Junaid introduces his esteemed guest, Ahmed Qureshi, highlighting his deep connection to cycling and his expertise in health and nutrition.

Introducing Ahmed Qureshi: Cyclist and Organizer

Ahmed shares his formative experiences as a runner and the compelling transition that led him to embrace mountain biking and eventually road cycling with Team Velocipede.

From Runner to Cyclist: Ahmed's Athletic Evolution

Junaid and Ahmed reminisce about the challenging initial stages of their cycling journeys, recalling a particularly demanding climb on Skyline Drive.

The Grit of Early Rides

The hosts discuss whether a specific body type is prerequisite for cycling, concluding that accessibility and personal goals are more significant factors.

Build vs. Background: Is an Athletic Physique Essential for Cycling?

Ahmed recounts how a teammate introduced him to the ketogenic diet and its potential health benefits, particularly for blood sugar management.

Discovering the Ketogenic Diet

A clear explanation of how the ketogenic diet functions, focusing on carb restriction to achieve ketosis and initiate fat burning.

Understanding Keto: The Metabolic Shift

Connecting the principles of keto to our evolutionary past, emphasizing the body's innate capacity for fat storage and utilization.

Ancestral Eating and Our Biological Blueprint

The hosts address the addictive nature of sugar and the potential 'keto flu' symptoms experienced during the initial phase of carbohydrate reduction.

Navigating Sugar Addiction and Keto Transition

An exploration of Heart Rate Zone training (180 minus age) and how Ahmed's endurance background influences his heart rate during exercise.

MATT Training and Heart Rate Zones

A thoughtful debate on whether keto primarily enhances cycling strength or promotes overall health, prioritizing long-term well-being.

Keto's Impact on Cycling: Performance vs. Health

Using relatable car analogies, Ahmed explains fat burning as a clean, efficient energy source compared to the less efficient 'dirty' energy from carbohydrates.

Fat as Clean Energy: A Powerful Analogy

Clarifying the core tenets of the keto diet, specifically identifying refined sugars, grains, and vegetable oils to avoid, and discussing beneficial fats.

Essential Keto Food Choices: What to Embrace and Avoid

Discussing how historical dietary trends, influenced by the sugar industry, led to widespread misinformation about fats.

The Low-Fat Myth and Saturated Fat Misconceptions

An emphasis on the critical importance of focusing on sustainable, long-term health as we age, moving beyond just fitness metrics.

Prioritizing Long-Term Health in Aging

Ahmed shares his aspirations for future hobbies like hiking, and Junaid provides a thoughtful conclusion, hinting at upcoming podcast topics.

Future Pursuits and Concluding Thoughts

Unlock your cycling potential and boost your health by understanding the science of the keto diet. Host Junaid Ahmed sits down with seasoned cyclist and keto advocate Ahmed Qureshi. They explore Ahmed's journey from running to becoming a leader in the Team Velocipede cycling community. Ahmed breaks down the ketogenic diet: its origins, how it works by forcing the body to burn fat for fuel, and its surprising benefits for athletes seeking sustained energy and long-term health. You'll learn about the science behind fat adaptation, why it offers cleaner burning energy than carbohydrates, and discover how prioritizing overall health through strategies like keto can be more impactful for recreational cyclists than chasing peak performance metrics. This episode is essential listening for anyone looking to optimize their cycling, understand nutrition deeply, and embrace a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Ahmed highlights Team Velocipede as a source of camaraderie and shared passion, noting how his teammates introduced him to road biking and sparked conversations about diets like keto.

A vibrant cycling community where both Junaid and Ahmed are active participants, engaging in rides, events, and discussions on training and nutrition.

Team Velocipede

Ahmed mentions his collegiate athletic background, specifically running track and cross country at VCU.

The university where Ahmed pursued his athletic endeavors, competing in track and cross country.

VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University)

Ahmed recalls his first significant road bike purchase, a Trek Madone, marking a key step in his cycling journey.

A high-performance road bike model from Trek, recognized for its aerodynamic design and speed.

Trek Madone

Ahmed references the Baster study from 2016 when discussing the physiological effects of fat adaptation and how endurance athletes utilize different energy sources.

A scientific study from 2016 examining fat adaptation and substrate utilization in endurance runners, referenced by Ahmed.

Baster Study (2016)

Cycling, Keto, and Long-Term Health with Ahmed Qureshi | Hacks & Hobbies Podcast

In this episode of Hacks & Hobbies, host Junaid Ahmed welcomes Ahmed Qureshi, a dedicated cyclist and organizer within Team Velocipede. They delve into Ahmed's inspiring journey from running to embracing cycling, emphasizing the strong community aspect and the profound personal health benefits. Ahmed shares his expertise on the ketogenic diet, explaining its therapeutic origins and current widespread application for weight loss and enhanced well-being. He clarifies the metabolic shift required for ketosis—forcing the body to utilize stored fat for fuel—and discusses the potential 'keto flu' during the transition period, alongside its long-term advantages for endurance athletes. The conversation explores the science of fat adaptation, framing it as a superior, cleaner energy source compared to carbohydrates. Ultimately, they weigh the trade-offs between peak athletic performance and holistic health, concluding that for the majority of recreational cyclists, adopting dietary strategies like keto is a strategic investment in sustainable, long-term well-being.

Cycling, Keto, and Long-Term Health

Cycling is that's my main thing now and running is now the adjunct to cycling.

Hey [Subscriber Name],

This week on Hacks & Hobbies, we're going beyond just performance metrics to explore what true, sustainable health looks like – especially for athletes. 

I sat down with Ahmed Qureshi, a dedicated cyclist and organizer with Team Velocipede, who shared his profound insights on shifting focus from chasing watts to cultivating holistic well-being. Ahmed explained how the ketogenic diet has been a cornerstone of his approach, not just for athletic fuel, but for overall vitality.

We uncovered:
*   The science behind fat adaptation: how your body can run on 'cleaner' energy.
*   Practical advice for navigating the keto transition.
*   Why avoiding common inflammatory foods like refined sugars, refined grains, and *refined* vegetable oils is crucial for long-term health.

This episode is a powerful reminder that our passion for fitness should always serve a greater purpose: a healthy, resilient life. 

Listen to the full conversation here:
[EPISODE_URL]

Enjoy the listen,
Junaid

Hi Ahmed,

It was an absolute pleasure having you on Hacks & Hobbies this week to discuss cycling, the ketogenic diet, and the crucial difference between fitness and long-term health. Your journey and expertise are truly inspiring!

The episode is now live and ready for you to share with your community. You can find it here:
[EPISODE_URL]

I've also put together some assets that might be helpful for promotion – feel free to use them as you see fit:
[LINK_TO_PROMO_ASSETS]

Thanks again for your incredible contribution!

Best,
Junaid

Thank You + Your Hacks & Hobbies Episode is LIVE!

Hi Ahmed,

Hope you're having a great week!

I wanted to follow up and see if you've had a chance to check out our episode together on Hacks & Hobbies. We've received some fantastic feedback on our discussion about prioritizing health over just performance metrics, and your insights on the keto diet were particularly impactful.

If you have a moment, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how it's being received, and if there's anything else you'd like to share or highlight about the episode.

Thanks again for being such a wonderful guest!

Best,
Junaid

Sharing the Cycling & Keto Conversation - Checking In!

Hi Ahmed,

It's been a little while since our episode on Hacks & Hobbies aired, and I wanted to thank you once again for being such an insightful guest. The conversation around cycling, keto, and holistic health clearly resonated with our audience!

As I plan future episodes, I'm always thinking about topics that our listeners would love to explore further. Given your expertise, I'd be curious to know if there are any specific areas within nutrition, cycling, or athletic training that you're particularly passionate about discussing next, perhaps even for a future collaboration?

Looking forward to staying connected!

Best,
Junaid

Future Collaborations? + Your Episode's Impact

Join us for a live discussion where we go beyond peak performance and explore the foundations of sustainable health for cyclists and athletes. Host Junaid Ahmed sits down with seasoned cyclist and keto advocate Ahmed Qureshi to unpack:

*   The science behind the ketogenic diet and fat adaptation.
*   How to transition to keto and avoid the 'keto flu'.
*   Why prioritizing long-term health is crucial, especially for recreational athletes.

Whether you're a seasoned cyclist, a weekend warrior, or simply interested in optimizing your well-being, this conversation offers actionable insights. RSVP to join us live and get your questions answered!

Live Conversation: Cycling, Keto, and Long-Term Health with Ahmed Qureshi

Unlock your cycling potential and boost your health by understanding the science of the keto diet. Host Junaid Ahmed sits down with seasoned cyclist and keto advocate Ahmed Qureshi. They explore Ahmed's journey from running to becoming a leader in the Team Velocipede cycling community. Ahmed breaks down the ketogenic diet: its origins, how it works by forcing the body to burn fat for fuel, and its surprising benefits for athletes seeking sustained energy and long-term health. You'll learn about the science behind fat adaptation, why it offers cleaner burning energy than carbohydrates, and discover how prioritizing overall health through strategies like keto can be more impactful for recreational cyclists than chasing peak performance metrics. This episode is essential listening for anyone looking to optimize their cycling, understand nutrition deeply, and embrace a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Chapters:
00:00 Introducing Ahmed Qureshi: Cyclist and Organizer
01:35 From Runner to Cyclist: Ahmed's Athletic Evolution
03:44 The Grit of Early Rides
04:42 Build vs. Background: Is an Athletic Physique Essential for Cycling?
07:05 Discovering the Ketogenic Diet
09:46 Understanding Keto: The Metabolic Shift
13:55 Ancestral Eating and Our Biological Blueprint
15:15 Navigating Sugar Addiction and Keto Transition
21:03 MATT Training and Heart Rate Zones
24:05 Keto's Impact on Cycling: Performance vs. Health
32:34 Fat as Clean Energy: A Powerful Analogy
34:37 Essential Keto Food Choices: What to Embrace and Avoid
38:49 The Low-Fat Myth and Saturated Fat Misconceptions
40:41 Prioritizing Long-Term Health in Aging
41:23 Future Pursuits and Concluding Thoughts

#cycling #ketodiet #health #fitness #nutrition #athlete #endurance sports #TeamVelocipede #AhmedQureshi #JunaidAhmed #HacksAndHobbies #fatadaptation #cleanenergy #longtermhealth

Cycling, Keto, and Long-Term Health | Hacks & Hobbies ft. Ahmed Qureshi

In this episode I get to speak with my good friend Ahmed Qureshi, he’s a longtime athlete and one of the top cyclists on our team velocipede cycling team. He has won multiple trophies for triathlons and bike races over the years, and he helps manage and setup cycling routes for our team as well as for our spring camps. He's ridden over 700 bike rides since he's been on Strava with over 22 thousands miles ridden. 

He talks to us about cycling and healthy keto eating.

You can find his riding adventures in the outdoors on strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/6363536



——Sponsorship——

This podcast brought to you by our generous sponsors. It is hosted by Anchor and distributed to the many platforms available to you to listen on. If you’re interested in sponsoring this podcast please connect on the networks below.

——Connect Here!——

You can find Hacks & Hobbies on these popular social media networks:

Facebook: fb.com/hacksandhobbies

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hacksandhobbies

Instagram: instagram.com/hacksandhobbies

Twitter: twitter.com/hacksandhobbies

or through our website: hacksandhobbies.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Junaid Ahmed

Hacks and Hobbies

Books & Resources

How Keto Can Make You a Faster Cyclist and Improve Your Health