It’s been a few years since I was riding 160-200 miles per week. For the last year, I have been completely sedentary and gained 60 pounds. I have been following a low-carb diet for the past few months trying to lose weight and help manage my blood sugars. Now that the weather is changing in upstate NY, I expect to start bicycling outside again in the next week or two. I am going to start slow and only ride the 10 miles to work and back to start. By June, I would like to EASILY be able to ride the 62.5 mile ride for the Tour De Cure. Is this possible while staying on a low-carb diet (< 30g/day)? Are there any experienced riders that follow a low-carb diet while training?
I’ve worked with a really, really good trainer at the Colorado University School of Sports Medicine who said - you can manage your body and diet to lose weight, or you can manage your body and diet to train for endurance events. But you can’t do both. She trains a ton-o-diabetics, 1’s and 2’s.
I ride a spitload of miles, but I eat a ton of carbs while training or in events. I think the risk of going low will be pretty significant. Usually anything over 90 minutes will require some carb intake - probably 25 or 30 depending on your size.
If you’re on insulin it’s a really bad idea to just stop your pump for any length of time (to prevent lows). You need the carb and the insulin to perform over 90 minutes.
Good luck! Have fun at the Tour!
am well controlled T2 on moderate carb diet. I eat 20+g carbs every hour that I’m on the bike & always have candy in back pocket. Even tho I stoke on a tandem I do not want to go low - way too dangerous. Remember your bg will drop afterwards too. We try to ride ~ 3X week ~ 50mi loops. Good luck & keep riding!
I’m on a lowish carb diet, around 65 a day. I’m not a hardcore rider, typically 20-30 miles 4-5 times a week. I carry a pocket full of glucose tablets, I’ll take a dozen on a typical ride, one right after another at the beginning of the ride. If I don’t my blood sugar will drop 60+ points in the first 15 minutes of the ride. I’ve come home with my blood sugar at 45 before I started taking the tablets. Now, my blood sugar is in the 80-90 range when I get home. I’m not dispensing medical advice, it’s just something I worked out for myself by trial and error.