MattNeilsen wrote:I was going to ask how you approached nutrition to support your swims but noticed you referenced LCHF. I've been playing around with a modified ketogenic diet myself the last couple of months and have really enjoyed it. It's such a shift in mindset from my days of high-carb. If you don't mind me asking, what's your experience been like?
I still maintain that the diet is magic. My cholesterol has never been lower, and that includes the 15+ years I was a pescovegetarian. I eat meat almost every meal (some breakfasts, when I eat one, is a protein shake). I eat a 1-lbs ribeye steak 2-3 times a week. Tons of fat and protein. My cholesterol is 175 and my HDL is in the upper 60s. My triglycerides are awesome. It is weird and counter-intuitive, but it works for me. Even more important is the effect the diet has had on my acid reflux. I used to have to pre-plan any dinner with tomato sauce. Couldn't' have too much beer on that night too, or else I'd be up all night with what I called dragon breath. It felt like I had flames in my throat. I was on the verge of asking the doc for prescription medicine. All that is gone now. No matter how many beers I have at night. (Some days, beer is my only carb.)
The big thing for me was giving up what I used to eat, carb-wise. I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't have cereal for breakfast at least six times a week. Nor a week where I didn't have pasta at least once, but more often twice, not including if there were leftovers. Also sandwiches for lunch. Always. I gave all that up. Incredible change.
I have a swimmer-friend who is whole-hog keto. (I'm not...love beer too much.) This summer he swam the English Channel in 14-something hours and his only "feed" was water.
My latest two long swims where I had an escort, my feeds were babybel cheeses, pepperonis and Justin's nut butter packets. So low carb but not zero carbs. I'm not keto, so still burning the carbs for fuel, so I was bonking toward the end. But unlike most marathon swimmers who drink carb drinks, I had no stomach upset issues at all. It was awesome.
If you do go full LCHF, I'd suggest getting a blood panel first. And then a year later. It is wonderful to see the change.