First week keto completed. Doing BJJ 5x a week have a question

[tehfinkster]

Hello All,

I started Keto last week and really stuck to it. I went from 179.9 to 171.3 in that time span. I am 5'10. Water weight, I know.

My goal is to go until I see abs, as I've never had them before. I am guessing somewhere in the neighborhood of 155 would do it.

I am not strength training at this time but I am training BJJ 5x a week. Rolling at the end of the sessions lasts in the neighborhood of 15-30 minutes of hard work.

I plan to introduce carbs very slowly in the future once my goal is reached but I am just second guessing myself that this diet is somehow unhealthy. I am under the impression that this diet is more geared towards someone who needs to lose a lot of weight. I don't want to ruin my composition that I have so far.

I'm not trying to sound like a little bitch I'm just nervous that this isn't the best way to go about things. Has anyone done MMA while on keto for small time fat loss?

Thanks and have a great day,

EDIT: My avi is from years ago. I don't look like that right now.

[danfleysher]

As long as you get adequate amounts of protein, you won't lose muscle mass while cutting. The specifics around "adequate" vary but general consensus (and my intake) is around 1g/lb of BW. There is no exact number but research does show that protein becomes even more important when cutting. Also, eating at least 20g every 4-5 hours will help with muscle protein synthesis. I do want to state that "adequate" and "optimal" tend to have different meanings in research but I use them interchangeably here.

There is a fine line between eating enough protein to maintain muscle mass and staying in ketosis. Unfortunately I can't give you a number and you might have to pick one goal over the other: Maintain muscle mass or reap the benefits of being fat-adapted.

I like Ketogenic diets because of the satiety and suppression of hunger. That comes from eating proteins and fiber-rich foods, not necessarily from being fat-adapted. The increased energy levels are great for the first few weeks but then it becomes normal. I've done SKD in the past and was happy with the results. I lost ~20 lbs with only slight decreases in my lifts. Squat & Deadlift unchanged, Bench & Pendlay Rows fell.


TL;DR - When cutting, eating lots of protein (1g/lb of BW) is important but that might prevent you from being Keto adapted. Pick one or the other. I chose Ketogenic when cutting but I acknowledge it's drawbacks.

[psalms1441]

youll ruin your body composition by not doing some form of strength training.

Now being a GJJ brown belt VVVVV I understand that rolling does build strength, but it doesnt build muscle or help you retain muscle while dieting. Its conditions and makes the muscle you have more dense, but doesnt build or retain.

As far as protein goes, if ketosis is the goal, then you dont even need 1g/lb of BW and actually 2g/KG of LBM is adequate.




EDIT: I also train in Muay Thai and Judo

EDIT EDIT: I also use to compete in MMA and and sub grappling, and intend on competing in sub grappling again. Also it should me known the UFC WW Champ Robbie Lawler and transitioned to a full blown SKD