Zero Carb and Athletic Performance

[Neone]

Is there anybody here who is eating a zero carb diet while also doing regular intense anaerobic activities?

My wife has started Kung-Fu/Kickboxing a few nights a week and she is finding it pretty brutal as far as her energy levels go. While she did lots of Yoga and regular daily stuff like gardening general moving, and even weightlifting, she did not notice it or ever question her diet, but now she is thinking that a Zero carb diet is more of a healing/restorative diet, and if you want to do intense activity more than once or twice a week you may need to add some kind of carbohydrate source in.
I have also tried eating just meat/fat while working out 5 days a week and it really just was not working for me either.

Anybody here have any experience with zero carb and energy levels during anaerobic exercise?

[lorenmark]

I've had similar experience in terms of lowered energy and a ketogenic diet. It's possible that the lowered energy is temporary, and your body still needs more time to heal.

I upped my carbs to 30g a day because of this and only from the following sources: onion, carrot, avocado, and spinach. I know for a fact that my body needs more time to heal.

All of those carb sources have cardiovascular protective benefits, but a carb is a carb, and eating too many can set your health back if your sensitive (I am).

My advice would be to have her experiment with one type of carb at a time. Maybe first try onion at 20g for a week and see if energy improves.

[24isours]

It could very well be sodium depletion. Is she getting any symptoms of low sodium; such as lightheadedness, dizziness? Sodium losses are very high when you are in ketosis. Keeping salt intake and water intake high is important.

Protein intake is also important - too much protein and you run into 'glycogen crashes'. Basically, your body takes this excess protein and through gluconeogenesis will turn the protein into glucose. At that point you are not in ketosis (you are using glucose as fuel) and once that glucose runs out you will run low on energy as your body has to keep re-adapting to ketosis. Figuring out how much protein to eat took me quite some time to figure out. You want just enough for bodily maintenance. Since kickboxing and kungfu may require more energy she might not have been using up this extra glucose from prior activities.

Also, she could just not be eating enough fat for fuel.

[LifeIsExperience]

Is there anybody here who is eating a zero carb diet while also doing regular intense anaerobic activities?

Are you sure about anaerobic activity? Or is it aerobic?

I don't thinc that you can sustain anaerobic activity on a zero carb approach. This kind of activity is in the "red zone" of your metabolism and relies on carbs. You can't replenish those carbs by neoglucogenesis while exercising. But that is just theoretical knowledge...

[24isours]

Are you sure about anaerobic activity? Or is it aerobic?

I don't thinc that you can sustain anaerobic activity on a zero carb approach. This kind of activity is in the "red zone" of your metabolism and relies on carbs. You can't replenish those carbs by neoglucogenesis while exercising. But that is just theoretical knowledge...

Anaerobic Activity can be sustained on a zero carb approach if the diet is well formulated. After 3-4 weeks of keto-adaption there shouldn't be any difference in athletic performance; other than being able to exercise longer

[LifeIsExperience]

Anaerobic Activity can be sustained on a zero carb approach if the diet is well formulated. After 3-4 weeks of keto-adaption there shouldn't be any difference in athletic performance; other than being able to exercise longer

How do you define 'well formulated'? And did you try it at yourself?

[Neone]

She has been eating zero carb for five years now and eats plenty of fat, I imagine she is accustomed to no carbs. I also used the term anaerobic loosely, just because you do movements explosively in martial arts which is different than slower Endurance movements, but there is plenty of aerobic stuff too.

It could just be because she has never done something like this before so is adapting.  That's why I was just seeing if there was anybody here who is athletic on a zero carb diet, or if people find they have to add some form of carbs to help performance.

[24isours]

How do you define 'well formulated'? And did you try it at yourself?

Well formulated as in not eating too much protein while eating enough fat. Also, making sure to get enough sodium as it is easily lost while in ketogenesis. Too much protein will convert to glucose and will keep your body from maintaining a state of ketosis; which in turn will cause continuous adaption symptoms. I was eating too much protein for quite some time (I've been on zero carb now for 2 years) and had this problem. Just recently (the past 6 months or so) I've found a comfortable protein intake for me that allows me to maintain energy levels equal to or greater than a high carb diet. You will know when you reach that protein sweet spot when your energy levels stay consistent.

[24isours]

She has been eating zero carb for five years now and eats plenty of fat, I imagine she is accustomed to no carbs. I also used the term anaerobic loosely, just because you do movements explosively in martial arts which is different than slower Endurance movements, but there is plenty of aerobic stuff too.

It could just be because she has never done something like this before so is adapting.  That's why I was just seeing if there was anybody here who is athletic on a zero carb diet, or if people find they have to add some form of carbs to help performance.

I go to the gym 6 days a week mixing both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. I have no problem maintaining energy levels.

[ZeroCarbJackie]

     Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but since it's toward the top of the list, I won't feel too bad about it. Just wanted to share my experience.

     I have a LOT more energy being ZC. Previously, I worked out constantly, but I hated running, hated anything more than super gentle yoga. Even yoga exhausted me. I had no energy. The only time I've had less energy was FIRST going ZC. First transitioning is hell. I have a 3-year-old little boy and the first several days to week of trying to keep up with him and be a good parent were hideous. I just wanted to sit, sleep, stay in bed, etc. The only reason I stuck with it is because of the EXTREME relief when it came to my digestive system. I had a flat stomach and no pain (from looking 9 months pregnant and constant agony and digestive distress for years) within two days of starting. After about a week, I suddenly had more energy than I've had in years and now play with my 3-year-old more than I ever have. My house is also immaculate! It's seriously like I'm on speed or something, I get so much done in a day. Mind you, it probably only took a week because I was already LC/paleo prior to going ZC (the bloating came from IBS, which was the result of a condition called fructose malabsorption).

     Since beginning, I have "cheated" a few times. I've thought eating one item would be ok, like part of a potato, or just recently, a couple blocks of Kerrygold grassfed cheese. Now whenever I ingest too many carbs of any type, I'd say anything over 5g (a limit I sometimes approach due to egg consumption), my energy is suddenly crap again and I have to readjust. Now it generally only takes a few days to get back to what I'm guessing is just full on ketosis, but then again, I never go and carb binge or anything.

     So I don't know if the issue is getting too many carbs in other areas... I know some ZCers use heavy cream, eat cheese, tons of eggs, liver regularly, etc... but it can add up. And especially if you occasionally have a carb source. Otherwise, you should adjust.

     If it's truly not that, then I'd imagine it's not enough fat. If I'm feeling tired, it's always one of three things: 1.) I haven't slept enough (surprise, surprise), 2.) I haven't had enough fat, 3.) I haven't had enough water. Lots of water and lots of fat and I'm good to go. I often have so much energy that I have to go bike for about an hour or run just to burn some of it. I also lift weights several times a week and sit down maybe once a day, at night, for like half an hour. Soooo much energy.

[24isours]

     Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but since it's toward the top of the list, I won't feel too bad about it. Just wanted to share my experience.

     I have a LOT more energy being ZC. Previously, I worked out constantly, but I hated running, hated anything more than super gentle yoga. Even yoga exhausted me. I had no energy. The only time I've had less energy was FIRST going ZC. First transitioning is hell. I have a 3-year-old little boy and the first several days to week of trying to keep up with him and be a good parent were hideous. I just wanted to sit, sleep, stay in bed, etc. The only reason I stuck with it is because of the EXTREME relief when it came to my digestive system. I had a flat stomach and no pain (from looking 9 months pregnant and constant agony and digestive distress for years) within two days of starting. After about a week, I suddenly had more energy than I've had in years and now play with my 3-year-old more than I ever have. My house is also immaculate! It's seriously like I'm on speed or something, I get so much done in a day. Mind you, it probably only took a week because I was already LC/paleo prior to going ZC (the bloating came from IBS, which was the result of a condition called fructose malabsorption).

     Since beginning, I have "cheated" a few times. I've thought eating one item would be ok, like part of a potato, or just recently, a couple blocks of Kerrygold grassfed cheese. Now whenever I ingest too many carbs of any type, I'd say anything over 5g (a limit I sometimes approach due to egg consumption), my energy is suddenly crap again and I have to readjust. Now it generally only takes a few days to get back to what I'm guessing is just full on ketosis, but then again, I never go and carb binge or anything.

     So I don't know if the issue is getting too many carbs in other areas... I know some ZCers use heavy cream, eat cheese, tons of eggs, liver regularly, etc... but it can add up. And especially if you occasionally have a carb source. Otherwise, you should adjust.

     If it's truly not that, then I'd imagine it's not enough fat. If I'm feeling tired, it's always one of three things: 1.) I haven't slept enough (surprise, surprise), 2.) I haven't had enough fat, 3.) I haven't had enough water. Lots of water and lots of fat and I'm good to go. I often have so much energy that I have to go bike for about an hour or run just to burn some of it. I also lift weights several times a week and sit down maybe once a day, at night, for like half an hour. Soooo much energy.

Hey Jackie,

     Glad to hear you are feeling well and that you've turned around your health problems! In response to your  symptoms of low energy, I will throw out some possibilities I am familiar with that could be causing your fatigue:

Food Intolerance/Allergy to possibly eggs or cheese (dairy)?
Do you always include eggs and cheese in your normal diet or do you just add them in when you 'cheat'? This is probably not the case if you regularly consume these.

Nightshades Sensitivity -
When you cheat you mentioned eating some potatoes. Some people are very sensitive to nightshades. The glycoalkaloids in the nightshade family are most likely the cause of this.

When I do cheat and if I decide to eat carbohydrates I stick with the cleanest carbohydrates (fruit and white rice being the only carbs). The last time I cheated, these are the only carbs I had eaten and had no problem getting back into ketosis without noticeable detox/adaption symptoms. If I cheat and decide to eat anything (gluten,soy,dairy,etc..) for a few days the detox symptoms are debilitating.

[24isours]

Also, over eating protein while cheating will take you out of ketosis.

[RosettaWood]

If you are doing zero carb diet, add some fruits and vegetables if you need energy for exercises.

[political atheist]

im a  decathlete(speed-power explosive short sprints, throws jumps) and i have zero speed endurance, speed on keto diet...

[political atheist]

im a  decathlete, national level(speed-power explosive short sprints, throws jumps) and i have zero speed endurance, speed on keto diet...