Tired Legs, no cardio endurance - PaleoHacks.com

Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T16:02:32Z

Hello everyone,

I've been doing paleo for about 5 weeks now, and while I don't do much cardio, I'd like to be able to at least run a mile at a good speed. I used to run 2-3 miles 7:00-7:30 pace no prob before paleo, now I can't come close to that.

I'm trying to lose the last bit of fat and havent been eating many carbs.

I'm 6'1 175 and have been eating about 150g protein and 50g carbs a day, all from vegetables and nuts, really no fruit. I've been at 65%/25%/10% fat-protein-carbs, or pretty close most days

Answer by KA24 for Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T16:22:30Z

I do sprint intervals once a week. I generally do 1 minute (10-12 MPH) and 2 minutes (3 MPH). 7-12 rotations, depending on energy. I've become quite adapted and would say am in very good shape, but this still leaves me quite sore.

I do 3 things after these sessions. 1. Eat protein. 2. Take Glutamine. 3. Ice soak for 15-20 minutes. I definitely make sure I get adequate protein for the day, along with supplementing with 5-8 grams of Glutamine. Within 12 hours, I literally sit (enough to cover legs and to the naval) in cold water w/ice. Not Cold Thermogenesis style, just moderately cold (around 60 degrees, a little below average tap water temp).

This is just N=1, but it works like a charm for me. I'm usually back at it within 36 hours doing Kettlebell or heavy lifting without any soreness.

Answer by Sleepyhouse22 for Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T16:24:01Z

"I'm trying to lose the last bit of fat and havent been eating many carbs."

That's your problem. Ever notice that when you eat low carb, your arms and legs begin to feel weak and tingly? It's because they are.

Answer by Melissa for Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T16:44:55Z

I'm a runner, just 2 weeks into paleo and my runs are suffering greatly. I just don't have the energy and feel slow and depleted from the get-go. I upped my cards from 10% to 30% and I'm still struggling. Not sure what the answer is, but you're definitely not alone. I'm thinking of halting the paleo until after my 1/2 marathon. I can't even train like this let alone run 13 miles.

Answer by Daibreak for Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T17:16:51Z

It's time for a refeed! Load up on a bunch of glycogen rich carbs - sweet potatoes, even regular potatoes, fruit, maybe some maple syrup and honey added to some squash... You will feel like a million bucks, be able to complete your run and then most likely drop that last bit of fat. It will kickstart the fat loss process. My husband has to do regular refeeds as well in order to continue to be productive in increasing increments at the gym. Once a month to once every two to three weeks... Take one day and load up! :)

Answer by bj for Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T18:35:11Z

I used to run 2-3 miles at 7:30 or so, several times a week, and in the first week of paleo my energy and stamina crashed pretty quickly. However, these two things worked for me:

1 - If you want to stay very low carb, try HIIT sprints. I jog for about 4 min then do 6-8 cycles of sprint for 30 sec / walk for 90 sec. With a short jog to cool down, this usually adds up to about 2 miles.

2 - If you want to keep the steady state cardio, then try upping the carbs. Have a small piece of fruit (plum, half of an orange) and 1/2 a sweet potato before your run. This worked great for me. I have the other 1/2 of the sweet potato and some almonds after the run.

ALSO - I found that taking 5-10g of BCAAs about 15 min before my run helped tremendously with energy levels, in both scenarios.

After getting past the initial drop in performance, I now run much better and faster than before paleo. My energy feels like it's coming from a 'deeper' place ... and I feel like I could keep going and going. Your body will adapt.

Good luck.

Answer by Poop Master MC for Tired Legs, no cardio endurance

2012-09-05T18:41:31Z

Eating 50g of carbs a day and expecting decent performance when you run just isn't realistic, you have to decide which you want more, to perform well athletically or to eat a low carb diet.

You can't have both.