Your help and input please.

[warlock]

Here is the deal:

I for the past 4 months I am stuck at 200 lbs I believe that going to 180-185 is doable and I would look and feel great!

I eat no junk food or sweets (well they are the same); my sleep has been shit forever (therefore cortisol is elevated during the evening, I wake up at least 2X and sky high when I wake up 5 am most days)

I sleep about 7h to 8h a day.

My appetite varies but my portions are quite big. And I don’t eat on a schedule.

For the past 2 weeks I have been eating Paleo with no difference being felt (it was quite easy transition for me).

Monday to Saturday, 2 or 3 times a day, I have an extra large black tea with (too much) honey and cinnamon. It tastes like heaven!

I drink 2 to 4l of water everyday.

To sum it up:

I look good dressed but can’t drop my bf under 10% where it should be.

My cortisol is ****ed due to my work, sleep, caffeine and personality.

My insulin seems to be ****ed as well.

I am 40 yo, look 5 to 10 years younger (depends on lighting and level of intoxication of people around me)

Physically active since I was 12 (yes, I started late)

No great issues working out other than being too tired sometimes.

Work out

I am following Wendler 5/3/1 and love it.

I will add the afternoon/evening workouts in 2 weeks when hopefully my body will have adapted to the diet.

I don’t intend to do Max efforts on my work outs #2 to save nervous system and avoid cortisol to raise.

Mondays - Deadlifts followed by Back squat or GHR
Abs + low back
Tuesdays - Barbell press + dumbbell press
Pull ups
Wednesday – Off or Recovery (Foam roller, stretch, pilates, walk whatever…)
Thursday - Front Squat followed by leg presses or narrow stance back squat
Friday - Shoulder press followed by dumbbell shoulder press
Pull ups (I suck at them I guess that I need more frequency)
Saturday - bi’s and tri’s (mostly chins + dips)


Diet:

90% of my diet is organic food or another granola term that means superior quality and good for you

No caffeine, or sugars

Unlimited green leafy veggies

Mostly Paleo (except cheat meal and Greens supplement)

Ketogenic

2000 cal,
Prot 200g/800cal
Fat 111g/1000 cal
Carb 50g/200cal

Alcohol only 1X a week (preference for white whine or gin)

Supplements

Living Fuel (as meal replacement 1 or 2X a day)
ZMA
Fish oil
B vitamin
Vitamin D 10.000 IU 2X a week

Every 2 weeks I will re-evaluate my progress and adjust plan.

Not into doing cardio in the beginning as the lack of caffeine, a job where I have to be ON all the time (personal trainer plus 5 group exercise classes), plus the low calories seem to be too draining in the beginning.

I don’t intend to have any cheat meals or alcohol for the first 14 days.

1) Am I missing something?

2) Any supplements that would be helpful during the transition?

I thank you in advance.

[Talo]

You can try to cut out the caffeine ( you said cortisol is f'd up from that and other things , but then you said in your diet you dont have caffeine ? ) eat around the same time and among each day. Step up the cardio a bit .

How long have you been eating 2000 cals ? Maybe you need to increase the food a bit .

That's just a few things I can think of right now.

[warlock]

My bad.

I am starting this protocol is starting tomorrow.
I have done a keto before with good results, not amazing

[Thorgrim]

You say you have trouble sleeping. Your sleep duration seems long enough just that it is not quality sleep, I think you need to work on this more then anything else. If you are cronically tired and stressed everything else is going to be harder.

Have you tried melatonin?

Ditch the caffeine as much as possible.

Do you use the computer or other electronic devises before bed? Looking at a screen or being exposed to EMF pollution can effect you enough that getting to sleep and sleeping well can be hard. I would stay away from a computer or other devices for at least an hour or two before bed. Wind down, relax maybe read something that won't get the gears turning in our head. Also do not use your cell phone as an alarm clock. Having it by your head can effect your brain and reduce sleep quality. Make sure your room is very dark and quiet.

[Praetorian]

Well to begin with if you want to get under 10% which will be very lean for the average person you will have to make some sacrifices otherwise i doubt it will happen:

1- cardio will be necessary to a point...you may not need alot but some will definitely help in more ways than just fat loss...it also helps in recovery ability as long as it is not HIIT...start small and make incremental changes weekly
2-you are NOT in ketosis (not sure if you are trying to be) on the diet you are on now and your carb intake is higher than you posted especially with honey 2-3 times daily
3- you need structure to your day and meal plan...ie balanced macro meals and balanced timing of meals
4- youll need 6 meals eating approx every 3 hours....3 meals can be shakes, 3 solid food
5- approx 45-50g pro + 15-20g fat + trace carbs per meal
6- if cortisol is a problem then eliminate all stimulants and find some stress reduction techniques you can adhere to...ie meditation, yoga, hypnosis, NLP, etc
7- increase saturated fat...substitute for some of the polyunsaturated fats...saturated fat will make you feel better as it will help balance hormones
8- increase vit D to 4000iu ED
9- try an injectable B12 solution 1000mcg EOD (you can get at most pharmacies without script just ask pharmacist)
10-fish oil 4000iu twice daily
11-Relora 1 pill in morning, 2 before bed
12- Your insulin will stabalize on keto...no worries


P

[warlock]

Well to begin with if you want to get under 10% which will be very lean for the average person you will have to make some sacrifices otherwise i doubt it will happen:

1- cardio will be necessary to a point...you may not need alot but some will definitely help in more ways than just fat loss...it also helps in recovery ability as long as it is not HIIT...start small and make incremental changes weekly
2-you are NOT in ketosis (not sure if you are trying to be) on the diet you are on now and your carb intake is higher than you posted especially with honey 2-3 times daily
3- you need structure to your day and meal plan...ie balanced macro meals and balanced timing of meals
4- youll need 6 meals eating approx every 3 hours....3 meals can be shakes, 3 solid food
5- approx 45-50g pro + 15-20g fat + trace carbs per meal
6- if cortisol is a problem then eliminate all stimulants and find some stress reduction techniques you can adhere to...ie meditation, yoga, hypnosis, NLP, etc
7- increase saturated fat...substitute for some of the polyunsaturated fats...saturated fat will make you feel better as it will help balance hormones
8- increase vit D to 4000iu ED
9- try an injectable B12 solution 1000mcg EOD (you can get at most pharmacies without script just ask pharmacist)
10-fish oil 4000iu twice daily
11-Relora 1 pill in morning, 2 before bed
12- Your insulin will stabalize on keto...no worries


P

Thanks

1 - I understand that and am planing to do it if progress stales, probably after adding another work out session
2 - I am not drinking that marvelous concoction anymore I changed my diet already
3 - Structure is quiet good I eat 4 to 6 X a day already I only eat when I am hungry but I guess that that needs to change
4 - Shakes being added today
5 - Thanks
6 - Done
7 - I already eat them will be more diligent about it
8 - Thanks
9 - will do
10 - I take about 4g how do I convert it to IU?
11 - will do
12 - One of the reasons I am doing a keto diet

[Sean Summers]

P pretty much nailed it all. Still too many carbs. Some people can get into ketosis with 80g some need to go 20g and some need trace. Everyone is different. You are too concerned with cortisol. Guys compete in shows and live on 4 hours a sleep, workout twice a day and do cardio twice a day AND have a job - they don't seem to have a problem with cortisol. Get it out of your head. You are using it as a crutch. Look at the big picture not the small details.

[warlock]

So far so good.

The only problem that I have en-faced is: early morning - caffeine = harder life.

But overall I can't complain.

[Thorgrim]

That's good. Should get more used to going without caffeine over time.