My Excursion into Ketosis

[NathanTurner]

I've been on a fat loss cycle for around 9 months now, going from 245 to 198 while maintaining and actually gaining strength and mass (I know, it surprised me too... but I'll take it.) I still have a bit more to lose before I have a solid base to begin actively building, and my carbohydrate intake is getting so low already that I might as well begin a Keto cycle in order to take advantage of the "protein sparing" effect it has. I'll be doing a TKD that I'm sure I'll have to adapt along the way; as it is now, I will consume around 40-45g carbohydrate on training days, and 20g or under on non-training days. Since I'm currently on a low-volume 5x5 phase, this should work fairly well. I've never done this before, so we'll have to see. Either way, I'm going to continue cutting using Keto for another 12 weeks; then it's back to maintenance and, depending on where I stand, a clean, slow "bulk," or more "recomposition" work.

I'm lifting three days per week, and performing 3-4 medium intensity cardio sessions, 30-45 minutes. I'm beginning the diet Monday.

My diet plan is as follows; if you have any suggestions or tips, feel free to let me know; I'm new at this, and creating this plan was vaguely disturbing.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Training Day:

Breakfast: 9:30pm

5 Whole Eggs
350 cal
22.5g fat
5g carbohydrate
30g protein

TOTAL:
350 cal
22.5g fat
5g carbohydrate
30g protein

2nd: 12:00pm

4oz Hamburger

340 cal
30g fat
0g carbohydrate
19g protein

56g Whiting:

50 cal
0g fat
0g carbohydrate
10g protein

TOTAL:

390 cal
30g fat
0g carbohydrate
29g protein

Pre-Training: 1:30 pm

60g Whole Oats

225 cal
4.5g fat
40.5g carbohydrate
7.5g protein


TOTAL:

225 cal
4.5g fat
40.5g carbohydrate
7.5g protein

Post-Training Shake:

Whey Protein Isolate

80 cal
0g fat
0g carbohydrate
20g protein

Post-Training Meal: 4:30 pm

4oz Turkey Burger

240 cal
17g fat
0g carbohydrate
20g protein

1 can Tuna

150 cal
0g fat
0g carbohydrate
35g protein

1 tsp flax oil

45 cal
5g fat

TOTAL:

435 cal
22g fat
0g carbohydrate
55g protein

6th:

112g chicken breast

110 cal
2g fat
0g carbohydrate
23g protein

3 whole eggs

210 cal
13.5g fat
3g carbohydrate
18g protein

2 tsp flax oil

90 cal
10g fat


TOTAL:

410 cal
25.5g fat
3g carbohydrate
41g protein

7th:

4oz turkey burger

240 cal
17g fat
0g carbohydrate
20g protein

1 tsp flax

45 cal
5g fat


TOTAL:

285 cal
22g fat
0g carbohydrate
20g protein

GRAND TOTAL:

2175 cal
126g fat
48g carbohydrate
202g protein

================================================== =====================

Non-Training Day:

Breakfast: 9:00am

6 Whole Eggs

420 cal
27g fat
6g carbohydrate
36g protein

TOTAL:

420 cal
27g fat
6g carbohydrate
36g protein

2nd: 12:00pm

4oz Hamburger

340 cal
30g fat
0g carbohydrate
19g protein

112g Chicken Breast

110 cal
2g fat
0g carbohydrate
23g protein

TOTAL:

403 cal
27g fat
42g protein

3rd: 3:00pm


4oz Chicken Pieces (Legs&Thighs)

290 cal
25g fat
0g carbohydrate
17g protein

1 can tuna

150 cal
0g fat
0g carbohydrate
35g protein

TOTAL:
440 cal
25g fat
0g carbohydrate
52g protein

4th: 6:00pm

6oz turkey burger

360 cal
25g fat
0g carbohydrate
30g protein

54g Whiting
50 cal
0g fat
0g carbohydrate
10g protein

TOTAL:
410 cal
25g fat
0g carbohydrate
40g protein

5th: 9:00pm

6oz turkey burger

360 cal
25g fat
0g carbohydrate
30g protein

28g Mozzarella

80 cal
6g fat
1g carbohydrate
7g protein

TOTAL:
440 cal
31g fat
1g carbohydrate
37g protein


GRAND TOTAL:

2113 cal
135g fat
7g carbohydrate
207g protein

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

As I get the feel for this, I'll factor in heavy whipping dream... perhaps mixing it with powdered egg whites for a decent "protein shake," and I'm certainly going to factor in coconut oil... cut out some of the flax oil and replace it with coconut, most likely.

I'm also going to include 1 to 2 cups of steamed broccoli daily; I didn't factor this in because the net carbohydrate of broccoli in that amount is negligible. Just enough to keep the pipes working. :D

I'll be updating this log as I make changes, and of course including weekly progress reports. If you don't hear from me after a couple weeks, you'll know this diet killed me. You're then directed to contact Fox News about the evils of saturated fat.

[pacificgrl]

welcome to keto : )

your plan looks awesome - simple, whole foods and a good variety too. maybe throw some salmon or sardines in there too for the balance of EFA's. the only suggestion i have is to add 2-3c of cooked or raw veggies but you mentioned the broc. adding lettuce, spinach, and other green veggies etc. would also be a good idea for the added fiber and vitamins. ground flaxmeal could also work on the fiber/EFA's end of things.

ppl will ask what your macros are for the day and it might be helpful to post that. i know you posted the caloric breakdown but i'm too lazy to do the math.

enjoy it! i'll call the news if you don't update within the week. how does that sound?

[NathanTurner]

welcome to keto : )

your plan looks awesome - simple, whole foods and a good variety too. maybe throw some salmon or sardines in there too for the balance of EFA's. the only suggestion i have is to add 2-3c of cooked or raw veggies but you mentioned the broc. adding lettuce, spinach, and other green veggies etc. would also be a good idea for the added fiber and vitamins. ground flaxmeal could also work on the fiber/EFA's end of things.

ppl will ask what your macros are for the day and it might be helpful to post that. i know you posted the caloric breakdown but i'm too lazy to do the math.

enjoy it! i'll call the news if you don't update within the week. how does that sound?

pacificgirl,

Thanks for the suggestions; I'll keep them in mind.

As for the macronutrient breakdown, I listed total calories as well as total macronutrients at the end of each day. For training days:

2175 cal
126g fat
48g carbohydrate
202g protein

For non-training days:

2113 cal
135g fat
7g carbohydrate
207g protein

Though I will add a bit more broccoli and other fibrous vegetables on non-training days, so it would be best to say that the total carbohydrate would be less than 20... not exactly 7g. I'll update as I make changes and add them in, of course.

I just hope it doesn't take me too long to adapt, since I'm in the middle of a 5x5 strength training program; to lose a lot of strength while lifting this heavy wouldn't be a good thing. ;)

[RU4A69]

Why no red meat or fish oil?

[NathanTurner]

Why no red meat or fish oil?

RU4A69,

I've included hamburger each day; that is from beef, which is a red meat. I didn't include other types of cuts such as steaks and the like largely due to price. In a diet that is comprised essentially of animal proteins and fats, that would get expensive very quickly.

As for fish oil, I've always relied on flax seed oil for my Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.. but then again, I normally take a bit more than what I have listed in this diet plan. Would you suggest I increase flax consumption a little more, or incorporate fish oil into my supplementation? If so, how much would you recommend?

[RU4A69]

RU4A69,

I've included hamburger each day; that is from beef, which is a red meat. I didn't include other types of cuts such as steaks and the like largely due to price. In a diet that is comprised essentially of animal proteins and fats, that would get expensive very quickly.

As for fish oil, I've always relied on flax seed oil for my Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.. but then again, I normally take a bit more than what I have listed in this diet plan. Would you suggest I increase flax consumption a little more, or incorporate fish oil into my supplementation? If so, how much would you recommend?

Sorry, I missed the hamburger: that's good, red meat is very beneficial to strength and energy levels

The reason I bring up fish oil is because of it's superiority to flax. Flax has omega 3's but it's omega 3 to 6 ratio is very poor-nullifying it's benefits. Fish oil has EPA and DHA, which needn't be convertred. I suggest using it because it is one supplement that will create favourable body composition changes without any other changes in your diet/training. 6-10gms daily.

The bb.com store sells some good ones, a combination of these two would probably work best--

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/tl/codoil.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/om.html

[NathanTurner]

Sorry, I missed the hamburger: that's good, red meat is very beneficial to strength and energy levels

The reason I bring up fish oil is because of it's superiority to flax. Flax has omega 3's but it's omega 3 to 6 ratio is very poor-nullifying it's benefits. Fish oil has EPA and DHA, which needn't be convertred. I suggest using it because it is one supplement that will create favourable body composition changes without any other changes in your diet/training. 6-10gms daily.

The bb.com store sells some good ones, a combination of these two would probably work best--

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/tl/codoil.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/om.html

RU4A69,

Thanks for the input. Yes, I know that flax has a much higher concentration of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids; but in a diet that has a much higher amount of Omega-6 fatty acids, wouldn't this offset be beneficial overall?

As far as fish oil is concerned, I know that it is very beneficial, but it is something I've often overlooked due to the fact that my usual diet is very, very high in fish and other seafood; but I will keep it in mind, and possibly add in a bit to replace some of the saturated fat after I get into the diet a bit more.

On a side note, I was looking over my diet again with a fresh mind (I created this last night, and I was pretty tired at the time,) and I noticed my lack of EFAs on non-training days. Not sure why I did that, really; but I've changed breakfast around to include three whole eggs, and three to four egg whites, along with a tablespoon of flax oil. I'm wanting to get at least 1 tablespoon of flax per day, up to two; a small amount of fat overall, but quite a bit of Omega-3s to help offset the large amount of Omega-6's, hopefully. :cool:

[RU4A69]

RU4A69,

Thanks for the input. Yes, I know that flax has a much higher concentration of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids; but in a diet that has a much higher amount of Omega-6 fatty acids, wouldn't this offset be beneficial overall?

As far as fish oil is concerned, I know that it is very beneficial, but it is something I've often overlooked due to the fact that my usual diet is very, very high in fish and other seafood; but I will keep it in mind, and possibly add in a bit to replace some of the saturated fat after I get into the diet a bit more.

:

I'm not following, you just said your diet is high in Omega 6, so a more concentrated source of Omega 3's would only help you.

That is good that you eat a lot of seafood, but unless you're consistently eating salmon WITH the skin you should supplement. Most seafood has little to no fat; that includes skinned salmon.

[NathanTurner]

I'm not following, you just said your diet is high in Omega 6, so a more concentrated source of Omega 3's would only help you.

That is good that you eat a lot of seafood, but unless you're consistently eating salmon WITH the skin you should supplement. Most seafood has little to no fat; that includes skinned salmon.

Sorry, I misread your post. I did some research on various fish oils, and it does have a very high concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids, moreso than flax. I will definitely add that to my supplementation in the future.

I should also ask you a quick question regarding post workout nutrition. Over the months I have found that my body responds much better without simple carbohydrate post workout, even though that seems to be the current fad for "maximum recovery." I also know that whey protein has a very high rate of absorption, and it also ilicits an insulin response if taken by itself. What would you say about a protein shake consisting of egg white powder, heavy whipping cream, and water? Or even a bit of whole milk instead of water? Yes, I know this means slower protein absorption; but it would also mean a greater control over insulin spikes, and if the absorption rate is really that big of a deal, why not simply begin consuming the mixture halfway or 2/3rds through the routine? The main reason I'm asking is that I have a few pounds of unused egg white powder that I need to use before expiration, and this seems to be a good, consistent use for it.

[RU4A69]

What would you say about a protein shake consisting of egg white powder, heavy whipping cream, and water? Or even a bit of whole milk instead of water? .

That'll work great. Egg or Whey protein + 1/2 and 1/2 or Heavy whipping cream. Maybe some whole milk, but the half and half is 1/2 whole milk 1/2 heavy cream: the perfect combo for pre or post WO.

I don't' recommend taking it WHILE your working out, as that will encourage blood flow to your stomach and away from your muscles.

[NathanTurner]

Today is the first day of my TKD. So far, so good. No lethargy, dizziness, or carb cravings. I did a quick 1 mile walk earlier with no problem. I'm not certain what the norm is with cardio on a keto diet, but my intended plan is to perform three to four sessions of 30 minute cardio per week, burning approximately 400 calories per session. The other days will be very little... perhaps a 1 to 2 mile walk in the morning. I'd really prefer to do my cardio immediately after my weight training, but we'll have to see what my body says about that in this state.

I've raised my calories a bit; I figure it is best to start with a little higher caloric intake and work my way down or increase cardio over the weeks as needed. My current macros are now:

Training Day:
2245 cal
132g fat
50g carbohydrate
203g protein

Non-Training day:
2193 cal
141g fat
15g carbohydrate
209g protein

Some of the extra calories on training days have come by way of my post-workout shake, which is essentially 4 egg whites mixed with 1/2 cup of half and half.

The first few days should be the worst; but at this point, it looks like smooth sailing.

[NathanTurner]

Today was my first lifting day since I began my Keto diet (my lifting schedule is Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.) I've decided to keep carbohydrate out of my diet for seven days, at which point I'll begin introducing them, no more than 40g on lifting days preworkout, and under 20g approaching zero on non-lifting days. Instead of having a preworkout meal of whole oats today, I had 250 calories worth of whole cream. I had two protein rich meals prior to this, and just needed a few more calories to replace the oats that I'll introduce next week. My post workout shake was half a cup of half and half, and one scoop of whey isolate (20g protein.)

Oddly enough, I had no decrease in strength or stamina; my workout went really well, and I'm continuing my increase in strength on my 5x5 program. I'm hoping that a week of "approaching zero" carbohydrate will put me into ketosis; if not, I'm sure the shift will occur in another week or two, even with my 40-50g carbohydrate on lifting days.

So far, I feel fine. The worst I've felt was on the morning of the second day; I felt tired and lethargic, but my EC stack took care of that. My feelings of hunger (I suppose from low insulin levels) are starting to subside already, and I'm starting to feel more like normal. So far, so good. :cool:

My weight has decreased from 201 to 196, and my waist from 34.5 to 34. This is just water weight, and a bit of bloat left over from Thanksgiving; I'm not going to pay any attention to weight lost until at least the second week, since it's definitely from glycogen depletion so far.

As long as I'm still living, I'll continue to update every few days or so.

[RU4A69]

Oddly enough, I had no decrease in strength or stamina; my workout went really well, and I'm continuing my increase in strength on my 5x5 program. .

That is a very very very good sign. You'll do well on this

[NathanTurner]

My weight loss is still continuing, but at a slower pace. When I began, my waist measured 34.5 in at 198lbs; I'm now 195lbs, and my waist is 33.5 in. My pelvic region (three inches or so below my navel) has also decreased, from 38 in to 37 in. I still haven't added regular cardio; I'm waiting until the second week into my diet, or until weight loss begins to stall, at which point I'll gradually add in cardio sessions. Oddly enough, I have the feeling that not nearly as much cardio is needed on this type of diet as on a carbohydrate based plan. I'm also eating more; approximately 2300 calories per day.

When I began, I had a constant feeling of hunger, even after eating a fairly large meal. Now these feelings have diminished considerably. I'm also not as lethargic in the mornings as I was when I first started. My carbohydrate intake is still under 10g per day.

I'm also questioning the need for carbohydrate pre-training; so far, I appear to be doing just as well as I did before I cut the carbohydrate entirely. I'm thinking of taking a different approach; maybe I could get away with minimal carbohydrate intake during the week, and add a carbohydrate meal once per week... maybe start at 100g and work up as needed. Ultimately I'll have to gauge it based on my performance and stamina, as this is really the deciding factor between different people and their varying metabolisms.

So far, though, it couldn't be going better.

[diamondcut89]

good luck with this. i'm also on keto, lost 65 lbs since i started.

[RU4A69]

My weight loss is still continuing, but at a slower pace. When I began, my waist measured 34.5 in at 198lbs; I'm now 195lbs, and my waist is 33.5 in. My pelvic region (three inches or so below my navel) has also decreased, from 38 in to 37 in. I still haven't added regular cardio; I'm waiting until the second week into my diet, or until weight loss begins to stall, at which point I'll gradually add in cardio sessions. Oddly enough, I have the feeling that not nearly as much cardio is needed on this type of diet as on a carbohydrate based plan. I'm also eating more; approximately 2300 calories per day.

When I began, I had a constant feeling of hunger, even after eating a fairly large meal. Now these feelings have diminished considerably. I'm also not as lethargic in the mornings as I was when I first started. My carbohydrate intake is still under 10g per day.

I'm also questioning the need for carbohydrate pre-training; so far, I appear to be doing just as well as I did before I cut the carbohydrate entirely. I'm thinking of taking a different approach; maybe I could get away with minimal carbohydrate intake during the week, and add a carbohydrate meal once per week... maybe start at 100g and work up as needed. Ultimately I'll have to gauge it based on my performance and stamina, as this is really the deciding factor between different people and their varying metabolisms.

So far, though, it couldn't be going better.



If you feel fine and dandy without pre-w.o. carbs, then skip em. I do and so do plenty of others around here.

Good job so far, now you just have to stick with it.

[NathanTurner]

Time for an update.

This is closing in on my second week on my TKD. Everything is still going extremely well. I have added in a bit of complex carbohydrate 30-45 minutes before my weight training, bringing my total for weight training days (three days per week) to approximately 40g carbohydrate, 200g protein, and 135g fat. I added in the carbohydrate only when my body had become accustomed to no carbohydrate; or, in other words, when I could no longer subjectively "tell" that I was on a no-carbohydrate diet. It took a little over one week to return to feeling optimal, which isn't bad for cutting them out of my diet entirely. Although the no-carbohydrate plan was not affecting my strength, I had the feeling that it would compromise my strength gains in a few weeks; and besides, 40g carbohydrate three days per week is still quite low.

I'm keeping my calories around 2200 per day, six days per week; one day per week I raise my calories slightly, to 2600 in order to keep my metabolism from slowing. I'm down to 193 lbs, and while the weight loss has slowed since the first week (water weight), I'm noticing more definition. I'm definitely leaning out while losing less scale-weight, which is a plus. My waist is around 33.5, and is probably a bit less; it's difficult to tell minor variations.

I've added in low intensity cardio, three days per week; next week, I plan to burn around 200 calories from low intensity cardio each session. I've noticed that low intensity cardio seems to be more effective on this type of diet, since I'm dropping weight and leaning out fairly quickly with minimum effort.

My strength is also increasing, and has never dipped since I changed my diet over. I find that very unusual; but still, I'll take it without complaint.

A quick question for more experienced Keto'ers: is it possible to maintain an intake of 40g carbohydrate, three days per week and under 10g the rest of the week while engaging in heavy 5x5 training long term (say, 11 more weeks) without requiring "carb ups?" If not, what would be the optimal carbohydrate intake to avoid this?

[NathanTurner]

Well, this has been one hell of a week. One day I woke to find that there was a good two inches of solid ice outside, and that I was without electric. I live in the country, on about 30 acres of woods (out of a couple hundred or so, also woods), with everything in my house being electric. In other words, I was SOL; so I began the day by building a fire in my wood stove and trying to get dry kindling so that I could cook at some point. It was the day that I usually went shopping, so I was nearly out of everything. My meal plan is in a few text files on my computer, which I couldn't access, but it didn't matter because I was almost out of food anyway. I had to estimate my protein and fat intake at each meal, which worked out nearly perfectly. I kept my calories up, my carbs low to none, and my protein moderate, with a generous portion of fat from olive oil, flax seed oil and pecans. I suspect the heavy reliance on pecans took me out of ketosis due to the higher carb content of them; but I didn't have much choice, at any rate. My water intake suffered a bit; I had to hand-dip water out of my outside well, because it usually operates with an electric pump. When I wasn't occupying myself with building fires, cooking scraps of food over a cooking fire or dipping water out of the well, I was literally chopping ice with an axe so I could perhaps get out at some point in the future.

All in all, I was without power for almost three days, but I made it. It was close, though; I was down to using heavy whipping cream and whey protein for a few of my meals, and I ran out of heavy whipping cream just before the electric came back on. I lost a half an inch on my waist (I'm down to 33 in.), while incredibly losing only a pound of body weight, which I put back afterward when I was able to drink an adequate amount of water. (Dehydration, in other words.) I'm now maintaining at 193 lbs.

I still can't get out to get to the gym, so I'll take this week as a period of "active rest." I was able to get supplies brought to within a mile of where I live, but the walk wasn't too bad. It's surprising how far a mile walk is when it's on an ice-covered gravel road. I'll start back Monday, though it's still icy and I'm not exactly sure how the trip will go. If you don't hear from me again, you'll know that this crazy Ketogenic hermit has probably met his untimely demise. ;)

[RU4A69]

That is some HARDCORE ketoing :D

[NathanTurner]

Still going strong; although things have been a little hectic with Christmas and the previous ice storms I've gotten, but things are getting back on track. It was a good Christmas, though; my girlfriend surprised the hell out of me by buying me a box of assorted supplements. 5 lbs Milk Isolate protein, with aminogen; 3 lbs MCT; and 1000g caffeine anhydrous (?!?!). She didn't realize how much 1000 grams was, so I'll be using it for anywhere from 7 to 14 years, but that's fine by me. :cool:

I did eat a bit of refined carbohydrate over Christmas, though I kept my total intake under 70g. I did gain quite a bit over the course of the week; I went from 193 to 205 lbs, though this was mostly water weight as I'm back down to 195 in a matter of two days, and my waist is at a bit less than 33 in. I'm not concerned about the extra two pounds since my waist is back to normal; either it's glycogen storage or I've managed to add a bit of lean mass. Either one is fine by me.

Though the ice storms made it impossible to keep my workouts perfectly spaced, and I did have a layoff of a little over a week, I have maintained my strength and I'm able to continue my workouts nearly uninterrupted.

As far as my diet goes, I've changed some of my foods around, but the calories and macronutrient breakdowns are relatively the same; around 2200 calories per day, one higher calorie day at around 3000 calories per week (no carbohydrate, just Keto as usual), and anywhere from 150-165g fat, depending on if I've introduced carbohydrate, such as on training days. My protein intake is hovering around 165-170g, since I've reduced it to about 1g/lbs of LBM. I never get any decent readings on the Ketostix, but that is probably due to the fact that I drink 1.5-2 gallons of water per day, on average.

I've also replaced about 40g of my fats with polyunsaturated fats from flax seed oil and pecans.

As far as supplementation is concerned, I'm beginning an EC cycle as of today. I'm also beginning low intensity cardio four days per week.

I'll let everyone know how it's going in a couple more weeks or so.

[NathanTurner]

Well, this is where I currently stand:

I started my Keto phase approximately two months ago, and I've gone from 198 to 190 lbs. My current body fat percentage is around 13%, down from well over 20% when I started my fat loss cycle nearly a year ago. However, progress has stalled on nearly every front: my strength is no longer increasing and, in fact, I'm fighting to maintain it. My fat loss is extremely slow, if any occurs at all. My body temperature is down to 94.5 F or so, and I look simply worn out. This is no doubt due to my year long fat loss cycle in which I've lost 55 lbs. At this point, I think I'm going against my body instead of with it, so I'm going to end my Keto phase, take my calories back up to maintenance, and stay around maintenance for a month or so in order to get my metabolism sorted out. From there I'll probably do two to three months of "clean bulking" with carbohydrate cycling and slight caloric surplus (no more than 500 over maintenance), and begin another cut phase using a CKD in order to get below 10%. My eventual goal is to maintain 6%-8% year round; and while I was hoping to get to 10% this time around, I realize now that this probably won't happen until my next cycle.

When I first began, my measurements were:

Weight: 245 lbs
Upper Arm: 16 in
Forearm: 12 in
Neck: 16 in
Chest: 48 in
Waist: 39-40 in
Hips: 43 in
Quads: 27 in
Calves: 18 in

A year later, depleted of glycogen, they are:

Weight: 190 lbs
Upper Arm: 15 3/4 in
Forearm: 13.5 in
Neck: 16 in
Chest: 46 in
Waist: 33 in
Hips: 37 in
Quads: 26 in
Calves: 18 in

I'm sure that once I've increased my carbohydrate to normal levels, I'll have a slight increase in these measurements.

All in all, I'd say that I made pretty good progress for a year of solid yet torturous work.

[stewaat]

Good idea man. Best of luck with your progress.