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Posted by u/zone2nerd··Hot Take

Is keto just a long-term mistake for endurance athletes?

TL;DR: Did keto for 24 months, my bloodwork took a hit and endurance suffered. Is this common for endurance athletes?

I went full keto for 24 months, thinking I could hack my nutrition and optimize my performance. I tracked everything, macros, bloodwork, RPE during workouts. My initial thought was that fat adaptation would give me an edge for those long runs, but the results? Not great.

Before keto, my bloodwork was solid: LDL around 100, HDL at 60, and triglycerides at 70. Fast forward to after two years of high-fat, low-carb eating, and my LDL shot up to 130, HDL dropped to 50, and triglycerides spiked to 110. Plus, my performance on longer runs started to tank, with some of my 10+ mile times slowing by over a minute per mile! I felt sluggish, and my recovery wasn't as efficient.

I know some people swear by keto, but it seems to wreck my blood lipid profile and overall endurance. Did anyone else experience something similar? Curious if I'm just the outlier here or if there's a pattern for endurance athletes doing keto.

Anyone had a better outcome after long-term keto, or is this just a warning sign to steer clear of it altogether for us endurance junkies?

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u/depressedlifter·

Honestly, I tried keto too and it just messed with my energy levels. I was always tired and my workouts felt like a chore. After switching back to more balanced eating, I felt like I could actually lift and run without dragging. Who needs that stress?

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u/marathonmaniac99·

im a marathon runner and tried keto for a few months. I honestly felt sluggish and my times suffered as well. When I switched back to a more traditional carb-rich diet, I felt way better. I think some people may thrive on keto, but for endurance athletes, I believe carbs are essential for performance. What do you all think?

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u/proteinpancakes22·

I switched to Nutrola after struggling with tracking in other apps. The voice logging is super helpful for me since I love cooking but hate typing everything out. Just snap a pic of my meals, and I'm done in seconds. Definitely easier than MyFitnessPal for me!

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u/zone2nerd·

I had a similar experience with keto. I thought I'd be flying on my long runs after fat adaptation, but I ended up feeling like I was dragging a weight behind me. My RPE was through the roof, and my times dropped significantly. I switched back to a more balanced carb intake and my performance came back almost immediately. It just seems that for endurance, carbs are still king. Anyone else notice a drop in performance on keto?

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u/calisthenics_only·

Facts! I tried keto for a while and felt weak during my calisthenics sessions. Sticking to whole foods and getting enough carbs made a huge difference for my energy levels!

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u/creatine_supremacy·

I don't get the whole keto thing. I stick to my balanced diet and just hit my macros. Deadlifting and lifting heavy requires energy and carbs fuel that. Keto seems like a fad.

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u/deadlift_dan·

Keto? Nah, I'm all about those gains! I eat my carbs and hit PRs in the gym. Been focusing on deadlifts and honestly, I couldn't imagine lifting without proper fuel. It's like trying to drive a car on empty.

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u/chickenncarrots·

Yup, all these new AI tracking apps make me a little skeptical too. I just stick to MFP since it's what I know best. Sometimes the simplicity of the old school stuff is just better, you know?

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u/lightweightsfordays·

This. I've seen a lot of people hype keto but for endurance, it's like running on empty. I need my carbs! They help with recovery and keep my energy levels up. No thanks to keto.

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