What do you think of this keto YouTuber?

[tvist]

Didn't know whether to post this in the female section or not but it's mainly about keto so here I go.

I started 5 weeks ago and foolishly had a carb-up after a week in, and proceeded to bloat like a pregnant lady. Then I was advised to stay in keto for at least a month before carbing up. Today marks that day but I haven't carbed up yet.

I found this female bodybuilder on YouTube called Stephanie Fitskater who has been in ketosis for nearly 5 years without ANY carb-ups/refeeds or anything and claims she has a lot of energy and people should be on basically SKD forever (no CKD or TKD).

I'm having trouble with who to believe. Here everyone's telling me to carb-up and this YouTuber, who looks amazing btw (wouldn't believe her if she didn't), is telling me it's bad and it just interrupts ketosis and you'll never reap any benefits if you do carb ups. So I'm on the fence. Instinct is telling me to carb-up, but I don't want to balloon up and have to take 2 weeks to lean out again, but I don't want to risk low energy or whatever comes with no carb-ups.

Help?

Here's one of her videos regarding carb-ups (embedding won't work for some reason): www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCEU9VdlAnM

[Kai12]

Can a keto diet really stop menopause?

Everyone is different, some people cant do keto at all. I do SKD and do running, incline walking, kettlebells etc, and feel fine, no drops in energy at any time.

[xJellyBirdx]

I believe it is better not to carb up. But I also take a lax view point. I have zero desire for carbs outside of wanting some mexican, a philly or some sandwich, or maybe some pizza. Best believe if I come to the breaking point and decided to finally give in, I'm not going to be too worried about the possible 80-100 grams I might consume, which I still haven't cheated this way yet. I just don't care for full blown carb ups or carbs enough to ingest a high amount. But it is nice to splurge a little. Can't go hard 24/7.

[Spawn8214]

I think she is crazy lol. She has some good advice, but also some bad advice... but hey, what she is doing works for her.

As far as a carb up goes, it depends on your activity level. I choose to carb up because I workout 6 days/week mixing both heavy power lifting and bodybuilding with high intensity. Carbing up allows me to refuel muscle glycogen stores and perform in the gym.

Also, a lot of people like to carb up because it does give your metabolism a nice boost leading to more overall fat loss.

Try going for a while without carbing up and see if you get the results you want. If not, try doing a carb up and see what happens. That's the only way you will know if carbing up is right for you.

Also, if you choose to do a carb up, avoid fruit and fruit juices as fructose can kick you out of ketosis.

[tvist]

I think she is crazy lol. She has some good advice, but also some bad advice... but hey, what she is doing works for her.

As far as a carb up goes, it depends on your activity level. I choose to carb up because I workout 6 days/week mixing both heavy power lifting and bodybuilding with high intensity. Carbing up allows me to refuel muscle glycogen stores and perform in the gym.

Also, a lot of people like to carb up because it does give your metabolism a nice boost leading to more overall fat loss.

Try going for a while without carbing up and see if you get the results you want. If not, try doing a carb up and see what happens. That's the only way you will know if carbing up is right for you.

Also, if you choose to do a carb up, avoid fruit and fruit juices as fructose can kick you out of ketosis.

What would you consider bad advice?

I like the idea of a carb up. I get the feeling that with an SKD you can't really have even a cheat snack. However, I don't want to bloat up again. But now that I look at what I ate last time I think it was too many grains and waayyy too much fruit.

Milk, 160g oats, banana
3 Multiseed bread slices, 120g blackcurrent jam
Vanilla choc icecream
Apple
Greek yogurt with 170g frozen fruit
110g oats
TOTAL: 2200 calories

[xJellyBirdx]

I like the idea of a carb up. I get the feeling that with an SKD you can't really have even a cheat snack. However, I don't want to bloat up again.

Why can't you? At the end of the week, if you want a cheat meal, have one. 60g carbs isn't going to hurt you lolol.

[Spawn8214]

Why can't you? At the end of the week, if you want a cheat meal, have one. 60g carbs isn't going to hurt you lolol.

I agree with this.

Also, as I've said, some people do very well on an SKD without ever refeeding. Stephen Phinney discusses distance runners (marathon runners I believe) who followed an SKD and didn't refeed and they performed at their peek while on SKD. So it's really up to the individual depending on how you feel and perform.

I follow CKD with a once a week carb up (sometimes I will go 10-14 days between carb ups if I feel I don't need one) as it works better for me

[resilience5241]

I've gone 10-12 weeks with no carb-ups. When I do carb-up it's rarely due to a decrease in gym performance. Usually has more to do with just wanting something I haven't had in awhile. I mix BB and powerlifting style workouts, do HIIT 2-3 days a week and steady state daily, so I don't see that as being an excuse.

That said, I do agree with JellyBird, it's not beneficial to go HAM 24/7/365 (what I mean by that: training daily, being in a deficit, adding cardio). Everyone needs a mental and physical break from time to time. That doesn't mean you have to go on a carb binge, though. Eating at a surplus and taking a few days off from the gym is generally enough for recovery.


Edit: I didn't watch any of her videos but I will when I'm on a computer with flash access. Based on what you've posted, I see no harm (or studies proving harm) in what she's doing. She must REALLY not like carbs though. I'm not a fan of anything starchy, but damn do I have a sweet tooth.

[tvist]

I've gone 10-12 weeks with no carb-ups. When I do carb-up it's rarely due to a decrease in gym performance. Usually has more to do with just wanting something I haven't had in awhile. I mix BB and powerlifting style workouts, do HIIT 2-3 days a week and steady state daily, so I don't see that as being an excuse.

That said, I do agree with JellyBird, it's not beneficial to go HAM 24/7/365 (what I mean by that: training daily, being in a deficit, adding cardio). Everyone needs a mental and physical break from time to time. That doesn't mean you have to go on a carb binge, though. Eating at a surplus and taking a few days off from the gym is generally enough for recovery.


Edit: I didn't watch any of her videos but I will when I'm on a computer with flash access. Based on what you've posted, I see no harm (or studies proving harm) in what she's doing. She must REALLY not like carbs though. I'm not a fan of anything starchy, but damn do I have a sweet tooth.

She seems to do well on keto. She cured her mother of cancer by switching her to keto so the cancer cells had nothing to feed off of, and then switched to keto herself.

Easter's coming up, good time for a cheat!

[Julia657]

I am on My 4th week of keto. I went from paleo to keto and lost 10 pounds the first week (surely water weight). I had A carb up day the first week , It went horrible, I threw up my last few meals, Felt horrible. The second week carb up was cleaner with whole wheat bagels and whole wheat pancakes and lots of water, I gained 11 pounds . Was too much, by next carb up i had only lost .5 of a pound since my baseline weigh in the morning of carbup but my workouts were beastly. The last carb up I ate whole wheat pancakes and oatmeal , which was not enough the next night i was back in keto already and workouts were already suffering by the second one after carb up. It is all about finding what works for you and finding that perfect formula. That can only come with trial and error! Good Luck!

[Kai12]

I had to eat carbs during a night out with the wife and her sister. It was steak with chips. Something I noticed though, I was out of ketosis for a day and without exercise was in ketosis again after such a short period. I can only imagine my body benefited.

I used to have big dirty carb-ups before, which held me back because of appetite issues the few days after. I am on SKD now and still getting stronger, fitter, running faster, lifting more. I only have one planned carb-up but thats only because I want to try a new meal on our local pub's menu....rack-of-lamb with rosemary stuffing...

[thesilent1]

I'm not a fan of anything starchy, but damn do I have a sweet tooth.

AMEN sister!!!!!!!!! I could go all year without rice, pasta, bread BUT my sweet tooth is worse than a crack hound!!!!!! 12 Krispy Kreme donuts you say? easy! LOL

[mayaib]

I am on My 4th week of keto. I went from paleo to keto and lost 10 pounds the first week (surely water weight). I had A carb up day the first week , It went horrible, I threw up my last few meals, Felt horrible. The second week carb up was cleaner with whole wheat bagels and whole wheat pancakes and lots of water, I gained 11 pounds . Was too much, by next carb up i had only lost .5 of a pound since my baseline weigh in the morning of carbup but my workouts were beastly. The last carb up I ate whole wheat pancakes and oatmeal , which was not enough the next night i was back in keto already and workouts were already suffering by the second one after carb up. It is all about finding what works for you and finding that perfect formula. That can only come with trial and error! Good Luck!

I'm getting back on keto as of today as well. Paleo rules but I wanna get back to lower carb as I've made good progress in the past. Are their certain foods that really mess with ketosis. I'm leninant with carbs on keto but I'm never sure if I'm slowing my progress or not I get 40-60g carbs daily at most after 2weeks of under 30g(induction). What do you guys think when it comes to foods like beans, plantains, bell pepper, yams, onions, fruit, etc. I still keep the intake low but I like to have a little bit of complex carbs sometimes in my daily limit(yay or nay) Should I just avoid these carbs. sorry for bashing this thread. I carb up once a month or so on keto if I get weak in my lifts. *Reps

[Zvezdobroeca]

My take on carb loading is somewhat blasphemous to most people. I think when the body needs something it tells you to go get it. To me re-feeds are necessary only if you start to feel bad or your performance drops. Like yesterday I had muscle cramps so I had a biscuit and a glass (150ml) of whole milk (20g of carbs) before the workout to get a little boost. That was the only carbs other than green leafy vegetables that I've had in the last 3 weeks.
If you don't know who to believe - believe in your own body.

[xJellyBirdx]

I'm getting back on keto as of today as well. Paleo rules but I wanna get back to lower carb as I've made good progress in the past. Are their certain foods that really mess with ketosis. I'm leninant with carbs on keto but I'm never sure if I'm slowing my progress or not I get 40-60g carbs daily at most after 2weeks of under 30g(induction). What do you guys think when it comes to foods like beans, plantains, bell pepper, yams, onions, fruit, etc. I still keep the intake low but I like to have a little bit of complex carbs sometimes in my daily limit(yay or nay) Should I just avoid these carbs. sorry for bashing this thread. I carb up once a month or so on keto if I get weak in my lifts. *Reps

Do what you want. Losing weight is about a calorie deficit. One day of cheating wont hurt you, even in deficit.

[RedeemerZG]

AMEN sister!!!!!!!!!
I could go all year without rice, pasta, bread BUT
my sweet tooth is worse than a crack hound!!!!!!

I've gone 10-12 weeks with no carb-ups.
WI'm not a fan of anything starchy, but damn do I have a sweet tooth.

how do you deal with sweet tooth (without carbs) for so long?
do you compensate that sweet taste with natural/artificial sweeteners?

[thesilent1]

how do you deal with sweet tooth (without carbs) for so long?
do you compensate that sweet taste with natural/artificial sweeteners?

TBH once I decide to not have them I tend to stick with it. Like "jellybird" says; if you want it then have it. Isolated incidents should be fine and realistic.

[RedeemerZG]

TBH once I decide to not have them I tend to stick with it.

"nothing"

Like "jellybird" says; if you want it then have it.

"all"

Isolated incidents should be fine and realistic.

"moderation"

[tvist]

how do you deal with sweet tooth (without carbs) for so long?
do you compensate that sweet taste with natural/artificial sweeteners?

I chew a lot of gum and that gets rid of most of my sugar cravings.

[RedeemerZG]

I chew a lot of gum and that gets rid of most of my sugar cravings.

isn't there "sorbitol", "maltitol" etc in those gums? ok, they aren't considered as sugar but, sugar alcohol, still have some calories and have impact on insulin

[mayaib]

Do what you want. Losing weight is about a calorie deficit. One day of cheating wont hurt you, even in deficit.

thats exactly what i figured. somewhat of an iifym approach but with a few complex starchy carbs while hitting daily macs. thx repped!

[xJellyBirdx]

thats exactly what i figured. somewhat of an iifym approach but with a few complex starchy carbs while hitting daily macs. thx repped!

100g a day is considered low carb. You'll still be in nutritional ketosis to a small degree. I honestly think it is wrong to not eat wholesome foods simply because of a diet, and then there are days where you just might want those carbs lol. Last night I ate an Orea fused to a Reese with caramel and covered in chocolate. Didn't crave, just wanted to try it so I ate one. I'm deloading from the gym anyways, nothing wrong with a reward for losing weight.

[hfce354]

Didn't know whether to post this in the female section or not but it's mainly about keto so here I go.

I started 5 weeks ago and foolishly had a carb-up after a week in, and proceeded to bloat like a pregnant lady. Then I was advised to stay in keto for at least a month before carbing up. Today marks that day but I haven't carbed up yet.

I found this female bodybuilder on YouTube called Stephanie Fitskater who has been in ketosis for nearly 5 years without ANY carb-ups/refeeds or anything and claims she has a lot of energy and people should be on basically SKD forever (no CKD or TKD).

I'm having trouble with who to believe. Here everyone's telling me to carb-up and this YouTuber, who looks amazing btw (wouldn't believe her if she didn't), is telling me it's bad and it just interrupts ketosis and you'll never reap any benefits if you do carb ups. So I'm on the fence. Instinct is telling me to carb-up, but I don't want to balloon up and have to take 2 weeks to lean out again, but I don't want to risk low energy or whatever comes with no carb-ups.

Help?

Here's one of her videos regarding carb-ups (embedding won't work for some reason): www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCEU9VdlAnM

I follow her religiously. She is nuts but she really relays the info in a very smart and easy way. Her videos are really useful and answer a ton of questions.