Help! Vegetarian Candida Diet and Marathon Training

[jenniann11]

Hi, I'm new here. My doctor put me on a low carb candida diet, and I'm having some trouble with it.

Problem is, I am in the middle of a marathon training and I don't want to lose weight. I normally eat about 50% carbs, 20% protein and 30% fat (around 1800 cals/day). I don't eat a lot of sugar or white processed foods.

I'm also concerned that I won't have enough energy for my training - my long runs are hitting 2-3 hours now, and I usually take 1-2 GU (20-40 g of carbs, of which about half is sugar) during this time. What have you noticed when going low carb? Should i modify my training at all until my body adapts?

Also, I am vegetarian, although willing to add in some meat and fish temporarily for my health. Problem is, I really don't like these things. They make me gag. In fact, I can't eat a lot of the foods i normally eat and I'm worried I won't eat enough (I'm not trying to lose weight).

I love veggies, but can't have salad dressing. I can eat a few bites of fish, but I don't think that's enough food! Breakfast was typically oatmeal with fruit, lunch was a salad with beans, dinner usually brown rice with tofu and veggies or something similar. I snack on vegetables, fruit, nuts and things like luna bars. Most of this is no longer allowed!! I can't have peanut butter, salad dressing, yeast bread, bananas, tofu, dairy, soy sauce etc. It's stricter than a normal low carb diet.

I tried tuna and lemon juice with salad and it was pretty gross, but I got it down. I've also had eggs this morning, which I also don't like, but managed to swallow. Does anyone else find this extremely hard? Any suggestions for me? I'm soooo hungry! :help:

[kaypeeoh]

No experience with candida but lots of experience with running on a low carb diet. The theory is that by limiting carb intake the body gets better at converting fat into energy. I'm having trouble following this. The body prefers carbs for running. As long as there's carb in the bloodstream and liver the body will preferencially use it. It has to do with the heart rate. At faster rates the body needs glucose. At lower rates the body can rely on fat metabolism. That's my understanding anyway.

But depending on fat metabolism for energy means you will be a slower runner. With carbs on board I handle 8:00 mph pace for and hour or more. Without carbs, I can barely maintain 12:00 mpm pace.

I'm too cheap to buy Gu and usually forget to order Hammergel whenever I run out. So for long runs I'll use foods that get digested quickly: Fat free Pringles, bananas, fig newtons. The latest issue of Runners World magazine dealt with this subject. Considering your diet restrictions, you could still try dried fruits, gummi bears or plain honey. I haven't checked it out but the article includes a website for homemade energy bars:

matisseandjacks.com

I assume the problem is sugars in the gut stimulating candida growth? While running the sugars get absorbed and utilized very quickly so they aren't in the gut for long.

Somewhere I read that fat in the stomach quickly turns on the fat-burning machinery. I don't know that it did much for me but I tried drinking olive oil or eating avocado before going for a long run.

For breakfast I normally have oatmeal, soymilk, peanut butter and a small amount of honey, all mixed together and nuked. Lunch is bean burritos, dinner is stir-fry fish and veggies. Snack on almonds much of the day. If I get sick of oatmeal I'll have eggbeaters with diced veggies omelet.

Good luck