Did I bonk?

[shmoesmith]

Went to spinning class this morning. About 3/4 of the way through, we were doing a sprint section and I suddenly felt all dizzy and like I was going to fall sideways off the bike. I had been riding for about 45 minutes with my heartrate in the 153-165 BPM range (about around 85-88% of max) with a 1 break where it dropped down to the 120's. I finished up the class for the last 15 minutes just feeling a bit delierous, but got through it...I was drinking water the whole time and never fault like I was going to vomit.

I drove to work and ate breakfast -Grapenuts, an avocado, and a glass of milk(I didnt eat breakfast before spinning class - I never do, and have never had a problem)Almost immediatly after eating breakfast I thought I was going to pass out again, so I layed my head on my desk to try to get my head back and was instantly out of it for 20 minutes until I was woken up by a radio in the office. I have felt like crap since and have had a powerbar in the meantime trying to recover.

I've never 'bonked' before(as far as I know), and I know it has to do with dehydration and low blood sugar. Is this what it is like? Any recommendations on how to prevent this in the future? I'm not eating breakfast (although I am drinking a lot of water)before spinning class so I can burn more fat in the morning (trying to lose some weight).

[altachic]

I always, always eat breakfast (nothing huge, but at least something dude), especially before working out. You should really try and do that, it will prevent this from happening again.

It doesn't matter how much water you drink during the actual spinning, it's really a good idea to eat at least something before you do a hard workout like that.

Just try it, really, it's better for you and you'll burn more because of it cause you're metabolism will start working before spin instead of after=you will still lose weight. Trust me, I've learned the hard way that eating breakfast is key. (and I have no idea why people think not eating breakfast will help them lose it, that is SO not true)

[bklyn]

If you want a low fat breakfast, steam 1/2 of a sweet potato and eat that with an egg. You'll get good starches and some protein to keep you going through the workout.

You'll have to eat something. I made a similar mistake by taking vitamins without eating before a workout. 1/2 way though the exercise, (any exercise, cardio or weights, high intensity or low) I would have to throw up.

Now I have something small and fairly balanced beforehand.

[Andy_B]

If you don't want to eat solid foods, drink some sort of protein shakeish thing with somewhere in the neighborhood of 200+ cals in it.

[kidwoo]

Yeah exactly. Just because you don't eat doesn't mean you're burning fat. It's not an either or thing. You start killing muscle mass actually......which is VERY bad for long term weight loss with any sort of excercise.

Just some light carbo stuff like cereal, a bagel or fruit will actually help you lose weight by getting your metabolism up. Working out in "starvation" actually drops your metabolic rate since you're body thinks it needs to conserve more. You body needs something fed to it so that it has the energy to metabolize what you've eaten over a longer period, not just that morning.

[Huckwheat]

Yes you bonked.

I cant eat before running, so just do a single goo before an early morning run.

[truth]

I highly doubt you bonked in 45 minutes given that you ate. Sounds like a heat issue or something that you might want a doctor to look at if it happens again.

Bonking would mean that you depleated your livers glycogen stores and typically takes 90 minutes or more. It's also not usually so dramatic. Usually you'll just get really really sluggish. The dizzyness concerns me given that your HR was never pegged off the charts.

[CantDog]

I highly doubt you bonked in 45 minutes given that you ate. Sounds like a heat issue or something that you might want a doctor to look at if it happens again.

Bonking would mean that you depleated your livers glycogen stores and typically takes 90 minutes or more. It's also not usually so dramatic. Usually you'll just get really really sluggish. The dizzyness concerns me given that your HR was never pegged off the charts.

If he ate dinner early, and didnt have anything to eat before bed, its entirely possible.

[shmoesmith]

I just talked to my friend who has a degree in this sort of crap (cant remember the exact degree name). He basically said that yes, I bonked. This is why. Yesterday I got my eating schedule really messed up. My last real meal was at 3:30PM...I then got stuck at work late and went to the gym and did a really hard upper body workout from 10-11PM. Got home at about 11:30 and ate only 1/2cup of cottage cheese and about 5 triscuits (couldnt stomach anything else after that workout). I went to bed at about 12:00AM and then got up at 5:00AM to hit the spinning class (which I did NOT eat anythign before). He said that I had nearly depleted my glycogen stores in the previous days heavy lifting workout (due to not eating correctly) and that afterwards I did not eat enough to help replace them...therefore about 1/2way through days workout, my glycogen stores went kablam! and I bonked.

He said that glycogen stores typically take a solid 48hours of proper eating to rebuild to full levels and that I need to quit being such a dumb ass and eat better and probalby increase my calorie intake

[kidwoo]

Yeah you're going to become one of those little loose, flabby people that digested all their muscle mass if you keep that up.

[altachic]

I don't care what your friend said. You need to eat breakfast if you want to stay healthy (and not get sick) and lose weight, even if it's just a little something like GU.

[BeanDip4All]

I made a similar mistake by taking vitamins without eating before a workout. 1/2 way though the exercise, (any exercise, cardio or weights, high intensity or low) I would have to throw up.

I've done that. (shudder)... ugh.

Schmoe, why don't you try eating a small handful of raisins before your spinning class? That's what I do before I head out for my am runs. It just gives your stomach something to process and also will give you simple sugars to break down and give you energy for the hills of spinning. It's only like 40 or so calories, you'll still be cutting weight overall.

[homi]

I'm no exercise physiologist, but the glycogen depletion theory is probably what happened. Bonking can happen with dehydration, low blood sugar, low blood sodium, or in my case, extreme wussiness. You know about the first two. The low sodium happens when salty sweaters drink straight water during longer workouts.

... I'm not eating breakfast (although I am drinking a lot of water)...

You might wan't to do the shake/gatorade thing in the morning instead of straight water.
Or, my personal fav

has the most sodium of any drink AFAIK, way more than gatorade.

You should fill a camelbak with V8 and show those spinning weenies what's up.

[daPig]

Bonking is a horrible feeling, I avoid it by eating a small breakfast. A glass of juice and a bagel or a banana. Makes the stomach and head feel better and doesnt negatively impact workout results.

[kidwoo]

You should fill a camelbak with V8

You know how your mouth waters right before you throw up?

That just happened when I read that.

And I like V8

[shmoesmith]

You know how your mouth waters right before you throw up?

That just happened when I read that.

And I like V8

ROFL!!!! yeah, V8 makes me want to puke. I suppose I will try something light for breakfast next time (thursday)

[Telephil]

Almost immediatly after eating breakfast I thought I was going to pass out again, so I layed my head on my desk to try to get my head back and was instantly out of it for 20 minutes until I was woken up by a radio in the office.

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.

Sorry to hear about the bonkage. It happened to me two weekends ago during a 4 day stage race in OR on the last stage. Brutal.

[homi]

ROFL!!!! yeah, V8 makes me want to puke. )

V8's so good you could puke AND keep the pace.
and it would put you squarely at the top of the 'how core are you' thread.

[Sutter]

Bonk (condition)
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"Bonk" is a jargon term used by endurance athletes, primarily cyclists, to describe a condition when athlete's glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are depleted, resulting in a major performance drop. The term can be used both as a noun ( "hitting the bonk" ) and a verb ( "to bonk halfway through the race" ). This condition is also known to long-distance (marathon) runners, who usually refer to it as "hitting the wall".

Whenever an athlete is engaged in exercise over a long period of time, his body produces energy via two mechanisms:

* via fat metabolism and
* via breakdown of glycogen into glucose, followed by glycolysis.

How much energy comes from either source depends on the intensity of the exercise. During intense exercise which approaches one's VO2max, most of the energy required comes from glycogen.

The average human body usually stores enough glycogen to generate 1500 to 2000 calories of energy. Intense cycling or running can easily consume 600-800 or more calories per hour. Unless glycogen stores are replenished during exercise, after 2 hours of continuous cycling or 15-20 miles of running, glycogen stores will be depleted. Symptoms of depletion include general weakness, fatigue, and manifestations of hypoglycemia, such as dizziness and even hallucinations. Symptoms will not be relieved by short periods of rest. This condition is potentially dangerous and should be avoided.

There are several approaches to prevent glycogen depletion:

1. Carbohydrate loading is used to ensure that the initial glycogen levels are maximized, thus prolonging the exercise. This technique amounts to increasing complex carbohydrate intake during the last few days before the event.
2. Consuming food or drinks containing carbohydrates during the exercise. This is an absolute must for very long distances; it's estimated that Tour de France competitors receive up to 50% of their daily caloric intake from on-the-bike supplements.
3. Lowering the intensity of the exercise to the so-called 'fat loss' level ( heart rate of 130 bpm for a 30-year-old athlete ) will lower both the energy requirements per unit of distance and the fraction of the energy that comes from glycogen.

[edit]

Bonk training

"Bonk training" is an exercise program designed for weight loss. It suggests that running or cycling every morning for 45-60 minutes before breakfast, when glycogen store levels are low, will force the body to "bonk" shortly into the exercise, and subsequently burn more fat to generate the energy. It is not clear how medically sound this idea is.

[homerjay]

schmoe, if you want to burn fat and lose weight, ride longer, not harder.

[CommanderBaker]

Yes you bonked.

I cant eat before running, so just do a single goo before an early morning run.

yes - what he said

[shmoesmith]

Bonk (condition)

Bonk training

"Bonk training" is an exercise program designed for weight loss. It suggests that running or cycling every morning for 45-60 minutes before breakfast, when glycogen store levels are low, will force the body to "bonk" shortly into the exercise, and subsequently burn more fat to generate the energy. It is not clear how medically sound this idea is.

This sounds like what I have been doing. I think if I remember right, it was the method that was recommended in Body for Life (which is the training and eating program I am using with the exception to the 20min aerobic work out, which I'm substituting spinning for)

My buddy was saying that if you eat right, and dont exercise the night before (like I did) that you should have enough glycogen to do the workout without breakfast. I sure dont want to start losing muscle mass because of it though I think I'll give a very light breakfast or a goo a shot next time.

[zion zig zag]

I disagree with the opinion that it is necessary to eat before working out. Especially something like gu if you are trying to lose fat. You don't want your body to have a readily available source of sugar, you want to tap into the fat stores. If you feel you must eat have a small (one scoop) protein shake with water before the workout. No carbs, if you need additional energy for your workout have a cup of black coffee.

I recommend the light protein shake and the coffee route until you get your body fat % down to a good level and then you can start eating a reasonable breakfast.

[watersnowdirt]

I've bonked more than my fair share of times. A great example is riding at 6 pm at not having eaten anything since lunch. Generally, if I ride for more than an hour an a half in that state, I might bonk. It can be hard to stomach food if you're just not hungry, but I've found that even a handful of walnuts or part/all of a clif bar on the way to the trail helps quite a bit.

For longer rides (2.5 hours plus), I never ride without some sort of fuel - Gu, Clif Bars, the new Shot Bloks. Properly hydrating before and during also seems to help.

Caffeine - also a great boost prior to riding. I had tons of meetings today that involved coffee. so by the time I got to the trail at 6, I was so energized I didn't even fade during the 2.5 hour ride.

Bonking simply sucks. I suppose one good thing is that you were in a gym when you bonked. I've bonked on the top of mountains with 10 plus miles left to ride. That sucks ass.

Get a little fuel in the machine in the morning.

[icyexile]

As someone who eventually realized they had developed (via cycling) a far faster metabolism than they ever imagined, I say varities of bonking can happen most any time, any where. Lots of people just say 'low blood sugar,' but when you're cranky, light-headed, and starting to go downhill fast in the energy department, you've bonked at some level.

I've found in both training and racing, my saving grace are gels. Vanilla Bean Gu and Apple Cinnamon Hammer Gels (sorry for the promo) are both reasonably natural tasting for viscous sustenance in a plastic pouch and don't mess with your gut too much when used regularly. ~30 before a class + ~8oz water and your digestive fire should be optimal for a morning workout without feeling like you're going to spin hard and then heave up whatever you ate (been there, done that).

Good luck!