids than your cheese consumption

Originally posted by stevek
I average 1# a week weight loss or more if I watch what I eat on weekends. But even if I eat fried potatoes and 7 oz of chocolate on a weekend I usually loose the weight.
But if I eat much complex carbs that week I don’t loose anything.

As long as your calorie intake is the same your weight loss should be the same; it won't matter too much what you eat. When eating a large amount of carbs and if you are glycogen depleted you may experiance a little weight gain due to water being stored with the glycogen that is put away. This gain would be limited and would go as your glycogen stores go down again with exercise or low carb intake.

 

[dhk]

Have you ever had a glucose tolerance test? I'd suspect your blood sugar levels are unstable, leading to the cravings for the sugar and high-fat stuff. The fruit and orange juice breakfast may be starting your day off all wrong for your metabolism. Eating 3 pieces of fruit all at once at 3 pm probably isn't smart either...it's a big hit of sugar all at once.

Since you're making the effort to lose weight and get in shape by riding to work, why not make the effort to clean up your diet as well? It will take some time to get used to a good diet, but it's every bit as important as the training and worth the effort, IMO.

 

[stevek]

I don’t have any cravings for any food. Eating is more chore then anything else for me. Eating three pieces of fruit is like work (G) I don’t desire fat so I had a hard time doing the real low carb diet I had no energy at all. I am getting to the point I don’t like to eat any junk food as it makes me feel a bit off.
But if I don’t eat the fruit where will I get any energy? I can’t handle beans three times a day. I can’t eat enough fat to use that as my only energy most days.
I am working on getting more veggies but they add nutrition but not energy.
I am happy with some chocolate once or twice a week but I don’t crave sugar much at all.
But I am self employed and right now can’t afford insurance.
I am not sure I now need three pieces of fruit at a time. Since I now know I need to eat them sooner before the ride I may need only one or two.

 

[2LAP]

I'd get a nutrition book if I were you, you seem a bit mixed up about whats good and bad to eat.

Originally posted by stevek
I don’t have any cravings for any food. Eating is more chore then anything else for me. Eating three pieces of fruit is like work

Thats sad, you should enjoy eating and if you are cycling 20 miles a day you should have quite an appitite! Why not eat the fruit over the day; anyway its not a great source of carbohydrate 3 apples may have less than 200 kcals of energy! You need to look at other sources of carbohydrates that you can consumb like potatoes and even energy drinks while you are cycling. Try to stay away from refined sugars though (sweets, table sugar, etc.).

Originally posted by stevek
I don’t desire fat so I had a hard time doing the real low carb diet I had no energy at all. I am getting to the point I don’t like to eat any junk food as it makes me feel a bit off.

So don't go on a low carb diet, its unlikely to be very good for you in the long run anyway (particularly if you are exercising). Junk food is JUNK food! and is considered bad for you, apart from being lazy why would you want to eat it anyway. Junk food is low in nutrition and high in calories. Junk food is best avoided particularly if you are trying to loose weight!!!!

Originally posted by stevek
But if I don’t eat the fruit where will I get any energy? I can’t handle beans three times a day. I can’t eat enough fat to use that as my only energy most days.

Fruit isn't a good source of energy anyway, you'd have to eat lots of fruit to get a large amount of Kcals or carbohydrate (fruit are composed mostly of water). Look for alternatives (i.e. not beans) on the internet; potatoes are a good start (not chips).

As for fat, most diets contain too much and it isn't a good source of energy as it is matabolised at a slow rate. If you want more 'energy for exercise' carbohydrates are needed. Even the leanest people have enough body fat to fuel multiple marathons back to back... eating more fat won't give you more useable energy!

Originally posted by stevek
I am working on getting more veggies but they add nutrition but not energy.
I am happy with some chocolate once or twice a week but I don’t crave sugar much at all.

Chocolate isn't considered good for you either, high in fat and refined sugar! You need to start making some healthy diet choices (i.e. cut out saturated fats and refined sugars).

Originally posted by stevek
But I am self employed and right now can’t afford insurance.
I am not sure I now need three pieces of fruit at a time. Since I now know I need to eat them sooner before the ride I may need only one or two.

Needing three peices of fruit a time is not normal and shows that you need to look at your diet. If you are eating well you will not get the huge highs and lows in energy (apart from a slight 'low' after lunch and dinner) you describe. Please look for sources of carbohydrate that you can eat and try to avoid bad foods (i.e. junk food, huge amounts of cheese, chocolate, chips, etc.) that you have said you eat already.

 

[stevek]

Carbs are hard to get without grains. I have been trying to sport gels. I found I need two hours before my ride with them.
I know my diet is not ideal but it is not horrible. I was eating three pieces of fruit because it took so long to give me energy I thought I needed that much. Now that I Know I need to eat 3 hours ahead of time I will try less.
But the facts of nutrition in the US are a joke. The food pyramid is not based on any medical fact it was based on corporation pressure and control. Look down the cereal isle to know who pushed the hardest.
The low fat idea was never started by doctors but it was a advertising gimmick that doctors fell on the bandwagon. I mean logic dictates eating fat has to make you fat. It hs to clog your arteries.
But low carb diets are starting to prove it wrong. Hell the world eats a lot of fat and is fine. What they don’t eat is a lot of processed carbs and fat.
All we have to look at is all the fast food places to see what causes a bad diet. That and we don’t move.
Fat is fine if you work it off. It has been a part of human diet since we were humans. But grains and such only since we started cultivating. And since then we are discovering all these new heath problems humans started having and of course our teeth started going bad.
Low carbers have posted on here they have more energy doing it then eating a low fat diet.
But as soon as the snow clears I will try less fruit and see.
But what I eat now just keeps me full. If I push harder on my bike I need more. Without fat in the diet you don’t stay full. It’s far easier to eat less fat calories and stay full over carb calories and always feel hungry.

 

[jmcmillanut]

I found some useful info searching the old threads. Enter "carbohydrate" and "Atkins" as key words and you will find tons of information. Some content is from medical/nutritional professionals. The stuff posted above is good too, but there's alot of info about carbohydrates and low-carb diets (since you seem to have an allergy to certain types of carbs).

Hope this helps.

JMc

 

[2LAP]

The weight loss thread, as big as it is, has lots of information on this topic. There is definately a balance to be struck in nutrition; so why eat low carb or low fat, rather include both in the diet.

Originally posted by stevek
Carbs are hard to get without grains. I have been trying to sport gels. I found I need two hours before my ride with them.
I know my diet is not ideal but it is not horrible. I was eating three pieces of fruit because it took so long to give me energy I thought I needed that much. Now that I Know I need to eat 3 hours ahead of time I will try less.

Its unusual that you say you need to eat 3 hours prior to riding; because I find that my energy levels are very stable throughout the day. I can only think that this is because you are not eating enough (hence the weightloss; obviously desirable), not eating frequently enough or not eating enough carbohydrates.

Originally posted by stevek
But the facts of nutrition in the US are a joke. The food pyramid is not based on any medical fact it was based on corporation pressure and control. Look down the cereal isle to know who pushed the hardest.

I disagree (and I do research in nutrition) lots of research is unbias and not funded by co-orporations. The pyramid represents good and simple advice for the general population, that is... too much dietary fat leads to heart disease and refined foods and salt should be avoided most. It is likely and perhaps obvious that every person needs 'their own' food pyramid depending upon their situation. One fault with the pyramid is that it doesn't identify good fats or bad carbohydrates well enough; I don't think this is too great a problem as most western people eat too much fat for health. The link between high fat intake and heart disease is well established by Epidemiology. Finaly the pyramid is not a means for weight loss but a guide for healthy eating that most people can get something from.

Be aware that much of the information and hype around very low carbohydrates is created by companies like Atkins which are perhaps more guided by profit than many of the universities doing nutrition research!

Originally posted by stevek
The low fat idea was never started by doctors but it was a advertising gimmick that doctors fell on the bandwagon. I mean logic dictates eating fat has to make you fat. It hs to clog your arteries.

I doubt any doctor would suggest that eating fat would make you fat, as weight gain/loss is a simple equation of energy used and energy expended. It doesn't matter what source the enrgy comes from.

As for clogging up arteries, the particles that fat is carried in in the blood (the lipoproteins) are linked with the formation of plaque in the arteries. Furthermore, they increase after eating a fatty meal (perhaps as much as 200%) and the magnitude and duration of the increase is related to your risk of developing atherosclerosis (heart disease).

Originally posted by stevek
But low carb diets are starting to prove it wrong. Hell the world eats a lot of fat and is fine. What they don’t eat is a lot of processed carbs and fat.

They are? Atkins has fallen out of public favour very quickly; almost as fast as its rise. Didn't you know people are now on the GI diet!!!

Originally posted by stevek
All we have to look at is all the fast food places to see what causes a bad diet. That and we don’t move.

You've hit the nail on the head - people are eating highly processed foods that are low in nutrients and high in calories. Hence low health and high body weights. With little exercise people don't use that energy they eat.

Originally posted by stevek
Fat is fine if you work it off. It has been a part of human diet since we were humans. But grains and such only since we started cultivating. And since then we are discovering all these new heath problems humans started having and of course our teeth started going bad.

Yes, but we are also omnivours so are designed to eat a variety of foods. Historical data is not very useful for proving that carbohydrates are bad, because people do lots of things they didn't hundreds of years ago like smoking, lifestyle, etc. People also live longer so more diseases and different diseases can be seen. People have cultivated grains for hundreds of years, so these don't explain the recent increase in obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

Tooth decay is caused by refined sugars not grains or unrefined foods made from grains. Tooth decay is also less than it was when Humans were first Humans.

Originally posted by stevek
Low carbers have posted on here they have more energy doing it then eating a low fat diet.

And thats great for them... until they start exercising and get the knock (i.e. glycogen depletion) which is a dangerous state to be in!

Originally posted by stevek But as soon as the snow clears I will try less fruit and see.
But what I eat now just keeps me full. If I push harder on my bike I need more. Without fat in the diet you don’t stay full. It’s far easier to eat less fat calories and stay full over carb calories and always feel hungry.

Don't give up the fruit! Its an important source of nutrients, try eating more and spreading them over the course of a day.

Excluding fat from the diet would be bad advice, but high fat consumptions should also be avoided (particularly bad sources of fat - red meats, cheeses, animal fats, etc.). Avoiding carbohydrates is also poor advice, particularly when you are cycling so much.

Perhaps you are a very hungry person, but I am vegetarian and eat a balanced diet but rarely get hungry. (Balanced diet was 28% of calories from fat, 15% from protein and 57% from carbohydrates during a recent dietary analysis).

You probably know all this already and have considered it already; its just I feel what you have written about your diet and your response is extreme and far from ideal for someone who is a regular cyclist. Therefore I think you should consider an altenative view.

If you are so concerned about the effect of coorporations on nutrition information, then you should consider going to primary sources and basic texts on nutrition and dietetics. These at least will be free of bias.

Finaly, when using historical data try to put it in a modern context - most of it you will see is interesting and sometimes amusing, but of very little use!

Eating is easy, everyone knows whats health... they just choose not to eat it!

 

[2LAP]

Originally posted by jmcmillanut
I found some useful info searching the old threads. Enter "carbohydrate" and "Atkins" as key words and you will find tons of information. Some content is from medical/nutritional professionals. The stuff posted above is good too, but there's alot of info about carbohydrates and low-carb diets (since you seem to have an allergy to certain types of carbs).

Hope this helps.

JMc

Good advice, it would be interesting to know if some of the posters are still on the same diet or have changed and what the effects of the different diets are in the long term

 

[stevek]

I very much doubt animal fat is going to kill us. we have survived on it longer then any one thing in our history. but the combo of fat and high amounts of carbs that are usually processed will.
We will find that fats are not bad if not eating with lots of carbs and exercise will make all of the difference to what you can eat. The harder the more fat you can eat.
The food pyramid was never writing by doctors. That’s easy to look up and find out. The cereal companies have pounced on it. Like a bowl of grains that don’t have a lot of nutrition some milk (full of carbs) a little bit of fruit is a good food.
Low carbers are doing fine with exercise. They burn fat as fuel. I know on days I eat more fat for lunch I go faster on my bike.
Low fat was a marketing ploy that we fell for hook line and sinker. Other people of the world sure don’t eat that way. Low fat tents to promote eating more grains and sugar.
Low carb will promote eating more processed garbage.
I can’t eat grains and I don’t shy away from carbs. I want my carbs to come from good sources.