My body fat is up and based on Mrs. Mirror... too high. lol, but it's coming off everywhere but where I really want it! As usual. The gut is the last to go for me. It's been a little over a week. Do you think it's too soon to reseed at the first (two week) mark?
How could you lose muscle on Keto? Your body uses fat for fuel, not protein, unless you over indulge in protein, then you enter glycigenisis, where you are kicked out of keto and your body converts the protein into carbohydrates. You have to eat more fat. It's really strange. Once you're past the "Keto-Flu", you're gold, and now I'm trying to keep it creative.
Some things I have learned in my research on Keto that would help, especially on a cut, and in light of my TRT too.
A few things to put back in the diet or supplementation if not already.***
- Fish Oil (Krill Oil)
- Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein
- 7 Keto DHEA (Really Optional, and great for a cut) I may consider this post cycle, at my 12 week mark.
- Creatine
- MCT Oil (Not liquid, but Caps or Powder)
- Electrolytes
- L-Glutamine
- Vitamin D
- Bone Broth
The key points in keto are also to avoid certain hidden carbs in various food sources.
It's been quite the puzzle to unravel, but Dr. Google has some great resources.
*** Reminder ***
Without modifying my current routine, over 7 weeks I have lost 10 pounds and have retained / gained muscle.
As with any program, when you gain more knowledge to improve performance and efficiency, you test the waters and see what is going to work and what will not. So far this has been a great ride, and see it only getting better into weeks 8-12.
Well good work man. The two weeks mark’s a good time to start, it’d be smart to keep your metabolism up the whole time.
Green machine is right in that it’s not strictly necessary at higher BF%s but I think it would probably help. And it’d also make you binging at some point less likely. In the grand scheme of things, the worst case scenario aftermath of you having a healthy-ish refeed is that your cut will take a day or two longer. The best case scenario is that you’ll finish your cut a few days sooner and a tiny bit stronger
Have you read up on refeeding? Briefly in case you haven’t. Ideally; eat a 500 calorie surplus, consuming at least your body weight in lbs of protein, 20-30% of maintenance from fat, then the rest from carbs (primarily from starch and low in fructose). Deviating a bit won’t do much harm just try to keep fat low-ish, eat a surplus, but don’t overdo the surplus.
I agree with your recommendations, especially the glutamine and bone broth.
Have you tried taking CLA? It’s a staple of mine and extra useful whilst eating keto. I’d also add a multi as things like vit k, iodine, selenium, zinc etc may be lacking in your diet. I’m curious tho, why do you specifically take caps or powder form MCT?
As for losing muscle mass on Keto, it’s definitely possible. Your body can’t always produce energy as quickly from metabolising body fat as it can from blood sugar. The three main limiting factors in this are the rate of fatty acid liberation, leptin and the production of ___ (which suppresses adenyl Cyclase and cAMP, it’s suppressed by yohimbine).
The rate of fatty acid liberation can be increased by a lot of things including HGH. However, if the rate of fatty acid liberation does not meet a person’s energy demands then the body will turn to glycogen or muscle mass.
When a person’s leptin’s low their body liberates fatty acids at a slower rate to help limit body fat depletion. So as above, if that person’s immediate energy demand is greater than the rate of fatty acid liberation then the body will turn to glycogen and then muscle mass to supply energy.
Evolution has made it so that human bodies are programmed genetically to limit its rate of body fat depletion. The main mechanism for this is through the production of ___ which reduces the body’s sensitivity to cAMP, a stimulator of fatty acid liberation.
The different results that people get whilst eating keto are primarily down to these factors, which are partially down to genetic variation, and differences between their supplementation regimens. Their workout style also comes into play as I’ve been told that whilst eating keto focusing on heavy, low volume workouts works better and i agree with the theory behind that recommendation.
