A quick question about how to cope with intensive training/sports.

I’m doing tough mudder in a 8 weeks. It’s a 12 mile assault course, and I need to up my training now. Previously I would have relied on carbs for doing endurance training, but it doesn’t really fit with this way of eating. Or do I just have to make sure I have the right sort of carbs, i.e. buckwheat etc??

I’m going to be stepping up the training even more after tough mudder as I’ve signed up for the Blenheim triathlon again, and I’m targeting an elite time (sub 1 hour 20). So same question goes for that really. When I’m in the swing of it I’ll be doing 2 x 3km freestyle swims, 2 x 10k runs and 2 x 30km bike rides per week.

And in February next year I’m going skiing again. I’m a go hard or go home kind of skier and normally lose weight on my skiing holiday despite eating 3 breakfast, a large lunch and a 5 course meal in the evening plus lots of beer and wine! I’m worried that there will be nothing left of me!! Any advice would be gratefully received!

Wow what a programme, good for you, wonderful. Don’t know but doubt you can keep up that sort of training on 800cals daily. Sure you need to up them considerably. Expect there’s some guidelines somewhere on the internet.

Hi Timmy,

Sorry…not really the person to advise you on this…but feel that if you need to increase carbs for your training schedule the healthy ‘good’ carb choices would make perfect sense.
Also, if you are training at a high level intensity you may need to increase the calories as you will be burning off a huge amount. (Perhaps, monitor your weight loss and energy levels carefully and be guided by that). I am sure our more physically active members will be able to advise more specifically.

Good luck for the assault course – am suitably impressed!

Oh, forgot to say, I’m not doing the 800, just the 5:2, so upping the calories shouldn’t be a problem!

Hi Timmy, how is the training for tough mudder going on BSD? I am now 76 kg and about 1.5kg away from ‘normal’ BMI. I have lost 22kg and have just rest my target from normal BMI to 70kg. I am doing a marathon walk (Shine for Cancer UK) in 8 weeks and am only really starting training now. I do weekly pilates (reformer) classes and upped that to 2 x a week for the last 4 weeks, managed a couple of spinning classes, 45 mins at low level resistance, but did keep going continuously and have been doing bits of walking, but not structured. Yesterday I did a 7 mile walk with a group – good pace, I was at the front 🙂 and will be doing one long walk a week building up to 22 miles, plus other training during the week.
The question for you is how you manage your training on low carbs when every book I read talks about carb loading prior to (especially with) endurance races? I did a half marathon walk 3 years ago ( at about 96kg) and did that in 4 hours. I was fine, at the end tired legs, however when I stopped (waiting 30 mins for a bus to get to hotel) my legs stopped working – they were like jelly when I tried to get on the bus and I only just managed to keep standing and not fall over in the bus. I have also done a 5k and two 10k jogs 5-6 years ago when I was around the 80kg mark. the 5k and 10 k’s I ‘carb loaded’ the week before, the half marathon walk – I only signed up two weeks before so that level of planning was out the window, but I did have a pasta meal prior to starting and banana’s plus water (and some Kendal Mint cake) on route.
I have had a couple of occasions recently when I started exercise and became dizzy – an early morning jog before breakfast and I nearly fainted when I got home. So I am nervous about nutrition for the next 8 weeks – I also don’t want to undo the good work I have already done as I was very close to prediabetic and reversed that completely!
One option will be to hit the ‘normal BMI’ target and then go on the 5:2 or maybe do 4:3 to get the last 5kg off. It will be slower, but then maybe the increased activity will keep the momentum going!
I’d be interested in any advise that you have on how you manage on the ‘5’ days and your planning for ‘carb loading’ prior to the events. I thought I heard someone saying Eddie Izzard had done his multi-marathons on ‘fat loading’ but cannot find that anywhere on the internet.
Anyone else with advise on this thread – I would love to hear form you. I will set up a thread with my challenges and experience in the 8 weeks 🙂 .

I’ve upped my training over the last few weeks, but worrying I haven’t done any running! Eeeek!

I haven’t carb loaded before any training. I’m just eating normally (Med style) and making sure I get some protein in me shortly after training.

I’ve been doing a mile in the pool 3 times a week and weights 2-3 times a week. Saying that, the other day I went for it with my swim, and I did feel light headed afterwards. I think for Tough mudder, I’m going to eat a banana before hand and hope that that sorts me out!

I’m off on holiday on Monday and play to get 2-3 10ks done whilst away. I’m not worried about my cardio fitness as from past experience I know that if I’m swim fit, then I am any sort of fit!

@orchid I have had this ‘nearly fainting’ feeling, usually after exercising without any or very little food. Have decided to take half a banana about half an hour before going for a 5 K run, which seems to be leaving me feeling Ok afterwards. Saturday last halfway through a mountain hike – just before the summit, I thought I was going to pass out, banana had me feeling fine in 15 minutes.

Just wondered why you want to go below your ideal BMI mark? Are you diabetic?

Hi Timmy
There is a lot of info on how to fuel exercise on the dietdoctor.com website but with fat, not carbs. This would suit you much better and you wouldn’t have to worry about calories. It can take a while for your body to switch from carb burning to fat burning and you may feel like you lose performance during the transition. However, you could soon find yourself getting more personal bests as a result of becoming a fat burning machine.

Hi Ziggy, thanks for that info – I am glad I am not the only one experiencing the fainting. When I was training for 5 and 10K’s 5-6 years ago I sometimes went out without anything, but I would have been eating 2000 plus cals a day and dinner would probably have been 7-8pm and supper (if eaten) 9.30ish, so a 7am run was not exactly on an empty system! However some days my legs felt dead so I often had a glass or orange juice prior to running. That is now a no-no. I was thinking about having some semi-skimmed milk instead as it is light. I have avoided bananas since I started this food plan when I saw the carbs – but I will see how I go and may take your suggestion. I will definitely be taking a banana with me for the long walks as it is the easiest and best nutrition whilst moving.
On the weight question – no I am not diabetic. Once I have lost the next 1.5kg, I will have a BMI of 24.9; normal. That is 74.75 kg. If I stop then and start eating a little more, gut fill will push me up above 75kg and back into ‘overweight’! Also, I want to get to my waist down to 76cm, it is currently 83cm. It will take that extra 5 kg loss to get near that. I will still be 7kg heavier than I was in my 20’s and 30’s, but I believe that is sustainable.
thank again for the response.

intersting reading, what about elocrolytes ?