Oh, what the hell, let's give it a shot.

[MCEpidemic]

Waist measurement is the only thing the bf calculators ask for, so that's all I keep track of. I was down to 40.5 last week, and now I'm around 42, 43. I've been resistance training for a while now but I just started Rippetoe's Starting Strength.

[MCEpidemic]

I did 5 minutes HIIT today and followed it up with LIT. A new goal using the ExRx calculator:

Bf: 14
Weight: ~220
Date: August 6

I have until then.

[MCEpidemic]

Woke up today. New results:

Weight: 235
Waist: 40.5
Bf%: 21.4
FFM: 184.71 +4.3
FM: 50.29 -.3

That's...confusing. Same waist measurement, different bf(according to this calculator - should I use a different one? http://www.freeweightloss.com/calculator.html)

The fat loss is kinda underwhelming to be honest. It should be much higher. I'll switch up the diet next week to make workout days 500 or more under maintenance until Friday.

[MCEpidemic]

Workout today was horrible. Someone ate all of all of the bananas at home, and I had nothing pre-WO - I made it through squats with flying colors, but my strength tanked and I couldn't even military press 95 or correctly row. I lowered the weights and did what I could, but man that was a garbage workout.

Squats:
3x5 240 +5

I noticed in the gym mirror that I look noticeably stronger in my upper body. I took a picture yesterday, and next week I'll take another to compare it to. I have to have *some* gauge of progress that won't have me going insane.

[MCEpidemic]

I've run my numbers through the ExRx calculator. To reach my goal, I need to lose 19 pounds of fat and gain at least 5 pounds of muscle in the next 7 weeks. To break that down, I need to lose fat at a pace of 2.7 or so pounds a week. I am confident that I can put on the muscle even on a cut, it's the fat loss that bothers me. I'll find some way to do it.

2.7 lb x 3500 cal/lb = 9450 total deficit per week.
Monday and Wednesday will be a deficit of -1000 each, Friday will be +500(leptin reset), so it's 7950 between the other four days of the week, or ~2000 cal deficit or more on the other days of the week. I'm phasing in some measures of cardio EVERY single day. Meaning my maintenance cals *should* go up to 3700. So each non-workout day, the goal for cals is around 1700 or less, with < 40% protein. Monday and Wednesday will resemble refeeds since they'll be at 2700 or so, but I am not sure whether to include carbohydrates or not.

[MCEpidemic]

Today's cals:Total: 1485
Fat: 116 1045 71%
Sat: 20 176 12%
Poly: 7 59 4%
Mono: 27 239 16%
Carbs: 6 23 2%
Fiber: 0 0 0%
Protein: 102 408 28%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

Going with a keto ratio to get some of the water off. Did some shadow boxing as well.

[MCEpidemic]

I went up to about 3000 yesterday, a bit overboard, but still comfortably under maintenance. I'm going to run a half a mile this morning as quickly as I can run it without stopping, and then do it again at night. I'm gonna work up to two miles.

[MCEpidemic]

Ran fine today, I think my ghrelin levels are through the roof because I get so hungry at night. We'll see how the workout goes tomorrow.

[The Director]

are you eating carbs everyother day? so you're not doing keto right?

[MCEpidemic]

I'm just altering the keto cycle to make it shorter, basically. I probably never get deep enough to actually enter ketosis, but I do this mainly to efficiently place my calories when I need them. Next week I'm going to go back to a plain old CKD for a week or two and see where it gets me.

[MCEpidemic]

I gave up these past three days. I didn't even go to the gym on Friday, nor did I do my daily run, just played some basketball and practiced my soccer moves a bit. But now it's Sunday and I'm determined to get back on the horse. Pure CKD for the next few weeks, damn it. On Friday I should have new measurements and hopefully these last few days didn't kill me. You know, now that I think about it, all this low calorie eating has probably destroyed my metabolism despite whatever cycles I throw it's way. I'm still going to count calories, but only to make sure I stay far below maintenance. But I think I'm going to throw thermodynamics out the window - if my metabolism can change it's "maintenance" over and over again, what good is limiting calories if I have no idea how far below my real maintenance I'm eating. I'm going to just shoot for a good deficit, train my ass off and see what happens for a week or two. If I like the results...maybe I'll make it permanent.

[MCEpidemic]

The rest on Friday really paid off - and I suspect that keto didn't hurt either. I felt strong in the gym today. I felt so strong while doing my first set of squats(5 pounds above the previous workout like it's supposed to be) that I added another 5 pounds and got 14 out of the 15 reps I shot for. Thank you, keto!

Squats:
1x5 255+5 1x5 260 +10 1x4 260

Bench Press:
1x5 135, 1x4 135, 1x3 135

Deadlift:
1x4 255(form issues, which is why this isn't larger than my squat)

[MCEpidemic]

Yesterday's cals

Total: 3596
Fat: 226 2031 56%
Sat: 72 645 18%
Poly: 15 134 4%
Mono: 32 290 8%
Carbs: 68 264 7%
Fiber: 2 0 0%
Protein: 333 1330 37%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

[MCEpidemic]

Total: 2328
Fat: 151 1359 59%
Sat: 61 545 24%
Poly: 12 112 5%
Mono: 12 105 5%
Carbs: 36 144 6%
Fiber: 0 0 0%
Protein: 199 796 35%

[MCEpidemic]

Excellent workout today.

Squats:
3x5 265 +10

Military Press:
3x5 90

Pendlay Rows:
115 1x4, 105 2x5

[PickItUp]

I am in no position to offer advice on keto...as I am a noob in the area of keto...1 day and 2 hours of research so far...

From the stuff I have read...you are changing the basic principles too much. I doubt anyone who was steadfastly conforming to keto would be upset because someone ate the bananas. I estimate a banana to have roughly 30g of carbs...I dunno...maybe take out some fiber...and you still have above 25g of carbs right there. That is the DAILY intake limit for carbs...and for you ...it is a simple pre-workout snack.

In addition, I see a 2000 Cal difference between some of your days. I don't see how you can eat 3600 Cal one day, and then 1600 Cal within a day or so...especially when you weigh ~240 lbs. You mentioned fasting...but I have not gotten to the part in keto where you fast...I must have missed that part.

You need consistency, and I think you need to KISS (keep it simple...).

As mentioned, I have little knowledge in keto at this time...I have spent maybe 2 hours total reading stuff about it.

Here is my advice for you:

First, you should NEVER eat fewer than 2800 Cal in a day(until you start losing weight).
Second, you should eat lots of green veggies
Third, try to eat the same foods for a week at a time.
Fourth, eat the whole egg...do not take out the yolk
Fifth, use a PWO shake for recovery...forget about fueling before workout
Sixth, buy ketostix (walmart brand ~$7 per 50)

I could likely go on, but I would just be quoting lots of other people on this and other forums.

As you mentioned, it is likely that you are barely getting into ketosis...the ketostix will help confirm when you are in ketosis.

If I come up with anything else, I will update...I plan on beginning my keto diet this Sunday. I have until then to "figure" it all out.

[MCEpidemic]

The fasting stuff was IF, which was a different diet that I modified a bit. It worked, but the water fluctuation made gauging results annoying and so I got off of it, and like I said a few posts up, now I'm on a regular ol CKD. Thanks for the suggestions - but why do you say 2800?

[PickItUp]

The fasting stuff was IF, which was a different diet that I modified a bit. It worked, but the water fluctuation made gauging results annoying and so I got off of it, and like I said a few posts up, now I'm on a regular ol CKD. Thanks for the suggestions - but why do you say 2800?

I did a simple 12 X bodyweight...to get to 2800 Cal. This is a gray area...I mean...it will really depend on your metabolism how many Cal you need to cut...

If you wanted to be more conservative...10 X bodyweight would give you 2400 Cal.

I lost quite a bit of weight on a 10 X bodyweight diet...but I ate lots of healthy carbs while doing it...not sure what you need to consume on a keto.

The main thing you want to avoid is your body thinking you are starving. I have seen 135 ladies eat 1400+ Cal each day. For you (240lbs) to eat 1600 Cal just does not make sense.

I may be off with my 2800 Cal estimate...but I can tell you this...3600 is too much, and 1600 it too little.

Find the middle ground.

[MCEpidemic]

I'll go with 2500 each day then and see how that works.

[MCEpidemic]

Weigh-in:
Weight: 233.6
Waist: 40.0
Bf%: 20.7 -0.7
FM: 48.35 -1.9
LBM: 185.24 +.5

[MCEpidemic]

Squats:
280 3x5 +5

Standing Military Press:
95 3x5 +5

Pendlay Row
115 3x5

Pushups:
1x10

[MCEpidemic]

Total: 2311
Fat: 187 1687 74%
Sat: 96 860 38%
Poly: 19 169 7%
Mono: 18 158 7%
Carbs: 15 58 3%
Fiber: 0 0 0%
Protein: 132 526 23%
Alcohol: 0 0 0%

Wasn't too hungry today for some reason, must be because I carbed up way too long over the entire weekend.

[The Director]

You've gotthe same body as me, Ive got a 39-40 inch waist, about 160-170lbm. I do the 10x bodyweight when cutting (endomorph-meso), and it works out just fine for me.

[MCEpidemic]

Do you tend to plateau on 10x BW? Because that's about where I'm at now.

[The Director]

Nope, but I only CUT 4 weeks at a time, and take a week off. Atleast my new routine, I hate the idea of cutting for along time and coming off a diet learning that Ive jammed my metabolism.

Also, make sure you try to stick to the 65/30 rule, protein is very important.

[MCEpidemic]

Yeah, tomorrow I'll try to do better. I made something with heavy cream that I ate half of and finished today, which is why the ratio was so weird.

[MCEpidemic]

It isn't weigh-in day today, but I was curious, so this morning I took a measurement. I'll wait for Friday before I do stats, but this is worth mentioning:

For the first time ever in my year of dieting, my waist measurement is sub-40.

Maybe because of the way I measure it, but I do it the same every time, so I know at least it's down 7 or so inches from where I started. I love the smell of progress in the morning.

[MCEpidemic]

Weigh-in:
Weight: 235.2
Waist: 39.75
Bf%: 20.0 -.7
FM: 47.04 -1.3
FFM: 188.16 +2.86