I started the ketogenic diet 5 years ago, after discovering the secrets of infinite energy by using fats as a fuel source. At the time, my passion for endurance sports was growing, and I regularly experienced hypoglycemia, which I would remedy with cans of soda and pastries.
5 years after eliminating carbohydrates and refined sugar, I no longer know what hypoglycemia is. I can cycle for hours without losing steam because my blood sugar levels are perfectly stable.
While I used to base my refueling on cheese, eggs, dark chocolate, and nuts, discovering Holyfat last year was a revelation: the pouches of nut purees have accompanied me on all my outings for the past year. I'm a fan of their texture and taste, and the energy they provide me is incomparable.
It was therefore obvious for me to fill my panniers and drop bags with Holyfat to start the 2500 km self-supported Race Across France.
The 7 days, 17 hours, and 29 minutes it took me to cross our beautiful country from the Mediterranean to Le Touquet, passing through the Alps to head towards Mont Saint Michel, were incredible.
Cycling between 16 and 22 hours a day for an average of 320 km per 24-hour period (my longest GPS track was 500 km in the Alps with a one-hour night in the middle), discovering so many landscapes, climbing so many passes in the same day was exhilarating. When you add to that the dimension of the race, the stopwatch that never stops and becomes an obsession, the competitor-partners who push us to continue for another hour when it's not prudent, the adventure takes on a very special meaning.
Stopping at butcher shops and mini-markets to refuel with pâté, cucumber salad, and blocks of Emmental cheese eaten heartily gave me the necessary energy to overcome this challenge. Holyfat purees and bars supplemented my ultra-cyclist diet by providing that extra boost of energy that is so important when the whole body wants to stop but the mind knows it must cross the pass before nightfall.
I was already an absolute fan of the nut purees (with a special mention for the cacao-salt and vanilla flavors) that filled my silicone flask, but the new bars are now also a real favorite. Their perfect texture, their chocolatey taste without bitterness despite the absence of sugar, and the hint of salt... What a delight!
When the race became difficult, the simple idea of being able to eat a bar within the next hour made the time seem shorter and the kilometers sweeter.
Now I just have to think about the next adventure, for which Holyfat will undoubtedly be the main fuel!