Marge

I bought a permit a few weeks ago and have attempted a few rides but with my lack of navigation skills I always end up getting lost. No issues when I have enough time for a long ride, then I can follow the signage easily; I start at Asara, do red, green, back on red, all the way around, and then yellow, back to Asara. Problem is when I attempt to do a 'quick' one after work I don’t have a clue. Ideally I would like to cut out the long boring red route on Bottelary Road side and go directly to the yellow route or just back to Asara: red, green, back on red directly to yellow. Is that possible? And when I get bored of that, what is the other options (blue/purple maybe) from Asara? Now I realise that even with the best explanations available I would probably still not get it, so if there is anyone willing to join me for one ride from Asara after work to show me around that would be awesome. Any route that would take 1:30-2 hours should do it. Thanks

Investec sponsor related in this case.

We started in B bunch but ended in E bunch on day 3. Most of the women that rode with us (mixed team) in the middle were faster and better technically on the single track than those men in the middle bunches, but I think we climb a bit slower so it's always difficult for me to keep up with the B or C bunch okes. (which makes me the one on the single track asking the guy in front of me if I can pass, 'pretty please'!)

From previous experience: she will also be very greatfull if you run up with your bike, leave it at the top and come back for hers...

Hi guys, happy Friday the 13th! An interesting 2 weeks for me; I like to do monthly challenges to experiment on how my body reacts to it. September was supposed to be a ‘no coffee challenge’ but I tweaked it to only one cup in the morning so that I can at least wake up. When I was totally honest with myself I realised that during the week I was on about 8 cups a day without even noticing! At work (sitting in front of a laptop for 8 hours) my coffee was like my 1-2 hour ‘smoke’ break. (only added bit of milk, no sugar) Anyways, I’m split in two: Cons: The dreaded withdrawal-headaches lasted for 10 days! Felt like a 10 day hang-over. Rooibos makes me hungry and crave for carbs! Pros: not sure yet….not being dependant on caffeine to get through the day? I think after the challenge is over I will revert to 2-3 cups a day and this time keep it under control! LCHF is an on-going battle/journey for me but I’m still trying to get the perfect balance that will suit my body and during the 2 and a half months since being on it I have learned a lot so thanks for all your info!

According to wikipedia "Almost all brands of decaffeinated coffee still contain caffeine.[1] Drinking five to ten cups of decaffeinated coffee could deliver as much caffeine as would one or two cups of regular coffee..."

Just realised the coke zero I just had also contains caffeine

http://www.paleoplan...ling-of-coffee/ What do you guys think about this post? Could be the reason for my struggle with weight loss on LCHF seeing that I have a minimum of 6 cups of coffee a day? So since Monday I have decided to start fresh with LCHF as if I'm doing it for the first time. I also reduced my coffee to only one cup in the morning when I wake up, and even with one cup a day a had terrible caffeine withdrawal headaches. But from tomorrow I will try to go 100% caffeine free, only Rooibos from now on. So let see if can do this for at least a month and if it has any positive effects.

Maybe I should join you on that no-coffee challenge, will start on the 1st. PS: I've had coconut oil in rooibos and it was very nice!

I just hope your GP is more clued up on LCHF than mine. I wanted to do the same seeing that I'm struggling so much to lose weight, so I google a bit and thought I should at least do an average BG test (A1C I think), thyroid and tests for hormonal imbalances, but he wouldn't budge. He just gave me a form to take to Pathcare, and selected the normal BG test, cholesterol and thyroid test. PS: any references for good GP’s in Stellenbosch?

I think once I realised the legs felt better after taking some carbs I went totally overboard and took in much more than was actually needed. (therefore the wording 'stuffed' myself with bananas). That's the reason why I choose to follow LCHF 100% and not 80/20 like some friends have suggested (ie let go a bit on weekends), cause if I give in only once to that one pizza slice I immediately think but how much harm can another one do and before I know it 80/20 became 50/50 and I must start all over again. So this weekend I will try to only take in UCAN and nothing else. That would be the only way to track my exact carb intake needs on longer rides. PS: HMT to make myself feel better I'm telling myself that you are the freak of nature and that I'm the normal one !

A bit off topic: I'm still struggling with nutrition while doing long rides. So I decided being only in LCHF for 50 days and still bonking on each long ride when attempting it with no carbs, I have changed my tactics a bit by taking in carbs for breakfast before the ride and some during. It did helped a lot, I felt much better during the ride and my legs did not hurt (that) much. But now I'm scared of taking in too many carbs? Here's the data for Sunday’s DC training ride for which I had oats the morning, during the ride I had one packet of UCAN in my waterbottle, 2 bananas, a mix of droewors, almonds and macadamia nuts. It was damn cold so that could also be the reason for feeling hungry the whole time? (when we had the half way stop at Spar I just had to stuff myself with 2 bananas ) Ride Time 05:41:18 Elapsed Time 06:22:16 Max Speed 75.6km/h Avg Speed 22.1km/h Distance 125.5km Elevation 1,632m Calories 2,432 Average Power 107W Do you guys manage to do a long ride with less carbs? Maybe I should replace the bananas and nuts with another UCAN portion instead?

@htone: She is doing well thanks, went home yesterday from hospital for the first time and she is doing her shots and BG by herself, kids learn very fast! Unfortunately they have noticed that her eyesight is not so good so they are going to the optometrist today. @Topwine: Will send you a PM.

By the way, I took a chance and emailed Prof. Noakes about my niece ("niggie", or is it cousin in english?) who got diagnosed with type 1 last week and asked him about her diet and a reference for a good doctor and he actually replied, how nice of him.

On my previous bikes (Merida, Silverback, and then a Scott scale) I was never comfortable and always had some back pain until I bought the Specialized Era (second hand on the hub, can’t afford it new). Most comfortable bike ever, front wheel doesn’t lift on steep climbs and no more back pain so I can only assume it got something to do with the women specific geometry? And the black paint is a bonus.... http://www.specializ...a/eracompcarbon

Yes I would also like to see what the results would show especially in different 'levels' of athletes that have been on LC, for example someone that has been on it for 30days VS a year. I thought that I would be able to do Saturday’s 42km MTB race on only water but on the halfway mark (and at 90% of max HR) I found myself at the waterpoint downing 2 cokes and half a banana just to give me something for the legs. I still need to figure the amount of carbs I need to take at the different intensity levels before it is too late and I have already bonked out. So on Sunday I thought I will take a banana, biltong and almonds with my DC training ride, about 110km at a fast past (had bacon and 2 eggs for breakfast). But bonked already at the start of the first climb only 30km’s in before there was even time to snack on something. The remaining 3 hours was even worse. Fuelling on the bike used to be so easy, oats before and bars/enerjellies during….! What about that ucan product? Has anyone tried it and where did you buy it?

Hi all, I seriously need help ASAP. Does anyone know a Dietitian in the Welgemoed (Cape Town) area that is clued up on type 1 diabetes? Long story short, my niece (10 years old) have been taken up in the hospital this weekend with a bg of 30 and has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I'm sitting in the hospital with her and listening to the dietician talking about her future diet and how everything should be low fat. Shame all the info is so overwhelming but surely it can't be wrong to get a seconfld opinion?

I need a quick input from you guys, I know cholesterol levels was already previously discussed but maybe you can just give me a quick recap after I have got my first cholesterol test done, ever. (So have no benchmark to measure against before I went on LCHF a month ago.) Al I know is what my GP just told me over the phone and apparently it doesn’t look good: LDL is 5 HDL is 1.6 Not sure what is means but he wants to give me some medication for it, will have to go back tomorrow….? (Very embarrassing to be on cholesterol medication at my age don’t you think! )

I have 5kg's to lose. Was always between 52-54kg last year when training for half ironman. After I finished that in January, I started eating bad and put on the kg's. I did keep on training, but instead of the usual 9 sessions a week, I scaled down to 5 a week. I even got as high as 59kg's at a time, now I'm stuck on 57 and no change in my cm's. (Again, remember I’m 1.53m, for me 5kg’s = 10 for you guys!) I have cut my carbs a lot, can't see where I can cut more, I only get carbs from vegetables, salad and the once-in-while-glass-of-wine. Last weekend was my first real cheat, had half a bun hamburger! At least I'm starting to feel a bit stronger on the bike and I really enjoy the fact that I'm not thinking about food all the time. So 31 days today, hopefully by day 60 I can report back some good news....

WOW, I’m so jealous! After 30 days in LCHF I’ve got ‘trace’ for the first time this morning. Question is, when will I start to lose weight….

#&$^%*% Update: 19 days....no weight loss, just saw on the tdf website that I (at 1.53m short) weigh the same as the cyclist Quintana! Very depressing me thinks! I keep a food diary, I changed my eating habits from 5-6 small meals (was hungry all the time) to 3 LCHF meals (maybe not HF enough...?), I eat my salad when everyone have hamburgers and chips…. On the up side, now I’m only eating when I'm hungry which feels great, not that obsessive about food anymore. I tried fasting last weekend on the day that I didn’t cycle, but only managed to skip breakfast and lunch though . So, decided not to enter Die Burger MTB 60km race on 3 August seeing that I feel so crap on the bike lately, can't keep up with anyone, there is just nothing in my legs (although a very low HR, but the legs can’t even raise my HR!). I even asked my personal trainer to do only one gym session a week instead of 2 so that I can get more time on the bike (I thought maybe it is the weight training that makes my legs feel so heavy.) Sunday I start with DC training with the team, I’m afraid I will be exiled if they see how slow I’m on the bike! But luckily it won’t be more than a 3 hour ride and it won’t be at a fast past. So usual routine for long rides would have been: futurelife or oats before the ride, a jungle oat bar, banana and some enerjellies during, with one bottle of water and one with 32GI. New routine: bacon and eggs before, water and a few almonds during, and maybe a maxilean low carb bar if I really get hungry. Should I try to continue with the new routine on Sunday??

What yoghurt did you have? Can't seem to find any brand that does not say 'low fat'!

@htone: Think I must try to attempt a similar experiment this weekend. I’m close to giving up; 12 days in on a very strict LCHF diet, no change in my weight. OK I do realise I’m 1.53m tall and only 5kg’s over, but still, would expected something at least (and I’m a woman, believe you guys have it much easier!) Maybe I eat too much protein or dairy, maybe my portion sizes are too big, or could that 2 glasses of wine last weekend be the cause…I flippen don’t know anymore!

Just got mine delivered from M-kem today. Can't wait to do first tests this weekend after having the old reliable big bowl of future life for breakfast (which I swore by for at least a year now) VS my new bacon and egg breakfast.... Here is some interesting reading on BG: http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/

Fundraiser tonight to develop more singletrack in Jonkershoek, see bmt website for details: http://bmtsa.co.za/blog/jonkershoek-fundraiser/