All posts by Val Peterson

I am a lawyer, CEO, Certified Bulletproof Coach and passionate road cyclist. I have followed a ketogenic diet since February, 2015, and have thrived both on and off the bike as a result. I started this blog to share information and hopefully learn from others as I continue my journey as a keto-adapted cyclist.
Just for fun

Greetings from Amsterdam!

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I have always heard what a bike-crazy and bike friendly city this is, but I am blown away by all of the bikes here!  There are definitely more bikes than cars, and lots of smiling people riding them.

My husband and I arrived yesterday morning.  He is here for a work conference and I got to tag along.  We attended a reception last night (after a quick nap) and met some very interesting people from all parts of the world – the Marshall Islands, England, Ireland, Switzerland and Amsterdam, to name a few.  It was fascinating to speak to lawyers and financial professionals from London to get their take on Brexit.  That was certainly the topic of discussion by everyone, although the U.S. presidential race certainly came up, with the all-too-familiar question we hear from every person we’ve encountered outside our country – “What is with that guy Trump?”

Jonathan is in his conference today and tomorrow so I’ll be setting out soon to explore the city on my own.  We’ve already had some amazing meals (think all fresh food items – no need to ask about cage free eggs or grass fed meat) and looking forward to many more.  I’ll be on foot today, trying not to get taken out by a bike!  You definitely have to look out more for them than cars here.  We will be off our road bikes for about a week so I have to do lots of walking to make up for it!  And I’ll be doing some high intensity interval training workouts – I’ll post more about those later.

Training Rides

Suffering in the name of progress

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The last time I posted I talked about being grateful for the pain because I was able to ride my bike again.  Well, I’m still grateful, but now it’s not just pain, it’s suffering on the bike.  And I have Strava to prove it.

Two weekends ago I decided it was time to do some serious climbing again.  I headed up Mt. Baldy road, hoping to make it to the Mt. Baldy Village – 2930 feet of climbing in about 9 miles.  And, to make things interesting, Jonathan and I decided to do it in the heat of the day to train for the heat we’d face in France.  Yes, mom, I am an idiot.

The road to Mt. Baldy Village is an unforgiving slog, with sustained grades between 8 and 11%.  And it was between 85 and 90 degrees out.  But I made it.  And celebrated with a beer while waiting for Jonathan who climbed to the summit.

Last weekend the weather was horrible and I stuck close to home, but still managed to climb about 2200 feet in about 45 miles.  It was cool out and other than my stomach muscles crying out (still not recovered from surgery) it wasn’t bad.  I was mostly tired, as it was the longest ride I’d done yet – right around 3 hours.

So yesterday I decided I had to go farther and higher, which took me back to Mt. Baldy road, but first I had to get there by way of Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road – 21.8 miles of climbing.  I wasn’t sure how my body would feel, as I had a colonoscopy on Friday, but I figured there was only one way to find out.   My goal was to make it to Mt. Baldy Village where I would wait for Jonathan, but I was feeling good and decided to go further up the mountain, about 3 miles.

After meeting back up with Jonathan, who summited Baldy, we decided to go back down Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road rather than just descend straight down.  This involved more miles, and more climbing.  And it was hot again.  But we did it, and when I uploaded my data to Strava I had a suffer score of 359 – something Jonathan did not know was possible!  It turns out my heart rate was between 159 and 176 for 3 hours.  Total time on the bike was 4 hours, 50 minutes, and we covered 53 miles.

This morning we decided to do a little more climbing close to home as we are having record breaking heat here in Southern California.  So we did a “usual” loop for us, down the coast and up a few local hills.  We climbed about 1600 feet over 44 miles and my suffer score was a mere 136.

I still have a ways to go to get back to where I was before surgery, but now I can at least ride long enough and hard enough to suffer!  And considering I couldn’t walk up the stairs without crying 6 and a half weeks ago, I can’t complain about my progress.

Recovery, Training Rides

Loving the ride and grateful for pain

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I am incredibly grateful to be back on my bike.  I have ridden outside 3 days in a row, and every ride has been so enjoyable.  I put no pressure on myself to go faster or harder, I just enjoyed being on my bike again, the scenery, even the other riders who wanted to draft off of me (but I did push myself a little bit to ride one of them off my wheel – what can I say, I’m still competitive).  I’m even grateful for the pain I feel from using muscles that haven’t been used for a while.

I was able to climb a little bit today – a couple of short climbs that maxed out at 6.5% – and it allowed me to get me heart rate up.  I felt silly breathing so hard on a climb that used to be just a warmup, but I stilled smiled because I wasn’t in bed or on a couch trying to recover.  I rode for an hour on Friday, (about 12 miles), 2 hours on Saturday (30 miles) and another hour today (12 miles again).  But with each ride I gain more confidence and more strength, and I’m grateful for every new pain I feel and every gasp for air I endure on the bike.

There’s a lot of very smart people out there who believe the key to success, happiness, etc. is having an attitude of gratitude.  I think they just might be on to something!  🙂

Recovery, Training Rides

Slow but steady

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After my doctor’s visit on Tuesday, I got the ok to ride “slow, like 15 minutes” from the doctor.  So on Wednesday, I did just that – 15 minutes on the trainer.  Thursday I increased it to 25 minutes and did a little bit of climbing to get my heart rate up and to see how I’d feel.  I was a little sore but otherwise felt great.

Today – I got back on my “real” bike and rode outdoors for an hour!  It was wonderful.  I took it easy – only covered 12 miles – but instead of worrying about how fast I was going or what my heart rate was, I just looked around and enjoyed my surroundings.   It was a little strange to ride with traffic after being away from it for over 4 weeks.  And trying to ride slow was a new experience – I’m used to pushing to ride harder and faster.

I spent the next few hours supporting my husband on his climb to Mt. Baldy.  While driving on a long, curvy mountain road I actually got yelled at by another cyclist.  I was coming around a blind corner – slowly, with my bike on the bike rack – when I came upon 3 riders riding 3 abreast coming at me.  Both I and the riders were startled.  I was even more startled when one of them yelled at me to slow the f–k down.  I was already going less than 20!  I really wanted to shout back to suggest that riding 3 abreast on a blind curve on a narrow mountain road was an idiotic thing to do, but decided to be the bigger person and drive on.  Unfortunately it’s hot heads like that who give other cyclists a bad name.

While I waited for my husband to finish riding, I sat in the park and read a book.  I can’t remember the last time I did that!  But it was awesome.  I figure I may as well take advantage of a beautiful sunny afternoon by doing 2 things I thoroughly enjoy – reading, and being outside.  Soon enough I’ll be back riding Baldy and wondering where I left my lungs.

 

 

Recovery, Uncategorized

Making a comeback

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I haven’t been able to ride my bike for 4 weeks.  4 very long, and at times painful, weeks.  It started in January when my gynecologist noticed a mass near my uterus.  It could have been fluid that would resolve itself, or something else.  90 days later I went back to have it checked, and it was something else.  And that something else needed to come out by way of a hysterectomy.

I was not prepared at all mentally for a hysterectomy.  But once I recovered from the initial shock, I asked the next most logical question – could it wait until August when I returned from my cycling trip to France?  My doctor looked at me like I had suddenly grown a second nose and said simply, “No.”

Thankfully, I was able to get a very quick surgery date two and a half weeks later, May 3rd.  My plan was to train as hard as I could the next 2 weeks so I’d be in top shape before surgery.  I started researching supplements that would help me with recovery after surgery.  I felt confident that I’d bounce back quickly and be ready for France.  My body had other ideas.

8 days before my surgery I developed a nasty respiratory infection.  I was suffering quite a bit when I showed up for my pre-op and was informed that my surgery would not occur if I was sick.  Thankfully my doctor gave me a prescription for a Z pack and sent me on my way.  The next week was awful – one of the worst infections I’ve had in a while.  I had no idea whether I’d be able to have the surgery, but I certainly couldn’t ride my bike.

I showed up the morning of surgery praying the anesthesiologist and my surgeon would be comfortable moving forward.  Thankfully they were, and then the anesthesiologist proceeded to describe how I would basically be upside down during the procedure.  All I could think of was how in the world  I would breathe with my head upside down and completely congested?  But the drugs kicked in soon enough and the next thing I remembered was waking up after surgery with a lot of pain.

I was able to go home the next morning armed with pain pills.   The flight of stairs leading into our house was tortuous.  Having my husband have to help me do everything (including get to the bathroom) was nothing short of humiliating.  Thankfully I only needed the narcotic pain pills for about 5 days, then I refused to take them any longer.  I don’t like the way they make me feel and the pain could be controlled by Ibuprofen.  The following Monday I went back to work.  My head was still pretty foggy, but everyone was very patient with me.

The biggest problem I continued to have after surgery was swelling in my stomach and lots of digestion issues.  It turns out the swelling wasn’t from my surgery, but from my bowels instead.   So my next challenge is figuring out what is wrong there.  I’ve had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) since I was a teenager but had been managing it pretty well the last year.  I now have a G.I. specialist helping me, and I am scheduled for a colonoscopy June 17th to determine whether something more serious is going on.   Can’t wait for that pleasure.

The good news is yesterday I got the go ahead from my doctor to get back on my bike if I feel like it for  “short rides” on my bike.  Like 15 minute short rides.   So I spent 15 minutes this morning on the trainer.  Not fun, but better than nothing.  I’m definitely sore from it but ready to do more tomorrow, and hope to get outside on my bike over the weekend.

I’ll spend some time on future blogs chronicling my road back to fitness on the bike, and I’ll spend some time explaining what supplements I used to prepare for and recovery from surgery,  in the hope it will help others facing a similar situation.  I was able to travel 12 days after surgery for my stepdaughter’s college graduation, and I was able to teach a 3-day program for work 16 days after surgery.  My doctor thought I was crazy, but allowed me to do it.  I’m paying for it in soreness and fatigue, but nothing I can’t manage.

OK, I’ve stayed up later than I wanted (8:15 pm local time) but wanted to get this post done.  I’ve been thinking about it for a while now but was simply too tired to sit down and write it!  Until next time…

Ketosis

Ketogenic diets do improve athletic performance

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I did not start a ketogenic diet to improve athletic performance.  I started it to protect my brain from dementia.

I agonized for months over how it would affect my training on the bike.  I worked through it and have been sharing for months now how my performance has improved.  I suspected it had a lot to do with my diet, but thanks to a recent study, I have proof that it is definitely in large part due to my ketogenic diet!

The study discussed a clinical trial  conducted in part by 2 familiar names in the low carb world, Jeff S. Volek and Stephen D. Phinney.  20 elite ultra-marathoners and ironman distance triathletes participated in the clinical trial, and were studied to determine the extent of metabolic adaptations.  The results were surprising to some:  Long-term keto-adaptation results in “extraordinarily high rates of fat oxidation.”  The study also found that there was no higher rate of muscle glycogen depletion in the low carb athletes – rather the muscle glycogen utilization and repletion patterns before, during and after a 3 hour run by the participants were similar.

Dave Asprey wrote on Bulletproofexec Blog about this study and it is an excellent read.  He explains what the prior concerns about a low carb diet were as it pertains to performance – past studies concluded an athlete would “top out” at 10% of energy provided from fat and the rest would have to come from glucose stored in your liver and muscles.  The belief was that if you followed a low carb diet and could only access 10% of your fat for energy, then you would end up breaking down muscles for energy (where glucose is stored).  Others believed you could harm your liver by depleting it of glycogen while following a low carb, high fat diet while engaging in intense physical workouts.

Both Jonathan and I have worried about glycogen depletion and have used products like UCAN’s SuperStarch to try and avoid that.  I’ll need to digest this study a little more, but at first read the results seem be telling us we don’t need to worry about glycogen depletion.  Definitely good news for us and other endurance athletes!

Diet and Dementia, Travel and food

Why I’ll be eating dirt and showering less

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I’ve been on a mission for the last few months to figure out why, despite eating pretty much the same foods as I did for the last 10 months, my stomach has been in constant turmoil.  I noticed the changes beginning in January, but chalked it up to not being as diligent with my food through the holidays.  I have struggled with Irritable Bowel Syndrome since my teen years, but it had been relatively quiet when I started the ketogenic diet last February.

My stomach issues have persisted since January – bloating, gas, stomach pain…and I was eating the same food I had been eating the previous year.  It came to a head recently when the stomach pain was accompanied by an intense headache so severe I couldn’t sit at my computer and work.

I have also developed pretty severe pain in the first knuckle on my right hand that, despite accupuncture, icing, and rest, continues to worsen, leading me to fear it is arthritis.  It realized it was time to get more focused on what was going on inside my body that was creating these symptoms.

I started looking more seriously into what could be causing my stomach issues.  I did not think my hand pain was related, and it may not be – I was planning to see a regular doctor about it instead and still will if the symptoms don’t lessen.  I had already started eliminating certain types of food, like sugar alcohols, but my symptoms weren’t going away.  I won’t bore you with all the details, but my research led me to a book by Dr. Josh Axe, “Eat Dirt: Why Leaky Gut May Be the Root Cause of Your Problems and 5 Surprising Steps to Cure It.”

I was shocked at the symptoms listed that have been shown to be the result of a leaky gut:  Tired and sluggish, frequent indigestion, heartburn, bloating and gas, brain fog, cloudy memory, headaches, changes in skin like dark circles, eczema, psoriasis and acne, and joint pain.  These can turn into far more serious issues like chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and more, and I have experienced most of those symptoms the last few months.  I have complained to my husband numerous times about persistent acne.  I never had a problem with it when I was younger, and cannot understand why I’d have breakouts now.

It turns out the problem may be in my gut and the fact that the “good” bacteria is being overridden by bad bacteria.  Apparently,  we aren’t what we eat, but rather what our food eats.  And, according to Dr. Axe, we just might be too clean – antibacterial “everything” we now use is killing the good bacteria in our gut.  Ingesting a little bit of dirt from organically grown fruits and vegetables certainly won’t kill us, and in fact, will make us healthier.  He also suggests that it is not necessary for us to shower every day (unless having worked out) and that we would be healthier if we didn’t.  There’s much more to the book than this, including some fascinating research on the effect of outside toxins on our bodies, and of course how to treat and heal your gut.

Thankfully, many of the food recommendations are very close to the ketogenic diet we already follow.  But it appears I have to give up my love affair with cheese (or at least most types of cheese).  And I have to learn to get used to drinking apple cider vinegar on a regular basis.  Both are a struggle.  But on the positive side, I was motivated to finally make bone broth soup.  I never thought I would be paying good money for organic, grass-fed beef bones, but I have done it.  It has been simmering for about 30 hours, and has another 12 or so to go.  I’ve known this is a wonder food for a while, but until now I just didn’t have the proper motivation to make it or eat it consistently.

I encourage you to read the book or the plethora of information available online about leaky gut and see if you might benefit from some of the supplements and food recommendations in the book.  I figure I have nothing to lose but a whole lot to gain if I make a few small changes and they work.  But I do promise to continue showering…

Ketosis

Why autophagy should be part of your vocabulary

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I have no idea how to pronounce it, but I know it’s a good thing.    Autophagy is your body’s way of detoxifying and repairing itself.  You can boost autophagy through exercise, and (drum roll) through a ketogenic diet!  Intermittent fasting is another way to boost autophagy.  I do intermittent fasting a few times a week where I will fast for 15-16 hours overnight and throughout the morning before eating solid food.  I still drink coffee with butter and MCT oil in the morning, even when fasting.  It certainly helps get through the long period without food.

Check out this article by Dr. Mercola for more information on what autophagy is, and how to boost it.

 

Diet and Dementia

I can’t wait for this documentary about Alzheimer’s prevention

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I started this blog and my ketogenic diet journey after reading some research on the connection between diet and dementia.  I devoured every bit of research I could on the topic.  It’s been a little quiet the last several months, so when I heard about a new documentary in creation about Alzheimer’s, I got pretty excited.

The documentary is called “Bread Head” and is created by Max Lugavere.  His mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 59.  Could it have been prevented?  He was determined to find the answer.

If you’ve read other posts you know my belief on Alzheimer’s prevention.  I firmly believe it can be prevented by eliminating processed carbohydrates and by eating a diet high in good fats, combined  with physical exercise.  The science just makes too much sense to me not to believe this.

I have been following a ketogenic diet now for 14 months, and I have never felt mentally sharper, nor have I felt stronger when exercising.  I have become more sensitive to sugar alcohols, and I’ve become more sensitive to meat that isn’t high quality, and from grass-fed cows or pastured pigs.  I can immediately feel a difference in cognitive function, and physical well-being when I’ve eaten foods that are not of high quality or that have high amounts of sugar alcohol.  As you can see, I have reasons other than avoiding dementia to continue with this way of eating – I feel much better than my “old” way of eating that involved processed carbohydrates.

You can learn more about Max and his research on a few podcasts he has been featured on – Bulletproof Radio, where he is interviewed by Dave Asprey, and on Ben Greenfield’s podcast, The Surprising Facts About What Bread Does to Your Brain.   I hope you’ll take a few minutes to listen, or read the transcripts.  Your brain health could depend on it!

Training Rides

And so it begins…Breathless Agony Part 2

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As Yogi Berra said, “It’s like deja vu all over again.”

We are registered again this year for Breathless Agony, 114 miles with 12,000 feet of climbing.  And I’m again questioning why I am going to put myself through this (with my mom’s voice in my head answering, “Because you’re an idiot.”) We rode it last year but were only able to complete 60 miles, as Jonathan’s back decided to give out on that day.

We’ve been training fairly steadily through February (Jonathan a little more than me), and we’ve set at least one PR nearly every ride.  We are certainly stronger this year than last year at the same time.  But we have a ways to go before being “Breathless Agony” ready.  Unfortunately for me, that means revisiting my old friend Mt. Baldy, ranked as the 20th most difficult climb in the U.S.  My legs and lungs hurt just thinking about it.

The good news is we’ve got our fueling figured out.  No more worrying about what to eat the night before, the day of, during the ride…after last year we’ve got it dialed in.  Our breakfast is the same as any other day, and we use bars to fuel on the bike if/when we get hungry.  The only challenge I currently have is I can no longer tolerate Quest Bars – a low carb protein bar that had been my go-to bar.  The bars contains sugar alcohols and my stomach has decided it will not deal with any more sugar alcohols.

I’m on the hunt for an alternative, and right now the only thing I’ve found is a new bar by Atkins that contain no sugar alcohols – their Harvest Trail bar.    I guess it’s back to using more Super Starch and ketone supplements, too.  Oh, and Slim Jims, my personal favorite.  I just love the heckling I get when I have one sticking out of my jersey.