It depends on who you ask! Chris Carmichael and Jim Rutberg recently published an article discussing this exact topic. As I expected, they do not believe a ketogenic diet will improve overall performance for endurance athletes. I expected this as the research and science supporting a ketogenic diet is still relatively new, and it would take a major paradigm shift for coaches like this who have been following a successful nutrition program with their athletes for a long, long time.
But I did find the comments at the end of the article very interesting. Several who commented did find their performance has improved on a ketogenic diet. Others saw improvement with a low carb diet and strategic carb cycling.
If you ask Stephen Phinney or Jeff Volek, I suspect they would tell you that a low carb or ketogenic diet absolutely improves performance based on research they have done with cyclists and other endurance athletes. As you’ll note in their research and something I completely believe in, they key is to be fat adapted. It took me several months to become fat adapted and to start reaping the benefits of a ketogenic diet when I was riding my bike. Many people give up before truly becoming fat adapted – it’s not easy, and your performance will suffer while you are getting there. I remember that vividly, and even blogged about it.
My reasons for starting a ketogenic diet had nothing to do with athletic performance. I started this lifestyle to give myself every chance possible to avoid dementia. Since starting over 2 years ago, I’ve learned I’m also giving myself a fighting chance to avoid cancer, Parkinsons’ disease, and many other autoimmune diseases caused by inflammation. Improved performance on my bike was an added benefit I wasn’t expecting.
My point is, your reasons for adopting a ketogenic lifestyle make a huge difference in how you approach it and whether you stick to it. I had strong reasons for doing so, and I was willing to suffer through poor performance on the bike because I believed in the science and I know it would get better. I had no idea how much better, but I did my research and stayed strong.
People who lament the fact that they can’t have birthday cake at a celebration may not be truly committed to a ketogenic lifestyle for the rest of their life. I couldn’t care less about eating a piece of cake. But if I did, because I’m fat adapted, I would be able to get back into nutritional ketosis very quickly (and yes, I’ve tried it with other foods, just not cake!). But again, the key is that my body is fat adapted and has been for a long time. This allows you the flexibility to fuel from carbs if needed, and then get back into burning fat.
Once you’re clear with yourself on what you want to achieve, then stick to that plan for at least 6 months. After that you can start experimenting to see if there are other ways of eating or fueling that can enhance what you are already doing.
Hi there
Completely agree with Val, I choose to review evidence and Chris Froome (maybe his name rings a bell) is very open about being a ketogenic athelete. And the guy who came second in last years Tour de France also ketogenic. They use carbs on race day to varing degrees, but off season and during racing are primarily LCHF.
Many others have done the same. I’m 51 and riding further and faster than ever before,recover better as well.
Safe riding
Joe
So I’m about 5 weeks out from an endurance cycling event. It’s a one day, 120 mi ride with 11,000 vertical feet of climbing. I’ve done it before and will burn about 5000 calories on the ride. I usually ride about 100 mi and climb 10,000 ft per week as my training regimen. All my life I’ve been a carb junkie. I would think that with all my training, I would have a thin frame like a cyclist but I don’t. I can never get rid of my belly fat and love handles. My wife is starting keto and I’m very intrigued by the whole think. I’ve historically also struggled with very low energy on a day-to-day basis along with sleep problems (I never wake up feeling good and refreshed)
I guess my real question is am I crazy for considering making the switch 5 weeks before the event and will my body have enough time to adapt?
I can only speak to my experience, and what I’ve read in other books and articles. I would not suggest switching with only 5 weeks’ preparation. It took me 2-3 months before I felt truly adapted, and before I began to see positive effects of fueling with fat rather than carbs. With the ride so close, I wouldn’t make any drastic changes, but you could start lowering your carb intake on a daily basis, except before and during a ride to help your body begin the fat-adaption process.
Good luck! Let us know how your ride goes, and how your journey to becoming keto-adapted is progressing.
Val
You are certainly right about the flexibility in food when you are fat adapted. I went a little overboard on carbs this holiday season and gained 15 pounds. I ride with water only and when I get back from a ride my ketones are still between .5 and 2.0 millM/L. I want to get back to my fighting weight so on top of already skipping breakfast I am supplementing with a weekly all day fast and a quarterly 3-day fast. Sort of enforced intermittent ketosis because I really like chocolate and bread. I think it is workable. The nice thing is because of the years of biking on water only, my body does not mind crossing into ketosis, there are no significant side effects of bobbing in and out with a day fast. Even sleep quality improves on the night of a one day fast. So there are benefits to staying right at the edge of ketosis, kind of like a dolphin, diving in and out.
Keep the wheels down and the eyes up.
Bill
So glad to have found your blog! I guess I’m an endurance cyclist. I train and ride the AIDS/LifeCycle every year, a 545 ride from SF to LA over 7 days, and like to ride 50 miles or more at least once a week, along with shorter rides. I went keto about 2 months ago and feel great, but got really confused watching Thomas de Lauer’s videos… they are awesome and helpful, but I don’t think his info is geared towards endurance athletes. Anyway, I’m loving reading your info and btw, have lost about 10# of belly and love handles fat… about 10 more to go. (6’2″, I started at 213#, currently I’m at 202.)
I’m doing a circadian fasting and trying not to snack between meals. Thanks again,