Long ride on low carb diet

[qureshia]

Planning longish ride (3 to 4 hours) for later this week
Currently doing a low carb diet, any ideas what to take on my packed lunch ?

Normally take cake, choc bar, high energy drink etc (hence the need for the diet) :-)

[crashS2K]

Boiled eggs?

How long have you been on the low carb diet and how much cycling do you normally do?

Have been on a low carb diet for the last 7 months and was worried about how it would affect my cycling. Happy to report that there has been minimal impact - normally average 100 - 150k at the weekend.

Luckily I am allowed a cheat day at the weekend which coincides with my rides. Having said that I did my usual 40k loop yesterday on a breakfast of 3 eggs and was fine. Even managed to Increase my average speed by 1.5kph which I attribute to not having to lug equivalent weight of 1.5 times my bike up the hills. I always take a clif bar or some gels with me just in case but have never needed to use them.

If the diet you are on doesn't permit cheat days i would suggest that if you can you build up to the 3 or 4 hour trip that would be best to make sure that you aren't at risk of bonking and allowing body to adapt to burning body fat for fuel during the ride instead of carbs.

Don't expect that you will be able to go as hard or put in intensive efforts if you don't take any carb on board before or during.

Alternatively, you could just have what you normally have on a long ride and see how that impacts the diet. Theory being that your blood sugar levels will be low anyway as you are exercising and therefore you won't have a sugar / insulin spike that will promote fat gain. Just make sure you don't have a huge amount of carbs at the end of the ride!

I used to take couple of bottles of carb drink, gels and do post recovery carb drinks as well but now just take water. It's amazing how much you can change your body and how it can adapt to it's environment.

Experiment, make small changes and see what works for you.

[qureshia]

Been riding for a couple of years, do similar distance and time ride every month
Been on low carb diet for just for three days, not an absolute zero carb diet, just no cake, bread, chips or sugar...
Had plenty of vegetables

Guessing I will try and introduce some carbs day before the ride (wholemeal bread, bran flakes) and same again morn of the ride ( no choc bars or lucazade etc)

[RRS_Staffs]

Unless its for a specific medical indication then if you are mashing 3-4h on the bike why worry about the carbs?

[amnesia182]

Agree with the post above... I usually only take water with me on rides < 50 miles... maybe a banana to stave off hunger. I usually fit in a stop at a cafe for tea and toast on a longer ride.