IntenseOne wrote:
" Everybody knows keto falls on its face at say mid tempo and above. If you are doing aerobic exercise that requires that type of power then you should do targeted keto for that event or training. "
Apparently I am outside of the "everybody" group. I have been eating in a similar manner to what is described by RobGrey- for over a year, and my training and racing performances have all improved. I know a number of other people on this type of diet who have all noted positive results. As RobGrey pointed out the study on this post is very flawed in a number of ways, including a conclusion that first states that there was no significant impact on measured fitness, and then concludes that it might be an issue for competitive athletes.
My main purpose for the training I do is to improve my health- to me in seems counter intuitive to spend time building the fitness of my body, then turn around and subject it to all of the problems associated with a high carb diet- (insulin pikes, hormone imbalances, diabetes risk, Alzheimer's risk, constant inflammation...) . There is a BIG difference between eating a diet at about 30% carbs (which is a solid, healthy number), and the 60-70% carbs that is the average in North American diets.
Lastly, there is that little known triathlete- Mark Allen- who after modifying his training was able to run low 5 minute pace at a dominant fat burning energy level. That seems pretty competitive to me!
Why are so many people offended and/or upset that you can actually be competitive AND healthy ?[
Let's let the performance element on the side for the moment. (I am not entirely sure but do believe that performance is hindered to some extend with low carb. Especially when you need intensity).
But lets look on the health side. There are good and bot so good and downright bad foods you can eat. But by no means is an entire macronutrient bad for your health.
People tend to hop from one extreme to the next. Years ago all fat was deemed to be bad. When one found out that they are essential and some of them really healthy some people just switched their belief entirely and now carbs are the new devil. But carbs are not just pasta and biscuits and sugar and can enhance ones health.
The problem with diabetes is not just sugar but a combination of fat and sugar and too many calories. There are some native cultures that basically live off carbs. They have no diabetes and metabolise their carbs with no insulin. And they are perfectly healthy. Their body is just so well adapted to it.
Nor is insulin itself a bad thing.
Risk factors for diabetes are also casein consumption, too much meat or too much fat.
Another thing is cancer. Sure, there are cancer cells that feed off carbs. But there are other forms of cancer that are fueld by fat. It is not yet possible to determine what a particular form of cancer cell craves.
Also keto diets have shown to be too low in fibre and lead to unfavorable gut ph. Thus ones good gut bacteria is killed.
I think one can be healthy on a higher fat OR a higher carb diet. It might be a personal thing. But go too low with carbs and it can mess up your metabolsim.
It can also be a self fulfilling prophecy. One abstains from carbs religiously because one think it is bad. Ones body loses its ability to process them. One eats them on an occasion again only to see that it leads to problems. One feels reassured.
I eat more on the carb side and I feel great. My mood is good, my energy is high and i can still go for hours without eating.
I say I eat high carb but I hardly ever eat pasta, bread, processed sugar or cakes etc. My foundation is potatoes, (white) rice, millet, quinoa, oats, fruit, veggies, chickpeas.
Of course I also eat meat and have my fat sources, but carbs are my main thing to go.
I don't want to attack you or your way of eating but just show that there are different sides of the coin. One (myself often included) is usually trapped on one of them.
I try to listen to vegans, paleo guys and native cultures or tcm at the same time. Vegand eat lots of different veggies and fibre, paleos value high quality meat and promote fasting. I think the most important thing is that you eat unprocessed stuff and listen to your body.
10k - 30:48 / half - 1:06:40