17yr old! KETO! 30%bf! Will it work!!??? =) thanks!!

[Nasif22]

Keto diet FTW!! xD
Im at a body fat% of about 30%, and i know thats alot, and will take time and patience.
So im wondering will Keto work for me? will it last til i get to atleast a 15% body fat?
im also planning to workout after a month of being in KETO.
Guys im also turning 17! and CARBS ARE THE REASON WHY ITS HARD FOR ME TO LOSE FAT!!
I want to win my battle over my carbs and i need YOUR advice!
Thanks!

[Ion26]

How has your diet been before keto? How many calories were you taking in? Also, why are you planning on working out 1 month into keto? Why not now?

[Nasif22]

How has your diet been before keto? How many calories were you taking in? Also, why are you planning on working out 1 month into keto? Why not now?

sorry my diet is mainy and indian food diet and its really hard to calculate but heres an idea

breakfast@ 11am: corndog
lunch @ 2pm: 5cups rice (forgot to mention white rice) 1/2 cup of fried beans in canola oil
snacking throught the day : extra 700cals
dinner@ 10pm 7cups rice, 1/2 cooked letils chicken (i know thats 200cals) eggplant curry
i eat no desert

so i believe about 3000cals and thats a pretty good estimate.

i plan on working out one month (more like 20 days) after keto because of the induction phase (which i read says that some sluggish symptoms can occur durning the first 10-30days of keto) so i dont want to be working out while feeling bad. also my gym membership starts in about 20 days so why not start keto now?

[DMurph51]

First off, I highly suggest that you begin working out immediately. if you havent already hit puberty or are currently in puberty, you will soon, and massive changes will take place in your body. Now is a great time to begin lifting weights. Im a strong believer that if you're lifting weights through the duration of puberty, you're body will adapt to the changes in your every day life (intense physical training in this case) and you'll come out of puberty a stronger person because of it (none of this is based in fact). lifting weights is also essential to the success of a ketogenic diet, any diet in general, and maintaining overall health and body composition. lifting weight (training) is more important than the ketogenic diet itself.

To begin, keto is a diet that is safe to begin at any age and stay on for an indefinite amount of time. it is a diet that is suggested for use by children who suffer from epilepsy, so if it's safe enough for them, it's safe enough for you.

a ketogenic diet will work for you. i suggest that you do some reading before you begin the diet to give yourself a very base amount of knowledge in understanding this diet. two very important threads to read are "A Guide to Ketosis" (here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=132598293) and "CKD Calculator for Dummies" (here:http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=784518). the "guide to ketosis" will provide you with general knowledge of the diet, including information about the critical first 4 weeks - the induction phase - of the diet. the thread "ckd calculator for dummies" will set up your caloric and macronutrient requirements for the diet via a microsoft excel spreadsheet that you download. a note on the ckd calculator- when it ask you to enter your weight, do NOT enter scale weight, enter your lean body mass (lean body mass = scale weight - body fat %).

i dont know how much you've read on the diet already, but i'll take the time to post some quick items which are important:

1) it is the caloric deficit you run while following the ketogenic diet which causes you to lose weight, not the ketogenic diet itself. the ketogenic diet is not a magical means of weight loss. it is muscle sparing during cuts (periods of reduced caloric intake designed to cause weight loss), as the body runs off fats opposed to glycogen and other insulin related items from the consumption of carbs. if you have not yet hit puberty, or are still going through puberty, i do not suggest cutting calories at this point. you're still growing and to do so would be detrimental to your growth.

2) to some extent, there is evidence that following a keto diet regulates one's hormones. i dont know the intricacies of it, but do know that this is not a bad thing (even if you're going thru puberty, b/c remember what i said about young children with epilepsy being on the diet all their lives? yes, they went thru puberty on the diet too and came out alright).

3) the induction phase of keto can last up to 4 weeks (~30days). it is during this period of time that your body becomes "fat adapted" - that is to say your body adjusts to operating off ketones instead of glycogen. because of the aforementioned fact, this is the most crucial time period of the ketogenic diet. during this time, you may, or MAY NOT, experience headaches, abnormal fatigue, "brain-fog", and generally unpleasent things. if you do experience these things, know that they only last as long as your body is becoming fat adapted. once they stop (which will seemingly happen overnight), feel free to carb-load for the first time (more on carb-loading later). if you dont experience these sympotoms of induction (i didnt), then play it safe and wait 4 weeks before you carb-load. to carb-load before the 4 week mark may only stall your fat-adaption process and be totally counter productive to the effectiveness of this diet.

4) weight training is incredibly important part of a ketogenic diet (or a diet in general). there are an infinite number of benefits to weight training, and i could articulate an exhaustive list, but im not trying to type much more than i already have. I am assuming that you have never lifted weights before, so i suggest you begin a program such as "Starting Strength" (here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224) which is formulated for beginners like yourself, and if you are responsible and dedicated, you will reap the benefits of following the program. if you choose not to take my earnest advice, and instead foolishly lift weights to your own accord, please dont be a curl-jockey (biceps are the most pussy muscle in the body), and at least learn to perform (and DO perform) the most basic compound lifts to get strong (lifts are located here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=118920551).

5) carb-loading phases are important, as they refill your muscle glycogen stores, which allow for continued intense training in the gym. carb-loading is not to be done until the induction phase of keto has concluded (per previously mentioned). carb-loading is ONLY to be done following a full-body depletion workout. to carb-load without the depletion workout would be far less effective, as after the depletion workout, your muscles are at their most insulin sensitive, ready to refill their glycogen stores. if done properly, muscle clycogen super compensation can be achieved (but to explain this would be to move beyond the scope of my post).

i think i covered most of it.

/massivewalloftext

[BlueRev]

First off, I highly suggest that you begin working out immediately. if you havent already hit puberty or are currently in puberty, you will soon, and massive changes will take place in your body. Now is a great time to begin lifting weights. Im a strong believer that if you're lifting weights through the duration of puberty, you're body will adapt to the changes in your every day life (intense physical training in this case) and you'll come out of puberty a stronger person because of it (none of this is based in fact). lifting weights is also essential to the success of a ketogenic diet, any diet in general, and maintaining overall health and body composition. lifting weight (training) is more important than the ketogenic diet itself.

To begin, keto is a diet that is safe to begin at any age and stay on for an indefinite amount of time. it is a diet that is suggested for use by children who suffer from epilepsy, so if it's safe enough for them, it's safe enough for you.

a ketogenic diet will work for you. i suggest that you do some reading before you begin the diet to give yourself a very base amount of knowledge in understanding this diet. two very important threads to read are "A Guide to Ketosis" (here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=132598293) and "CKD Calculator for Dummies" (here:http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=784518). the "guide to ketosis" will provide you with general knowledge of the diet, including information about the critical first 4 weeks - the induction phase - of the diet. the thread "ckd calculator for dummies" will set up your caloric and macronutrient requirements for the diet via a microsoft excel spreadsheet that you download. a note on the ckd calculator- when it ask you to enter your weight, do NOT enter scale weight, enter your lean body mass (lean body mass = scale weight - body fat %).

i dont know how much you've read on the diet already, but i'll take the time to post some quick items which are important:

1) it is the caloric deficit you run while following the ketogenic diet which causes you to lose weight, not the ketogenic diet itself. the ketogenic diet is not a magical means of weight loss. it is muscle sparing during cuts (periods of reduced caloric intake designed to cause weight loss), as the body runs off fats opposed to glycogen and other insulin related items from the consumption of carbs. if you have not yet hit puberty, or are still going through puberty, i do not suggest cutting calories at this point. you're still growing and to do so would be detrimental to your growth.

2) to some extent, there is evidence that following a keto diet regulates one's hormones. i dont know the intricacies of it, but do know that this is not a bad thing (even if you're going thru puberty, b/c remember what i said about young children with epilepsy being on the diet all their lives? yes, they went thru puberty on the diet too and came out alright).

3) the induction phase of keto can last up to 4 weeks (~30days). it is during this period of time that your body becomes "fat adapted" - that is to say your body adjusts to operating off ketones instead of glycogen. because of the aforementioned fact, this is the most crucial time period of the ketogenic diet. during this time, you may, or MAY NOT, experience headaches, abnormal fatigue, "brain-fog", and generally unpleasent things. if you do experience these things, know that they only last as long as your body is becoming fat adapted. once they stop (which will seemingly happen overnight), feel free to carb-load for the first time (more on carb-loading later). if you dont experience these sympotoms of induction (i didnt), then play it safe and wait 4 weeks before you carb-load. to carb-load before the 4 week mark may only stall your fat-adaption process and be totally counter productive to the effectiveness of this diet.

4) weight training is incredibly important part of a ketogenic diet (or a diet in general). there are an infinite number of benefits to weight training, and i could articulate an exhaustive list, but im not trying to type much more than i already have. I am assuming that you have never lifted weights before, so i suggest you begin a program such as "Starting Strength" (here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224) which is formulated for beginners like yourself, and if you are responsible and dedicated, you will reap the benefits of following the program. if you choose not to take my earnest advice, and instead foolishly lift weights to your own accord, please dont be a curl-jockey (biceps are the most pussy muscle in the body), and at least learn to perform (and DO perform) the most basic compound lifts to get strong (lifts are located here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=118920551).

5) carb-loading phases are important, as they refill your muscle glycogen stores, which allow for continued intense training in the gym. carb-loading is not to be done until the induction phase of keto has concluded (per previously mentioned). carb-loading is ONLY to be done following a full-body depletion workout. to carb-load without the depletion workout would be far less effective, as after the depletion workout, your muscles are at their most insulin sensitive, ready to refill their glycogen stores. if done properly, muscle clycogen super compensation can be achieved (but to explain this would be to move beyond the scope of my post).

i think i covered most of it.

/massivewalloftext

Holy crap of text

[Tiny Tim]

Forget waiting to work out. Work out a diet program - and you want to eat at least 500 calories less. If I were you, I would go for about 1,800-2,200 calories a day. You're young - the fat will literally pour off of you. Don;t worry about the induction phase, workout hard and stick to your diet plan - one thing that I found really helps is to never eat the same amount at any meal... keep your intake varied - and that will keep you from hitting any plateau's - you'll just keep losing weight, and stay with the same average intake per day, and when you stop losing, have a carb up day, and then start the process over, but eating even less than before. When you stop losing fat, you either have to do two things: either decide to bulk at that point and you raise your food intake - not your CARB intake, just your overall caloric intake to add mass, or you continue to cut, and you lower your overall caloric intake a bit more.

Keep a daily food diary/journal, because if you get to a sticking point, you can go back and see what worked best for your weight loss, and start with that portion of the diet.

[DustyChicago]

OP, "I dont want to workout when I'm feeling sluggish." Shut up, you're giving yourself an excuse to quit before you even start. I think the real issue is the gym membership. Until then, stretch, run, sprint, pushups, situps, chinups, burpees... even 3 weeks of these body weight exercises will be much better for you than nothing.

[DMurph51]

OP, "I dont want to workout when I'm feeling sluggish." Shut up, you're giving yourself an excuse to quit before you even start. I think the real issue is the gym membership. Until then, stretch, run, sprint, pushups, situps, chinups, burpees... even 3 weeks of these body weight exercises will be much better for you than nothing.

this.

[drivium]

Not to hijack - but this leads me to a question: Suppose I am fat adapted and in ketosis then do a carb up, does my body have to re-adapt to fat ? Meaning, just the same as my body has to work back into ketosis, do I lose my fat adaptation during carb up as well?

[rob2093124]

any diet with a calorie deficit will work for you. with keto, you lose some urge for carbs due to the increase in fats. fats also keep you satiated for longer. it will take a few weeks to get used to though

[drivium]

Not clear if that was in response to my post or not, but I am referring the body's physiological adaptation to fats. Do I lose this after each carb up? If I have to readapt to fats (which I suspect I do) after a carb up, I might prefer to go without a carb up. I take in about 10-15g of carbs in dextrose after a work out, my protein has about 4 carbs per scoop, and all of this peanut butter I've been eating has carbs (still stayin under 30 a day). Is 30g of carbs a day enough carbs to do without a carb up even though I am doing intense training at least 4 days a week? My point is, seems a waste to spare a single day not using fats for energy (at least until I lean out my lower-mid section)

[asianstyles]

sorry my diet is mainy and indian food diet and its really hard to calculate but heres an idea

breakfast@ 11am: corndog
lunch @ 2pm: 5cups rice (forgot to mention white rice) 1/2 cup of fried beans in canola oil
snacking throught the day : extra 700cals
dinner@ 10pm 7cups rice, 1/2 cooked letils chicken (i know thats 200cals) eggplant curry
i eat no desert

so i believe about 3000cals and thats a pretty good estimate.

i plan on working out one month (more like 20 days) after keto because of the induction phase (which i read says that some sluggish symptoms can occur durning the first 10-30days of keto) so i dont want to be working out while feeling bad. also my gym membership starts in about 20 days so why not start keto now?

That is like 2500 calories worth of rice alone. I think your current calorie count is 4000 +

[Tiny Tim]

Not clear if that was in response to my post or not, but I am referring the body's physiological adaptation to fats. Do I lose this after each carb up? If I have to readapt to fats (which I suspect I do) after a carb up, I might prefer to go without a carb up. I take in about 10-15g of carbs in dextrose after a work out, my protein has about 4 carbs per scoop, and all of this peanut butter I've been eating has carbs (still stayin under 30 a day). Is 30g of carbs a day enough carbs to do without a carb up even though I am doing intense training at least 4 days a week? My point is, seems a waste to spare a single day not using fats for energy (at least until I lean out my lower-mid section)

Personally, I would say that is more like TKD. I never noticed any fat adaption issues from the carb up day. the only times I really had issues was when I just pigged out on crap food. I've always shot for between 5 and 10 grams of carbs per day at worst... my ideal goal is zero carbs per day.



TT

[Atavis]

Not clear if that was in response to my post or not, but I am referring the body's physiological adaptation to fats. Do I lose this after each carb up? If I have to readapt to fats (which I suspect I do) after a carb up, I might prefer to go without a carb up. I take in about 10-15g of carbs in dextrose after a work out, my protein has about 4 carbs per scoop, and all of this peanut butter I've been eating has carbs (still stayin under 30 a day). Is 30g of carbs a day enough carbs to do without a carb up even though I am doing intense training at least 4 days a week? My point is, seems a waste to spare a single day not using fats for energy (at least until I lean out my lower-mid section)

No, you do not lose your adaptation to fats over a single carb up. You would have to stop eating fats (or drastically lower) for an extended period of time to do that.

[Marais]

I was in the same boat position when I was 16 years old. I was obese, 30%+ bodyfat, and I hated training with everything in me. I also hated being fat though. That is how I got into training. IMHO a keto is not going to work for you - simply because even after 5 year's experience, I find it hard to follow a keto.

Also, as you are not providing for yourself, you will ahve to rely on the food that you parents buy you - and by the looks of it, you're diet mainly consists of carbs.

I suggest a 40/40/20 - any calorie deficit will be beneficial, and you will find it much easier to plan and follow. You can throw in some low carbs days too.

The most important thing is to SHOW UP. Go to the gym. Do something. Get to like it. The bad news is that your body is now much more efficient at storing fat than that of a skinny person. I still put on weight much much quicker than the average Joe - because my body has storage space for about 50kg's more than what I weigh now. For you to become lean, and stay lean, you will HAVE to get to like exercise. There is no two ways about it.

But, to conclude, any diet at 30% body fat, combined with any exercise will make you lose weight. Just as long as you take in enough protein not to lose muscle.

The rest will come in time as you do research and as you become aware of what your body needs and what it reacts to.

My opinion 40/40/20 because it will be easier to follow and much more forgiving when you slip up (which WILL happen).
But IF you can follow a keto to the T - go for it.

What training is concerned - start right away - it will also speed up glycogen depletion and get you into keto quicker of you do decide to go for a Keto diet.

Good luck.

[StacksItRich]

sorry my diet is mainy and indian food diet and its really hard to calculate but heres an idea

breakfast@ 11am: corndog
lunch @ 2pm: 5cups rice (forgot to mention white rice) 1/2 cup of fried beans in canola oil
snacking throught the day : extra 700cals
dinner@ 10pm 7cups rice, 1/2 cooked letils chicken (i know thats 200cals) eggplant curry
i eat no desert

so i believe about 3000cals and thats a pretty good estimate.

i plan on working out one month (more like 20 days) after keto because of the induction phase (which i read says that some sluggish symptoms can occur durning the first 10-30days of keto) so i dont want to be working out while feeling bad. also my gym membership starts in about 20 days so why not start keto now?

Honestly it's not the carbs, and keto won't help you. Learn to control yourself, not to snack, and learn portion control. Also, I'm assuming it will be hard not to eat what your parents cook.

What I would is for instance in what you ate above, if you skipped breakfeast and def no corn dog...wow. Skipped all the snacking, and waited for dinner and had 2 cups of rice+Prepapred Indian meal(which usually aren't that calorie dense close to ~500 max should be the meal aim to have a decent but not large portion, not more than you can fit on a regular plate). Then do the same thing for dinner. This should put you close to ~2000 calories to lose weight. If you must have a snack don't have more than 1-2 Under a 100 calorie snacks like apple, banana, and maybe even a cookie. Do some cardio and weightlifting.

If you work, buy your own food, and start keto. Then learn to count calories, start off at a 2000 calorie diet, start to exercise by cardio and weightlifting. Good luck.