Sharing and thinking

I have always been a bit of an enthusiast when I believe in something. Not just big stuff, like eating LCHF, but even little things like really cool products that make your life easier or just fun. I have a few gadgets (and I hear my friends groan when saying this), because "few" is probably an euphemism. I love gadgets (Garmin, iPhone, iPad, Fitbit, WiFi scales...) and when something is cool I tell people about it. Like I discovered the best ever Skorts from Capestorm. It is just the best design and most comfortable running pants (with a cute skirt) on the market. I caters for the slightly less "leggy" runners like myself, and make me feel sporty and does not creep. Not that this blog is about this at all.


My favourite "Skort"

I have a huge respect for Prof Noakes' enthusiasm and believe that if it hadn't been for him I wouldn't have considered this diet. I specifically say, consider, because I did not just take his word for it. However, his efforts has brought many issues into the light and made me go dig deeper into what we were told and taught about nutrition. Today I question the entirety of what we have been taught about health and nutrition. Although I was pretty much convinced after reading most of the Noakes' publications, I have spent a lot of time reading what other authors and bloggers have published. Easy to miss, is that in Sweden, LCHF or Banting is regarded (officially) as a healthy dietary plan, perhaps because if you look at the climate, the natural state of their diets must have been geared towards low carbs. In summer their fruit is berries, but the rest of the year? What on earth can you really grow in that climate that would last through the winter.

Back to my enthusiasm: I have definitely contributed to the cause, not because I am gaining anything, but it is hard not to tell people when something clicks in your brain. My parents and friends are well informed about my reasons for this choice, which basically means that I talked their ears off once I "got it". Once I understood, and believed, I am willing to share, but I know this is quite a tricky subject. I have thus tried to be quite careful and have minimised unsolicited sharing. I am sharing when asked and of course, I have been documenting some of this journey by writing about it - not that anybody would read this. I know how "faddy" this may look to people who's not done the in depth reading and I have taken a road on which I believe I will stay for the duration. Low carb life thus far has been very interesting. I have not missed bread or pasta or rice at all. Even those "take-out Fridays" where we bought quick burgers for a treat, is a distant memory that I have no desire to go back for. I have really not felt real CRAVINGS in 2 weeks. We switched on the 9th of April 2014. After work on Tuesday, 8 April 2014, we dropped in at Woolies and bought cream, full cream milk, cheese, butter, avocados, greek yoghurt and eggs. Note, we had to go out and buy these healthy items because we had none in the fridge or pantry at home. My weight hasn't dropped dramatically, but I have definitely lost at least 1 kg of real weight, include water about 2.5kg. I have not measured yet, but I feel a definite decline in my muffin. I also suspect that with my history of thyroid issues and hypoglycaemia I will have a bit more of a struggle to get my appetite control properly reset. I can already see that we are eating much less and my quality of life has dramatically improved. So no regrets here. Day 18 and still going strong. 

The Art and Science of LCHF running

So you've read the Real Meal Revolution (RMR) and you've discovered what LCHF or Banting really means. Not high protein, low carb (not zero) and high fat (good fats like butter, cream and coconut). But now you have to actually do it...this is where I was 2 weeks ago, quite overwhelmed with all that I had read, and the eating was the easy part.

I have created a "blog within a blog" basically. This write-up is a summary of the stuff that helped me think through the issues, answers to my tens of thousands of questions and generally represents a record of my understanding. This way of eating is right for me, but I have learnt that it needs to be tailored to each individual's circumstances and genetics. We are runners and are trying to run ultra marathons and specifically the Comrades Marathon. All said, we started a bit late to really benefit this year for the race, but we have a real shot to run a more comfortable race - no nausea from sweet GUs and other super-sweet supplements for example.

I have Googled quite extensively on how to fuel and found a few (not always easy to find) references and experiential information. The big "experiment" will come when we actually run a marathon or ultra-distance prior to Comrades. We have two events left. One is a race, the other a long training run. Both these will be our experimental playground. I have no doubt that we will be ok. We can get backup "carbs" along both routes, but the aim will be to do this with fat supplements and real food.

A comment from Ketogains (for full link) was quite helpful to put my mind at ease during the first phases of my search: "Full keto adaptation takes on average 8-12 weeks. This is when you really "feel" keto kicking in for sports performance. In the meantime, you will feel a hit, so be sure to take that in account, and carry on. MCT Oil / Coconut Oil with coffee are your friends here." Keeping in mind, I didn't even fully appreciate what keto-adaptation really means!

Ok, so you can start with Tim Noakes and work your way back to the other resources and references or you can do what I did, dig around and read everything until you've distilled the information into things that make sense to you. I did read Noakes (RMR) and I listened to him on YouTube and I converted 100% because it made so much sense to me. However, my favourite find on the subject is the book by Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney, both liberally referenced in Noakes' RMR, "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance". This book (I got the Kindle version from Amazon) hit the spot for me. The first book, "The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" is also available on Kindle if the sports angle of the second book is not of interest to you.

What did I find on the internet? Probably too much, but I documented the path I followed, which in the end merely lead to Volek and Phinney.

Quick links to information:
How does ketogenic diets work? You don't have the books yet, but want to read something in the meantime, this is a good read to begin with and refers to information that you will find referenced by Prof Noakes as well.  http://profgrant.com/2013/07/05/how-ketogenic-low-carb-high-fat-diets-work/

I found the following link: http://eatingacademy.com/how-a-low-carb-diet-affected-my-athletic-performance. The author records a fantastically interesting experiment. This is one of the more fascinating pieces I've read and really explains the way our bodies change when we go eat the ketogenic way. I think it is a really worthwhile read and it explains the issues raised by many runners who tried the ketogenic diet but dropped out because they thought it wasn't working for them. Note I don't think one should be too critical of "how scientific and how controlled" the tests were, this is a principle that is accepted but the author defines many of the techno-terms nicely.

I am a slow runner, top speed performance at high intensity is not my goal; so my overall health is more important that sprinting the mile. But, once you've reached your target (weight or health goals), there is scope to experiment with better carbs (like clever supplements (the new Superstarch and maybe home made "GU" that includes fats).

So I've heard runners say "I tried it and it didn't work for me." The following link discusses the need to stick with this way of life for a significant period before making a judgement. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9587182 Evidence that a short term adaptation is not what we are after. All in all, I believe the secret to endurance is training or adapting your body through training to use it's own fat storage when you run out of "sugar". I don't believe the study focussed on long term ketosis or keto adaptation as you will see from the Peter Attia's pages. "The Eating Academy" is an excellent resource; again read Volek and Phinney if you are interested in performance.

The next link is an example of an endurance athlete and what he eats before an event: Greenfield's breakfast the morning of the Ironman was a half-stick of butter, two shots of MCT oil, and a cup of coffee — in stark contrast to the vats of pasta most endurance athletes inhale before a race.
http://www.examiner.com/article/ironman-triathlete-ben-greenfield-high-fat-diet-can-aid-endurance-training


Remember: Keto adaptation, they say takes 8-12 weeks and some people only really kick in at 6 months. Thus much of what you read needs to be seen in context. Some people are already in what they call nutritional ketosis, and thus have slightly more freedom with carbs. It boils down to whether you can eat <25g per day or 50g per day of carbs or even 75g of carbs (once you are stable and your weight is under control).


Milk is a good recovery drink, coconut water is isotonic and one to remember is greek yoghurt and a few carrots or a small apple (all good post run savers for recovery. Ideas could be to use sweat potato & butternut/pumpkin as alternatives to feeding during a run, but I suspect using a "superstarch" is the better option. This we will test as well. 

And really good suggestions for supplementing, (MCT oil will go on my list to test. I've also seen suggestions of running with coconut oil tablets. Really good idea! Easy to transport. No mess.

So I've learnt a heck of a lot and really feel like we are on our way. We've had our first blood ketosis check (after 3 days of running hard - 100km Easter Training run) and my blood levels were just starting to reach "start of ketosis" levels after two weeks. It may be due to the heavy exercise that we are still slightly lower than ideal, but I will test again in a week. Due to limited availability of blood ketone sticks, we have to use them sparingly. Despite my scientific need to measure daily :-)

Progress to date:
13 days into the new lifestyle
0 hypoglycaemic events
100 km training run with no GU or other sporty supplements (I ran with a boiled egg and a stick of dry wors and water)
-2.5kg lost thus far (mostly water I presume at this stage, but still good, clothes fit better already)
Buy the book here

Illusion of Knowledge

Historian, professor, attorney, and writer Daniel Joseph Boorstin, who died in 2004, said:

“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge.”

It describes the sense of disillusionment I have when it comes to health, diet and weightloss issues. It is the illusion of knowledge that's ruled our eating habits, not ignorance. I am a reader and I love pursuing knowledge, but in the world of nutrition and health there is never one clear answer for anything. Tim Noakes' arguments have made me think, maybe all is not what it seems, and maybe we need to just make our own choices and forget what the experts say. I have been eating according to the stupid low fat, balanced food pyramid for so long I have forgotten what an egg and avocado tastes like. And it did me no good at all; actually a fat lot of good that did me. I have lived with the constant feeling of failure and guilt because I couldn't get it "right". I couldn't be thin, my self discipline wasn't strong enough! Obviously, if you are overweight, it's all your own fault. The recent press attention (good and bad) that Tim Noakes' outspoken views received, did make me think, maybe it is time to re-evaluate what I think I know. The illusion of knowledge.

By reading all I can about LCHF or Banting eating, I have also stumbled across a fascinating article about thyroid issues and insulin resistance. For many, many years I have been struggling with unpredictable hypoglycaemia. Despite planning my days to the tee with respect to keeping snacks ready for if the big dip should happen, I have never been able to control my blood sugar.

Anecdotally, I have found that when I don't eat breakfast, my blood sugar actually behaves better. However, I was brainwashed into thinking that I have to eat breakfast and I should avoid eggs, bacon and such and fell into the cycle of eating a small bowl of cereal every morning (and I tried them all, low GI, high fibre etc.). So my routine unfolded, based on the pyramid, and I've been eating All Bran religiously every morning and then needed to eat a snack within 2 hours or, the dreaded sweaty palms and shaky insides would find me. My snacks of choices? Fat free yoghurt and fruit (apples, bananas etc). So from carbs for breakfast (with fat free milk) no sugar, to snack time with a sugary fruit. All downhill to lunchtime, by which time I am starving. Rice cakes with fat free cottage cheese and two slices of low fat ham. All so "healthy". Dinner, a balanced meal of carbs, protein and salad or veggies. Lots of veggies. And fruit for snacks.

Then we started "carbo-loading" for long runs, seeing as we are running at least 60km a week and in the past 3 months I picked up weight! My mind just boggled. Then I started reading about the Banting thing. And I read, and read and discovered a wonderfully interesting article in a Journal of Thyroid Research. Basically where researchers publish their papers about their theories relating to thyroid issues. The following paper totally blew my mind. "Why can insulin resistance be a natural consequence of thyroid dysfunction?" Things just started making more sense to me.

I don't have a thyroid. I have been struggling most of my adult life with issues related to weightloss and diets and my thyroid. Because I am replacing my thyroid hormones, I am probably more at risk to develop mini events of hypo- and hyperthyroidism. This is my hypothesis, based on my own personal experience. Yes based on perhaps intuitive evaluations of my own situation. Some might even say "anecdotal" and "biased", but hell I've lived with this for a long time, maybe my anecdotes count for something. I know and understand for example that a conclusion can sometimes be the correct despite a poor the argument. And, that a good argument can sometimes result in a false conclusion. My conclusion for the moment remains however that even if you believe that Prof Tim Noakes' methods and arguments are biased, bad science and promotion of a conclusion rather than good scientific research, I cannot wait for others any more. I am not willing to operate under the illusion that I have knowledge. It is scary as hell and makes me feel insecure at times, but yet...for the first time in as long as I can remember, I am not hungry. I can skip a meal without dire consequences and I hope, apart from this major quality of life improvement, weightloss will follow. So far so good.

I also agree with Jacques Rousseau "The fact that they (we, the masses, us, people) are persuaded is not, however, further evidence for your conclusion." I believe in research. I also believe in keeping an open mind if something is not working for you. I hate fads. I never watched the Titanic because too many people liked it. I never read any of the popular books on Oprah's list.

Yes, so for 30 years we all followed the pyramid, and most of us stayed or became overweight. Look I am not obese, but I exercise like crazy and would be very heavy if I stopped exercising - from personal experience. I was however stuck. Healthy, but not. If all the "quiet" without fan-fare and so-called real science is all we needed, then why did it take a "revolutionary" approach to getting information to the masses before I became aware there was an alternative? So even if you find the hype a bit disconcerting (like I had), it is worth reading about this to try and figure out for yourself what the real story is.

As Prof Noakes' put it: "The reality is that for many of us the only way to bring our appetites under control is completely to avoid carbohydrates and to return to our former evolutionary state as predatory carnivores." Me: I am not able to control my appetite when I am constantly hungry! I have been trying out the Banting way of life and truly have, for the first time in my life realised what it feels like to wait for the hunger to come, and not live for the next mealtime.

Some of my reading references:

1. Gabriela Brenta, “Why Can Insulin Resistance Be a Natural Consequence of Thyroid Dysfunction?,” Journal of Thyroid Research, vol. 2011, Article ID 152850, 9 pages, 2011.

2. http://synapses.co.za/series/noakes/

3. Professor Tim Noakes, David Grier, Sally-Ann Creed, Jonno Proudfoot
"The Real Meal Revolution", Quivertree Publications, ISBN 978-0-9922062-7-7

Note 3: Although Prof Noakes summarises the ideas very well and his writings are easy to read, the resources on the internet are basically overwhelming and plentiful. There are, for someone with a curious mind, heaps of good information that reports both sides of the story. Google: LCHF, Paleo diets, Banting and you will be busy for a long time.

You have to make up your own mind on this subject. An emotive subject, yes, and understand therefore that it will be shot down by many "traditionalists". Don't ignore these, I found some of the most compelling arguments hidden within many anti-Noakes raves.

LCHFMP - The upside down pyramid

We've been training for the Comrades since early December 2013. As novices everything is new and challenging and scary as hell. Yes and we are following a very conservative training programme. We tallied up 935 km in training and races, changes shoes twice and experimented with GU, Cytomax, Race Food, VitRace, Vooma, bananas, Futurelife, muffins, rusks, pasta, bread, sweet potato etcetera. You name it, we've tried. We've hit the wall, picked up weight(!) and generally felt disheartened; all while training harder than ever. So why are we not losing weight? Why are we struggling to cope with carbo-loading. Isn't this what all runners do?

 

Initially when we started training harder, we lost a few kilos, then we stabilised, but as soon as we hit the long runs and needed to "feed" we started slowly gaining weight (and started feeling more and more sluggish for it). I am talking about that extra 2-4 kilos one really don't need for running: especially that extra muffin, around the waist that wobbles when you run and the bits that chafe. So, where to from now, 50 days left to the big day?

 

This is what we know or know we don't know:

a) Nobody knows how the body really works because we are all slightly different

b) Carbo-loading does not work for us and feeding on carbs the entire run is exhausting, too sweet, makes you feel queasy, and is impossible to maintain.  

c) Running does not make you thin

d) Ultra-marathons are not for sissies

e) Nothing you do will stop the pain when you run at our pace. If you have to run for more than 4 hours you are going to be in pain.

f) Kinesio tape is amazing and those colourful strips of bandage you see is not just for fun.

We've been reading, researching, listening to people, experimenting and debating all the things people tell you. Eat pasta, you will lose the weight, don't eat protein, eat protein, don't drink this, don't eat that... The advice one get is conflicting and endless and in the end you have to do what is right for you. And no matter what you opt for, there will be risk, purely because everybody is slightly different to the next guy. After all this time though, I have come to one conclusion. I think we are "carb-resistant". Perhaps not as severe as some people, but our modern diet include so much hidden sugar/carbs we don't realise how much we load our systems. So, I started leaning more and more towards listening to Prof Noakes' experience, and I seeing so many parallels.

 

We also have the curse of being engineers and therefore really wanting to understand the mechanisms of things. The trouble with this is that it seems that in this field (diets, nutrition, sports nutrition, weightloss), facts are mostly theories or hypotheses. Many commonly believed mechanisms are in fact unproven in the true sense of "science". See the conundrum. But, I am a cat person. Apparently we tend to be more open to new things, and second of all, I have a flexible mind (if you ever read Monster Hunter International, you will get the reference). The weird results we got during the last few months and open-mindedness and perhaps a pinch of desperation, all contributed towards us taking the plunge. We've been listening to Prof Tim Noakes' talks and interviews on YouTube, reading his books, researching other people's research and evaluating what is out there. The listening was easy, choosing to abandon more than a decade of "fat free" eating and going for the HIGH Fat, LOW Carb (moderate protein) approach, was a bit harder. I've been brainwashed and thus actively avoiding fat for many years. Actively changing to eating butter, avos, eggs, full fat mince, cheese, cream cheese and bacon nearly gave me a heart attack - irony. Eggs are now "IN" again, where before, everybody was scared of cholesterol. More and more studies show that cholesterol levels are way more complex than initially thought! Generally, I have a slightly elevated cholesterol. Which is according to Prof Noakes normal for women of my age and as I eat lots of healthy omega-3's I am fine.

 

I have been living the life of starvation for so long that I am finding, that my inner fat person is starting to relax. No longer do I have those low blood sugar shake and sweat attacks after eating cereal in the morning. I almost forget to snack - habit reminds me, but eventually this goes away according to most people. I know it is still early days, but my brain feels more alert. Ultimately, the big swaying factor is the weight thing - even though being healthier is should be the main aim, weight control takes so much of my soul-energy in life, imagine what I can achieve if I don't have to be worried about stupid stuff like that? And giving up carbs is a tough thing to do. So far though I have had the odd craving for something sweet, but we also have not yet introduced dark chocolate or berries yet. We first need to get to grips with the fat content issue. I for one struggle to eat enough fat. Purely because, after so many years on fat free stuff, I find myself perplexed. I am suddenly able to use butter to cook, it is liberating. We are eating plenty veggies, just the low carb varieties (leafy, green stuff, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, cauliflower and broccoli). All good.

 

So I've officially joined Tim Noakes on his meal revolution. We may fall flat on our faces, but hey, can't be worse than what's going on with carbs loaded onto our plates.

 



Am I crazy? Time will tell, but I don't think so. Energy from fat is a natural and healthy. Especially for endurance runners. If you research the Inuit diet, where there is very little access to carbs, it makes you think that somehow we have veered far from our "hunter gatherer" diet with all the sugar we consume. These and many other correlations, falsehoods sold to us by the sugar companies, invalid research, the internet, anecdotal research reports, all these things, make it very difficult to distil an opinion. I for one am convinced that there is something too all of this. I also believe, this is not a one size fits all solution. How many grams of carbs you need per day will depend on your individual genetic profile. What we really need is diet-fingerprints. No more food pyramid for me!