Please critique this diet

[#8]

Here is what I have begun eating for losing bodyfat and maintenance of lean mass:

Meal 1 AM

6 extra large eggs scrambled

Meal 2

Protein concentrate x 2 scoops
30g fat (MCT oil or Almond Butter)
15g Psyllium husk

Meal 3

300g lean beef / chicken
200g boiled cauliflower / broccoli
30g fat almond butter or another type of whole nut like walnuts or cashews

Meal 4

Shake (same as meal 2)

Meal 5

Same as Meal 3

Meal 6 (Only right after lifting on training days)

2 scoop shake in water
50g Malto

I walk at least 30-60mins a day just getting around the city, to and from work and various errands. I dont feel I need to add any cardio to this strategy at all. At least not at this point.

I take creatine, BCAA, and other aminos intra workout as well as all the appropriate vitamins and minerals.

Is there anything I am missing? What should I add or take away from this to lose fat and get ripped as quickly as possible. My energy levels are fine on this plan using only 2 200mg caffeines a day spread out about 7 hours.

[L3]

looks good to me! just some minor things for you to think about:

1 are your eggs omega-3 eggs?
2 taking malto with your PWO meal... im assuming youre going to bed after that? when i was running the same diet as you, if i didnt have another meal after my PWO meal with simple carbs, i could feel hypo setting on... but if oyu are having no problems, dont change it.

[#8]

nah the post workout shake will either be after lunch(ish) time or around 7-8 pm. There will still be at least one meal to follow that before bed, not consisting of direct carb sources however, only what is listed on the program. I havnt felt much if any hypo set in from this. Ive been doing it off and on for many weeks not, but this is the time to be very strict for the next month.

No I am not using omega 3 eggs, they are ridiculously expensive compared to regular eggs and I see little no benefit in the 100mg of epa / dha they contain. I could get the same from a costco pill for a fraction of the price.

[Frostbite]

Perhaps some omega 3 and omega 6 supplements since there is not any fish in your diet above. Other than that looks good imo.

[Talo]

Perhaps some omega 3 and omega 6 supplements since there is not any fish in your diet above. Other than that looks good imo.

no need for 6's

[Sean Summers]

Macros and body stats please. Post up pic if possible.

[#8]

what is a good site to get the macro breakdown on these food items? I have looked before and only found overly complicated rage worthy sites that take forever to use.

Im gonna try to get a pic up after this sunburn goes away that i got today. I am officially albino. I get burnt in a matter of seconds lol

[Frostbite]

Get a food scale, way more accurate. Best $50 I ever spent. Candian Tire had one on sale this weekend for $19.99. Other than that you could try http://nutritiondata.self.com/

[#8]

i have a food scale i got at wal mart for $10 3 years ago. It measures food just fine

[Praetorian]

See comments below in caps.
P



Here is what I have begun eating for losing bodyfat and maintenance of lean mass:

Meal 1 AM

6 extra large eggs scrambled *TOO HIGH IN FAT, 4 WHOLE EGS PLUS 6 WHITES IS BETTER

Meal 2

Protein concentrate x 2 scoops *BE WARY OF THE CARBS IN CONCENTRATE...ISOLATE IS BETTER
30g fat (MCT oil or Almond Butter) *TOO MUCH FAT 1.5 TBLSP IS BETTER...ALMOND BUTTER IS BETTER THAN MCT
15g Psyllium husk

Meal 3

300g lean beef / chicken * TOO MUCH PROTEIN...200G IS SUFFICIENT
200g boiled cauliflower / broccoli
30g fat almond butter or another type of whole nut like walnuts or cashews *ADD 1/3 CUP NUTS IF EATING CHICKEN, 1TBLSP OLIVE OIL ON VEGGIES IF EATING BEEF....VEGGIES WITH BEEF ONLY AS THERE ARE CARBS IN NUTS WITH THE CHICKEN...NO NEED FOR MORE

Meal 4

Shake (same as meal 2) *SEE COMMENTS MEAL 2

Meal 5

Same as Meal 3 * SEE COMMENTS MEAL 3....YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE CHICKEN MEAL AND ONE BEEF MEAL...NOT TWO OF THE SAME

Meal 6 (Only right after lifting on training days) *SHOULD BE EVERYDAY ...6 MEALS DAILY...NO NEED FOR MALTO PWO...IT WILL KICK YOU OUT OF KETOSIS AND SLOW FAT LOSS...ELIMINATE IT

2 scoop shake in water
50g Malto

I walk at least 30-60mins a day just getting around the city, to and from work and various errands. I dont feel I need to add any cardio to this strategy at all. At least not at this point.
*THE WALKING YOU ARE DOING NOW DOES NOT COUNT AND WILL DO NOTHING FOR ADDED FAT LOSS AS YOUR BODY HAS ADAPTED TO IT LONG AGO...YOU NEED TO ADD INCREMENTAL LOW INTENSITY CARDIO PREFERABLY ON THE MORNING BEFORE EATING

I take creatine, BCAA, and other aminos intra workout as well as all the appropriate vitamins and minerals.

Is there anything I am missing? What should I add or take away from this to lose fat and get ripped as quickly as possible. My energy levels are fine on this plan using only 2 200mg caffeines a day spread out about 7 hours.

*ADD 200MG CAFFIENE TAB PLUS 1000MG L-CARNITINE PRIOR TO CARIO AND TRAINING.

P

[#8]

I dont have the money to afford egg whites, and I have been trying to get off overly processed and or pasteurized foods for a while so Im just gonna stick with whole eggs for now. Maybe I will drop it to 5 whole eggs in the morning. 6 is a lot to chew anyway.

I dont agree that almond butter is better than MCT's, but the rest of your feedback is good and I will keep it in mind.

Part of the problem is that I am often just eating these meals cold as I am weaned off microwaves all together. Its hard to choke down meat and veggies covered in olive oil cold. Its gross, and I just wont stick to doing it for long. I love eating almond butter just off a spoon and I know that two big heaping spoons gives me almost exactly 30g fat. ive measured it several times.

If I eat the almond butter with the meal, why does it matter that I use olive oil instead?

[Talo]

what is a good site to get the macro breakdown on these food items? I have looked before and only found overly complicated rage worthy sites that take forever to use.

Im gonna try to get a pic up after this sunburn goes away that i got today. I am officially albino. I get burnt in a matter of seconds lol

http://www.fitday.com/

[Praetorian]

You can buy liquid egg whites at Costco dirt cheap...cheaper then whole eggs. MCT's are used in the body as a preferential fuel source only...if you are going to use fats as an energy source they might as well serve a function in the body. MCT's are great when trying to gain weight in place are carbohydrate. If you are having veggies in the meal (carbs) then a healthy oil is preferred as it does not contain trace carbs. It is easy to let carb intake go over the 50g mark if you arent careful.
P

[TT Eric]

You can buy liquid egg whites at Costco dirt cheap...cheaper then whole eggs. MCT's are used in the body as a preferential fuel source only...if you are going to use fats as an energy source they might as well serve a function in the body. MCT's are great when trying to gain weight in place are carbohydrate. If you are having veggies in the meal (carbs) then a healthy oil is preferred as it does not contain trace carbs. It is easy to let carb intake go over the 50g mark if you arent careful.
P

Just wondering about MCT again, when on keto, my energy levels are very good I would say all day long except when I train, after a few sets I really feel I have no energy to push (plus the loss of strength too), even with shortened training session, I really feel 'empty' and no drive.

Would it be good in that case to take a bit of MCT (like a tbsp an hour prior training) on training day only just to give a little boost to go through the training ? Maybe it would preserve some muscle to be used for gluconeogenesis ?

Eric

[#8]

I find if you take your first shake in the day with MCT's you will have energy for most of the day. I also use 1-2 caffeine pills a day, or a coffee. The MCT's are in my opinion the most underrated and useful supplement I have ever used. For dieting they are almost like magic to my body. Quite cheap as well compared to many other "fat burning" supps out there.

[TT Eric]

That's what I thought first, but Prae's answer make me doubt it could slow down fat loss too much.

Eric

[#8]

It has done nothing but speed up fat loss for me while boosting energy and preserving lean mass. I have a hard time believing it slows down fat loss, even if it does, id rather lose a bit slower and retain most of my hard work. I dont know anyone who has used my dosing protocol and seen anything short of excellent results.

[TT Eric]

You go for 1 tbsp each morning ? And you train at what time of the day ?

Me I was going for 1 tbsp each morning and on training day I was taking one more 1 an hour before training.

Eric

[Praetorian]

MCT's will be used as preferential fuel prior to bodyfat...that doesnt mean you wont burn body...just not prior to the MCT. Also there are many more variables involved than just the use of MCT. It also depends on where you are in your diet...to get to very low bod fat levels for some...ingested fats need to be removed for a certain period...including MCT's.

MCT's have been around for a very long time in regards to BB diets...John Parillo popularized them in the early 90's and I experimented with them at the time. So did many BB including pros...however they tend to go in and out of vogue like many things in BB. Many times clients were stuck or stalled because of lack of fat in the diet...adding MCT will improve things but not just because they are MCTs.
P

[btufts]

I skipped a few posts in here but I personally take a different route... first, it is hard to judge without your stats, pics etc. Supplements: I don't think I would consider dieting without BCAAS, Glutamine, and a multivitamin. I find Keto is a pretty safe route for dieters that may have food allergies and that may react to different foods etc, but I personally wouldn't diet this way again ever.... maybe the last few weeks before a show, but if you're looking just to lose body fat, maintain mass as you said, I would completely re edit this diet. Its easier to eat a healthy balanced diet high in protein, moderate in good low glycemic, (high glycemic carbs PWO), high fiber, and moderate good fat intake and only eat fibrous carbs in your later meals.

[Praetorian]

If done correctly (not any keto) specific BB or athlete keto is much easier to stick to then carb cycling. Carb cycling is basically teasing the brain with glucose which is why you feel lethargic and have mood swings as well as insulin fluctuations which slow fat loss. Reducing carbs in the early stages of the diet will start fat loss up to a point where they are removed and keto is attained. Keto is inherently muscle sparing because the brain i snow running on predominantly ketone bodies and not glucose. This is the inherent problem with carb cycling...the constant requirement for glucose...if it is not available in adequate supply it can be created from protein (ie muscle). Keto is basically an extension of Paleo which humans have evolved eating for over thousands of years. It also improves health by eliminating inflammatory responses of most carbs people eat. You arent building any significant muscle while pre-contest dieting so adding high GI carbs post workout will slow fat loss in the majority of people due to the high incidence of insulin resistance....especially if you are over 10% bodyfat which is usually the case for most guys. As Charles Poliquin says you EARN your carbs...even off season. There are those that can diet carb cycling very effectively but they are the exception to the rule...one of these peopleis Milos Sarcev...who can diet with alot of carbs...most guys dieting that way would deposit fat not burn it.
P

[Praetorian]

You go for 1 tbsp each morning ? And you train at what time of the day ?

Me I was going for 1 tbsp each morning and on training day I was taking one more 1 an hour before training.

Eric

You will have alot of energy from the fats you are currently eating without adding MCT's...they are also performing healthy functions in the body. How long do you think the Tbsp of MCT taken in the morning lasts in the body as an energy source after ingesting?
P

[TT Eric]

You will have alot of energy from the fats you are currently eating without adding MCT's...they are also performing healthy functions in the body. How long do you think the Tbsp of MCT taken in the morning lasts in the body as an energy source after ingesting?
P

Not very long, I guess an hour ?

My idea behind the MCT's were not toward health purpose, but toward increase fat burning (as they said) and preserving muscle from gluconegenesis. And the one TBSP before training was to add energy to the session on top of that.

For the last 3-4 weeks I did not take MCTs as per your recommendation (you know how much I value your opinion/expertise), I must say that training has become harder and harder (now on the 5th week on keto), I get light headed at the gym and not only it's harder to push, but I need more time to finish my sessions, about 30-40% more time, this is not good (outside of the gym energy levels are great, even excellent I must say). So today I decided to take some MCT, because last workout was really not going well (mind is there, but the body cannot perform accordingly), I took one TBSP of MCTs 20 min before training along with my usual pre-workout mix (Beta-alanine, citruline, Arginine and a bit of EAA, BCAA, L-Carnitine & glutamine) and it was better. I have adjusted the intake of the fat according to that also of course, I took less fat on the meal 45-60 min before the pre-workout drink.

Not saying I will do that all the time, again because I value your saying, but I wanted to test it. I have ordered some caffeine as you told me to take (note : I have drank only one coffee in my whole life and never took any caffeine pills in my whole 41 year old life). So I'm gonna go with that ASAP and hoping it will give as much energy MCTs do.

Eric

[Praetorian]

Of course adding MCT before training will give you energy...its an energy source....you could also take macadamia nut oil, olive oil etc. The longer you diet and the leaner you get the tougher it becomes because you are using up the bodies energy source...ie body fat...also your appetite will increase as you get leaner...its a natural protective mechanism. Inherent to keto as i said before is the brain does not want glucose for energy thus gluconeogenesis is not an issue....if you were carb cycling than it would be an issue because there is a need for glucose but because you are cycling you arent providing it constantly. Remember the body can store fatty acids as well as glycogen but not protein...this is why for some to get extremely lean they need to drop fats as well for 1-5 days and eat basically protein and some veggies...yet they still do not lose muscle as long as you supply the necessary amino acids and dont go longer than 5-6 days without fatty acids.

P

[TT Eric]

Ok I know the body and brain could use ketone very well, but my concern is when training hard and the energy demand is very high that the body would use gluconeogenesis as a quick source of energy, no ?

Tomorrow it will be my 6th week, is it normal that I'm beginning to reduce my fat intake ?

Eric

[Praetorian]

Your body will use glycogen from the trace carbs you are eating for training. This is why training is fairly short in duration and higher intensity...thus alot of glycogen is not required. If your keto diet is tuned correctly you will be having 50g carbs daily.
There is no normal...its what is necessary for each individual. I cant really say but the 6 week mark is quite early to be dropping fat or calories. I usually only drop some fat the last 4 weeks. How much cardio are you doing?
P

[TT Eric]

I do slow cardio, walking, sometime with a bag of 10-25lbs for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, 3 to 4 times a week, usually afternoon, or I go hiking, biking, rollerblading... I like outdoor stuff.

This morning I tried something new, after waking-up, with the mark of the pillow still embedded in my face, I went doing a bit of HIIT, I happen to live in a 24 floor story building. So I raced 2 flight of stairs, walked 2 slowly, raced 2...

About training, I'm use to train to failure all the time, never leaving a rep undone, but now it's freakingly harder, I feel weaker, my normal training of 1hrs take me about 20 min more as I need longer break... so I should do less sets and keep intensity high ? Or go a bit less intense and keep the same # of sets ?

Thanks

Eric

[btufts]

I do slow cardio, walking, sometime with a bag of 10-25lbs for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, 3 to 4 times a week, usually afternoon, or I go hiking, biking, rollerblading... I like outdoor stuff.

This morning I tried something new, after waking-up, with the mark of the pillow still embedded in my face, I went doing a bit of HIIT, I happen to live in a 24 floor story building. So I raced 2 flight of stairs, walked 2 slowly, raced 2...

About training, I'm use to train to failure all the time, never leaving a rep undone, but now it's freakingly harder, I feel weaker, my normal training of 1hrs take me about 20 min more as I need longer break... so I should do less sets and keep intensity high ? Or go a bit less intense and keep the same # of sets ?

Thanks

Eric

do you periodize your training? I personally take an instinctive approach with structure when it comes to training, evaluate how i feel when training and make changes as i go. for instance, starting my year, season, prep etc. I begin with very high volume, lower intensity for a total of 30-40 sets total per bodypart and repping out at 12-15+ reps. I can usually do this and get the same great pump for about 8 weeks or so... when my body begins to feel like im just going through the motions and not really getting anything from it I drop the sets down by 5 or so total sets and decrease rep range to 8-12, thus increasing intensity per set. i usually switch these macrocycles every 4-8 weeks. Depending how i'm feeling, i may make changes in the same macrocycle yet using the same rep range (giant sets, drop sets, rest pause, fst-7 style sets). finally nearing the end of my prep, mesocycle etc, again drop the reps to 6-8 and increase intensity. my advice would be to try different things while still structuring a periodized workout plan like stated above.

[TT Eric]

Yes I do change often and try to be instinctive too. One thing is sensible for me is to be careful not to train too much or too hard while dieting, I always remember my first competition, I was 19, I had good looking 26.5'' legs, I was recommend to do supersets (it was squats and hack squat 20 reps each) and I lost 2'' in 2 weeks, they went down to 24.5''. I dunno what happened exactly, but it was very discouraging. Something similar happened to my arms, off season, on regular high volume training to failure. So I'm extremely sensible to overtraining and when on diet I'm very careful to watch any sign of loosing muscle.

This might explain why I'm afraid to loose muscle when I feel I have no energy to train as hard as usual and looking for solution like MCTs to preserve muscle. I might be completely off, but this is how I feel instinctively. With that said, I thrust Prae's experience enough, so I only took MCT once for a try and did not repeated the experience.

Also, this is why. this week, I changed my routine for a HST style. My last routine seemed too big now that I'm on diet. Training now the whole body 3 times a week.

Leg curls 2x8-10
Squats 2x10-12
Standing calf raise 2x10-12
Bench press 2x8-10
Pulls-up (neutral grip) 2x8-10
Overhead press 2x8-10
Chin-ups (supinated) 2x8-10
Dips 2x8-10
One superset of hypersxtension, oblique work and crunch with focus on not involving the hip flexors
Stretching (I'm very tight in the hip flexors area and rectus femoris)

It make about 19 sets without the warm-ups and stretching. About 1h15 all this including. Normally I train for one hour with that kind of sets.

That way every body parts are hit 3 times a week and not too much sets to avoid overtrainning. Every set to failure. Mostly with multijoints exercises. Results seems good with that. I would even say it run very good, my only doubt came when Prae said it was not enough days in the gym. But I need to mention that my body always seemed to respond well to HIT (Ellington Darden style). Which is similar, only with more exercises but only one set per exercises and beyond failure (forced reps, cheated, negatives...).

Eric

[btufts]

I wouldn't worry about muscle loss... if your protein intake is high enough and of course getting your good fats in and running gear (not sure if your natural or not), the whole overtraining thing i think is bullshit. Prepping for nationals I averaged 2-3 hours a day, sometimes going 10-15 days straight training doing giant sets and up to 3 hours of cardio per day everyday, sleeping less than 4 hours a night, working (as a personal trainer conveniently enough) 14-16 hours 6x per week AND eating roughly 1000 calories in the final weeks and I have never been so ripped and full in my life. Basically if you have all your ducks in a row, keep training as intensly as possible on your working sets. If you feel an injury coming on, maybe its time to pick a different variation of the exercises your doing, sometimes thats all it takes to get things going again. I know I get bored with my routines very often and like to change them up and even make new exercises. I don't think theres a whole lot you can do wrong. In my experience, the body can take a shit load of a beating on very minimal fuel and you will be ripped to shit. keep atter dude, take the extra time between sets if you need it. unless you're doing timed sets dont worry. I use the rule of thumb for breaks: whenever my breathing comes back to normal i start my next set. (taken from Craig Bonnett)

[Praetorian]

After 25 years of training, over ten years working with some of the most knowledgeable people in regards to athletic nutrition and performance, and literally hundreds of clients I have a what I think is a decent base of knowledge and experience.

That being said there are things you should and shouldnt do on keto...based on the energy source required for these activities.

1. training should be lower volume higher intensity (energy is limited so keeping training shorter is better and prevents excessive cortisol production, at the same time maximizing natural hormones)
2. low intensity cardio should be done (HIIT cardio is not good while on keto because it introduces O2 debt which changes the energy source from ketone bodies to glucose...where is glucose coming from while on keto? muscle tissue)
3. diet is started with lower direct carbs... relatively low...ie 100g daily and removed when fat loss stalls
4. cardio is introduced when fat loss stalls from diet...and introduced slowly...ie 20min EOD to start and increased when fat loss stalls...ie 10min daily
5. protein is never touched while dieting and is kept relatively high
6. fat is not touched until fat loss from cardio has stalled
7. training one major body part per day is ideal...keeps training short...see above also 5 days per week increases total activity which increases fat loss
8. how you train off season should be the basis of your pre contest training...just limit training to failure...no super sets, forced reps etc
9. rep ranges that build muscle also maintain muscle...which has been documented by many in the know...3-10 reps build strength and muscle...more then that with the exception of legs are out of the muscle building/maintaining range...now or then a high rep set is fine...ie high rep squats etc...but are not the basis of strength nor hypertrophy
10. over training is a result of CNS fatigue not muscular fatigue...so dropping volume and increasing intensity will lead to further CNS fatigue
11. pre-contest dieting is stressfull there is no question...so getting plenty of rest is necessary...7-8 hrs sleep per night, avoid stimulants (cortisol)
12. a refeed meal is necessary for thyroid function and helps with sanity
13. going by a schedule makes everything work optimally...ie getting up the same time each day, eating meals the same time, spacing meals equally, training the same time, cardio the same time, getting to bed the same time...the body loves a schedule
14. you will not lose muscle on a BB keto diet....that is if you follow the rules
15. you can go up to 6 six days without fats if absolutely necessary...most clients with stubborn fat level really only need 3-4 days (and you wont lose muscle)
16. your blood markers will improve on keto...as well as your insulin sensitivity
17. keto work for natural or enhanced BB...much better on natural BB when compared to carb cycling because of how it affects hormone levels
18 sodium is increased on keto...more water is flushed hence losses in sodium
19 fibre is essential in keto for regularity and health
20. trace carbs are necessary on keto (50g max) for training

I am sure there are more but you get the idea.

P

[TT Eric]

No gear, all natural here. This is might explain why I lost muscle on diet ? or maybe because it was not keto but on a moderate carbs diet, no fats and about 200g of protein per day ?

Protein intake now is ok, I go for about 240g a day. Good fats, fish oil, fat from meat, eggs and olive oil.

Eric

[Praetorian]

I wouldn't worry about muscle loss... if your protein intake is high enough and of course getting your good fats in and running gear (not sure if your natural or not), the whole overtraining thing i think is bullshit. Prepping for nationals I averaged 2-3 hours a day, sometimes going 10-15 days straight training doing giant sets and up to 3 hours of cardio per day everyday, sleeping less than 4 hours a night, working (as a personal trainer conveniently enough) 14-16 hours 6x per week AND eating roughly 1000 calories in the final weeks and I have never been so ripped and full in my life. Basically if you have all your ducks in a row, keep training as intensly as possible on your working sets. If you feel an injury coming on, maybe its time to pick a different variation of the exercises your doing, sometimes thats all it takes to get things going again. I know I get bored with my routines very often and like to change them up and even make new exercises. I don't think theres a whole lot you can do wrong. In my experience, the body can take a shit load of a beating on very minimal fuel and you will be ripped to shit. keep atter dude, take the extra time between sets if you need it. unless you're doing timed sets dont worry. I use the rule of thumb for breaks: whenever my breathing comes back to normal i start my next set. (taken from Craig Bonnett)

Micro periodization works much better than macro periodization...this has been proven by Louie Simmons and the results achieved by those athletes who use this system. The idea being instead of doing different phases for weeks at a time...reduce the time to days...this eliminates the stress on joints, the CNS, chronic injuries, hormone suppression etc. It also allows you to build more muscle because you are spending more time in the hypertrophy range or functional hypertrophy range,eliminating injury time off, and allowing for a more intense workout due to a fully charged CNS.
P

[Praetorian]

No gear, all natural here. This is might explain why I lost muscle on diet ? or maybe because it was not keto but on a moderate carbs diet, no fats and about 200g of protein per day ?

Protein intake now is ok, I go for about 240g a day. Good fats, fish oil, fat from meat, eggs and olive oil.

Eric


NEGATIVE...see rule number 17...keto works fantastic for natural athletes...much better than carb diets. I work with many natural athletes who have done up to 3 hours cardio per day and have gone 4-5 days without fats and have never lost an ounce of muscle.
P

[Praetorian]

No gear, all natural here. This is might explain why I lost muscle on diet ? or maybe because it was not keto but on a moderate carbs diet, no fats and about 200g of protein per day ?

Protein intake now is ok, I go for about 240g a day. Good fats, fish oil, fat from meat, eggs and olive oil.

Eric

50g protein per meal...6 meals per day while dieting should be ideal for you...240g is on the low side.
P

[TT Eric]

After 25 years of training, over ten years working with some of the most knowledgeable people in regards to athletic nutrition and performance, and literally hundreds of clients I have a what I think is a decent base of knowledge and experience.

That being said there are things you should and shouldnt do on keto...based on the energy source required for these activities.

1. training should be lower volume higher intensity (energy is limited so keeping training shorter is better and prevents excessive cortisol production, at the same time maximizing natural hormones)
2. low intensity cardio should be done (HIIT cardio is not good while on keto because it introduces O2 debt which changes the energy source from ketone bodies to glucose...where is glucose coming from while on keto? muscle tissue)
3. diet is started with lower direct carbs... relatively low...ie 100g daily and removed when fat loss stalls
4. cardio is introduced when fat loss stalls from diet...and introduced slowly...ie 20min EOD to start and increased when fat loss stalls...ie 10min daily
5. protein is never touched while dieting and is kept relatively high
6. fat is not touched until fat loss from cardio has stalled
7. training one major body part per day is ideal...keeps training short...see above also 5 days per week increases total activity which increases fat loss
8. how you train off season should be the basis of your pre contest training...just limit training to failure...no super sets, forced reps etc
9. rep ranges that build muscle also maintain muscle...which has been documented by many in the know...3-10 reps build strength and muscle...more then that with the exception of legs are out of the muscle building/maintaining range...now or then a high rep set is fine...ie high rep squats etc...but are not the basis of strength nor hypertrophy
10. over training is a result of CNS fatigue not muscular fatigue...so dropping volume and increasing intensity will lead to further CNS fatigue
11. pre-contest dieting is stressfull there is no question...so getting plenty of rest is necessary...7-8 hrs sleep per night, avoid stimulants (cortisol)
12. a refeed meal is necessary for thyroid function and helps with sanity
13. going by a schedule makes everything work optimally...ie getting up the same time each day, eating meals the same time, spacing meals equally, training the same time, cardio the same time, getting to bed the same time...the body loves a schedule
14. you will not lose muscle on a BB keto diet....that is if you follow the rules
15. you can go up to 6 six days without fats if absolutely necessary...most clients with stubborn fat level really only need 3-4 days (and you wont lose muscle)
16. your blood markers will improve on keto...as well as your insulin sensitivity
17. keto work for natural or enhanced BB...much better on natural BB when compared to carb cycling because of how it affects hormone levels
18 sodium is increased on keto...more water is flushed hence losses in sodium
19 fibre is essential in keto for regularity and health
20. trace carbs are necessary on keto (50g max) for training

I am sure there are more but you get the idea.

P

Awesome Prae that will help me!!

Things I will gladly change and do :

1. Will ontinue lower volume, higher intensity (as I already do, it's not natural to me to leave a rep on the table).
2. Will continue low intensity cardio and stop HIIT (glad I did it only once) I could add steady ride of bike (outside) to the actual long walk I take. Should it be done while fasting first thing in the morning ? What should be the aimed heart beat ?
3. Yes I was low carbs before keto, from 225 for 100-175 for a month before keto
4. Will do
5. 240g daily is ok ? (I'm 182lbs now)
6. Ok I've already reduced it, so I'll keep this still and add more cardio instead of lowering it again
7. That is awesome, I trained like this for a while, one body part per day (6 days a week) Markus Ruhl style/beat the crap out of it once a week. That will suit me very well.
8. Will do
9. Perfect will do, it look like I'm a fast twitch type, so it will suit me good as well
10. Ok, I have to ingest that.
11. Already do
12. Already do
13. I can improve here, will do
14. I hope, this is a concern
15. Ok, I thought I could reduce instead of eliminating. I'll try that when cardio is not producing the results wanted
16. I hope so
17. Nice
18. Already taking more
19. I agree
20. My carbs come from those in eggs, milled flax, vegetables (celeri, onion, broccoli, spinach, salad, red/orange peppers, cucumber, green beens...)

Thanks

Eric

[TT Eric]

50g protein per meal...6 meals per day while dieting should be ideal for you...240g is on the low side.
P

Ok I can do that, but I will need to reduce fat intake a bit. When I go too high in protein, it seems I go fatter. I'm a light eater, maintenance for me is about 2300cal. Even sometime I need to force-feed the 6th meal. If I aim for 1800cal, I would need to go for :

300g of protein, 1200 cal
50g of carbs, 200 cal (not counting fibers)
45g of fat, 405 cal (7-8g per meals)

I may need to take some dessicated liver pills or BCAA/glutamine on certain meals to reach 50g of protein.

I take 2 whey shake per day, when I do, I count each gram of Glutamine, BCAA and Glycine as protein, then I complete with whey.

Is all that sound right ?

Thanks

Eric

[Praetorian]

50g protein
15-25g fat
trace carbs only

Here is a sample keto from DP.
P


MEAL #1
4 whole eggs (omega 3) add another 6 egg whites to this

MEAL #2
SHAKE: 50g Whey Protein with 1.5 tablespoon of All Natural Peanut butter (no sugar) + fiber

MEAL #3
"Lean Protein Meal": 7oz chicken with 1/3-cup cashew nuts (almonds, or walnuts)

MEAL #4
SHAKE: 50g Whey Protein with 1.5 tablespoons of All Natural Peanut butter (no sugar added) + fiber

MEAL #5
"Fatty Protein Meal": 7oz Salmon, Swordfish, or RED MEAT with a green salad (no tomatoes, carrots, or red peppers) with 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Macadamia nut oil and vinegar

MEAL #6
SHAKE: 50g Whey with 1.5 tablespoon all natural peanut butter + fiber

P

[#8]

^^ im gonna try something closer to this starting soon. the problem is eating that lean chicken without anything else. chicken is so dry and hard to chew, i honestly hate eating it, its brutal. What can I eat with the chicken as far as sauce or something goes to make it less painful?

[TT Eric]

50g protein
15-25g fat
trace carbs only

Here is a sample keto from DP.
P


MEAL #1
4 whole eggs (omega 3) add another 6 egg whites to this

MEAL #2
SHAKE: 50g Whey Protein with 1.5 tablespoon of All Natural Peanut butter (no sugar) + fiber

MEAL #3
"Lean Protein Meal": 7oz chicken with 1/3-cup cashew nuts (almonds, or walnuts)

MEAL #4
SHAKE: 50g Whey Protein with 1.5 tablespoons of All Natural Peanut butter (no sugar added) + fiber

MEAL #5
"Fatty Protein Meal": 7oz Salmon, Swordfish, or RED MEAT with a green salad (no tomatoes, carrots, or red peppers) with 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Macadamia nut oil and vinegar

MEAL #6
SHAKE: 50g Whey with 1.5 tablespoon all natural peanut butter + fiber

P

Thanks, but there is 2 problems here for me, the calories here are over what I need for maintenance!

And I'm allergic to all kind of nuts, so I take vegetables and more meat or protein supplements.

And why is that red peppers are out ? They are only 6% carbs, so a 50g portion is 3g of carbs (with .7g of it is fibers) I use to eat them raw.

Also 3 shakes I'm surprised, I thought real fool was the deal, so I was taking only 2.

@ #8, you can try to ground chicken, much more easier to eat and it's more acceptable with mustard too (weird I know lol).

Eric

[#8]

Ive tried ground chicken, its equally as brutal in my opinion, and I cant stomach mustard at all. The smell alone is off putting.

How does one measure 1/3 cup of nuts? Is that roughly 40g? Im looking to make things as exact as possible here to maintain consistency. I love eating cashews and dry roasted almonds so that is no problem for me to down those in a meal, but if I dont portion them carefully I tend to go buckwild, as they are delicious. Especially cashews, they taste like butter lol.

[Praetorian]

Thanks, but there is 2 problems here for me, the calories here are over what I need for maintenance!

And I'm allergic to all kind of nuts, so I take vegetables and more meat or protein supplements.

And why is that red peppers are out ? They are only 6% carbs, so a 50g portion is 3g of carbs (with .7g of it is fibers) I use to eat them raw.

Also 3 shakes I'm surprised, I thought real fool was the deal, so I was taking only 2.

@ #8, you can try to ground chicken, much more easier to eat and it's more acceptable with mustard too (weird I know lol).

Eric


The calories are fine...and its not just about calories...adjustments can be made if necessary but you need to start it as is to get a baseline.

No nuts no problem...use oils instead with a few veggies such as asparagus or spinach....peppers have too many carbs on keto....same as carrots

The shakes contain protein and fat...it is a meal....


Try the diet as it is....after a week changes can be made if necessary....dont over think things...this works on thousands of people.
P

[Praetorian]

Ive tried ground chicken, its equally as brutal in my opinion, and I cant stomach mustard at all. The smell alone is off putting.

How does one measure 1/3 cup of nuts? Is that roughly 40g? Im looking to make things as exact as possible here to maintain consistency. I love eating cashews and dry roasted almonds so that is no problem for me to down those in a meal, but if I dont portion them carefully I tend to go buckwild, as they are delicious. Especially cashews, they taste like butter lol.


Here is how to make a great chicken dish...get three breasts of chicken...skinless/boneless...clean and cut into small slices...say half inch thick.

Heat a non stick pan add chicken to pan...heat med high...with a cover....the chicken will tend to poach in its own juice....once it is all white..maybe 5-6 minutes....empty excess juice and add 1 tbsp oil....add half cup chopped onion (this is crucial to keep chicken moist)....cook while stirring to avoid burning and add spices...paprika, pepper, salt, cayenne, garlic powder etc...once close to done...add about 3-4 tbsp vinegar and stir.....remove from heat.

weigh out 7 oz chicken...add to bowl...add 1/3 measuring cup of cashews....douse liberally with Franks Red Hot sauce....enjoy...i love this meal when dieting!!!

P

PS. just get a baking set with different sizes measuring cups....use the 1/3 one for nuts

[btufts]

Micro periodization works much better than macro periodization...this has been proven by Louie Simmons and the results achieved by those athletes who use this system. The idea being instead of doing different phases for weeks at a time...reduce the time to days...this eliminates the stress on joints, the CNS, chronic injuries, hormone suppression etc. It also allows you to build more muscle because you are spending more time in the hypertrophy range or functional hypertrophy range,eliminating injury time off, and allowing for a more intense workout due to a fully charged CNS.
P

Micro periodization.... I do tend to do this aswell, joint problems, CNS fatigue and injuries the main reasons. I'm beginning to follow a lot of poliquins philosophies. Time under tension is key for creating hypertrophy. I always follow the 45 second rule and can say I have never been as lean and large as I am now. The main reason for doing higher reps at lower intensity is something I do post cycle to eliminate chances of injuries (after a torn pec, miniscus tear right knee, chronic tendonitus, and carpal tunnel this past year) more so than anything and to in simple terms give my body a break after contest prep (high intensity training) and increase intensity, drop rep ranges as weeks progress. Currently I'm using giant sets in my training and I LOVE them.

[btufts]

After 25 years of training, over ten years working with some of the most knowledgeable people in regards to athletic nutrition and performance, and literally hundreds of clients I have a what I think is a decent base of knowledge and experience.

That being said there are things you should and shouldnt do on keto...based on the energy source required for these activities.

1. training should be lower volume higher intensity (energy is limited so keeping training shorter is better and prevents excessive cortisol production, at the same time maximizing natural hormones)
2. low intensity cardio should be done (HIIT cardio is not good while on keto because it introduces O2 debt which changes the energy source from ketone bodies to glucose...where is glucose coming from while on keto? muscle tissue)
3. diet is started with lower direct carbs... relatively low...ie 100g daily and removed when fat loss stalls
4. cardio is introduced when fat loss stalls from diet...and introduced slowly...ie 20min EOD to start and increased when fat loss stalls...ie 10min daily
5. protein is never touched while dieting and is kept relatively high
6. fat is not touched until fat loss from cardio has stalled
7. training one major body part per day is ideal...keeps training short...see above also 5 days per week increases total activity which increases fat loss
8. how you train off season should be the basis of your pre contest training...just limit training to failure...no super sets, forced reps etc
9. rep ranges that build muscle also maintain muscle...which has been documented by many in the know...3-10 reps build strength and muscle...more then that with the exception of legs are out of the muscle building/maintaining range...now or then a high rep set is fine...ie high rep squats etc...but are not the basis of strength nor hypertrophy
10. over training is a result of CNS fatigue not muscular fatigue...so dropping volume and increasing intensity will lead to further CNS fatigue
11. pre-contest dieting is stressfull there is no question...so getting plenty of rest is necessary...7-8 hrs sleep per night, avoid stimulants (cortisol)
12. a refeed meal is necessary for thyroid function and helps with sanity
13. going by a schedule makes everything work optimally...ie getting up the same time each day, eating meals the same time, spacing meals equally, training the same time, cardio the same time, getting to bed the same time...the body loves a schedule
14. you will not lose muscle on a BB keto diet....that is if you follow the rules
15. you can go up to 6 six days without fats if absolutely necessary...most clients with stubborn fat level really only need 3-4 days (and you wont lose muscle)
16. your blood markers will improve on keto...as well as your insulin sensitivity
17. keto work for natural or enhanced BB...much better on natural BB when compared to carb cycling because of how it affects hormone levels
18 sodium is increased on keto...more water is flushed hence losses in sodium
19 fibre is essential in keto for regularity and health
20. trace carbs are necessary on keto (50g max) for training

I am sure there are more but you get the idea.

P


By the time 4 weeks out comes around, I'm doing pretty well everything stated above. Training is heavy, intense, and I usually incorporate a lot of drop sets, strip sets, partial reps in my working sets and volume is decreased. This year however for cardio however I had switched to intervals as per my trainer at the time and still in a state of ketosis (carbs >40g/day) . I think pretty well everyone at this time out from contest is in a state of ketosis or very close, except for the few freaks that still manage to get a few cups of carbs in till the last week or two. ( I know a few and I still don't know how they do it)

[Praetorian]

I wouldnt suggest drop sets or strip sets when training on a keto diet...and definitely not intervals...even for carb cycling dieting...the consensus with cardio when trying to maintain muscle mass is at either end of the spectrum...very high intensity ie prowler sets for 10 secs each or low intensity ie fast pace walking...both of these types of cardio avoid the inherent pitfalls that intervals create(ie gluconeogenesis, cortisol release etc). The other thing to remember is you are trying to maintain your muscle mass while dieting...which means training smarter...not harder. Many athletes push themselves to the limit while dieting and this is not advantageous at all...it actually detracts from the physique. Pushing past failure...ie drop sets, strip sets, forced reps...create more stress then is necessary. Generally a motivated athlete will push, push, push...believing the harder i work the better...not always so. Being in ketosis if you are still having fats in your diet is quite easy and comfortable...it is only when you drop fats that it becomes tough.
When i was young I had the same mentality because it comes with a good work ethic...but as I developed and learned from other in the sport at a high level I could see the mistakes i was making and made changes to correct that...so dieting is no longer a painful process as it once was...with the change to mostly keto and advanced training I dont need to kill myself and my physique has improved leaps and bounds.
P

[btufts]

well put Prae, of course at the time I had a very knowledgable trainer doing my prep so I did as was written. But I'm still young and learn as I go day in day out, learn from what works and what hasn't. I remember 3-4 weeks out working with Prae I was without a doubt in the best condition i had ever been in and only at the age of 18 and actually dug up a few old emails to refer to as i prepped for Nationals this past year. So very likely I may use a similiar protocol at next years provincials. Will I do a keto diet from 8-10 weeks out probably not, but very likely the last 6 weeks or so I just may!

[Praetorian]

well put Prae, of course at the time I had a very knowledgable trainer doing my prep so I did as was written. But I'm still young and learn as I go day in day out, learn from what works and what hasn't. I remember 3-4 weeks out working with Prae I was without a doubt in the best condition i had ever been in and only at the age of 18 and actually dug up a few old emails to refer to as i prepped for Nationals this past year. So very likely I may use a similiar protocol at next years provincials. Will I do a keto diet from 8-10 weeks out probably not, but very likely the last 6 weeks or so I just may!

Start by lowering carb intake first...ie have only 30g each in three of your mealss....plus a pwo carb...direct carbs such as creamy rice, brown rice, sweet potato..then when fat loss slows you can remove carbs and go keto...unless you are very insulin resistant which you will know if you arent dropping fat with low carb.
P

[btufts]

Start by lowering carb intake first...ie have only 30g each in three of your mealss....plus a pwo carb...direct carbs such as creamy rice, brown rice, sweet potato..then when fat loss slows you can remove carbs and go keto...unless you are very insulin resistant which you will know if you arent dropping fat with low carb.
P

That was pretty well the protocol I went by preparing for provincials this year (before a bad concussion and getting rear ended by a bus 4 weeks out) though fat was muuuuch more stubborn coming off, which i suspect was from running gear too long from nationals through off season and through another 16 week prep...(insulin resistance that is). note the things my body has gone through since the accident trying to repair itself more than like has a lot to do with it. I ended up having to drop the show last minute and even now my body is just starting to come back to normal. I will be going to get blood work done in the next couple weeks to check things out.

[Praetorian]

What is your competition weight?
P

[btufts]

What is your competition weight?
P

Nationals I weighed in at 190lbs on the dot. 5'10". Ps. long time ago now but it was great to meet you and your wife at weigh ins in Mntrl Prae you looked great sir!

[Praetorian]

Thanks Brandon...it was tough because it was my third show and I started to diet in February which lasted to October...my body just was very tired and wouldnt do what i wanted...never again. I have a buy to the Nationals anytime so the next one will be different.

For you I would suggest trying to remain lean and not going over say 225lbs...this will make dieting easier and allow you to build much more lean muscle because your insulin sensitivity will be much better. Once your BF gets over 10% the amount of carbs you can eat diminishes greatly otherwise fat deposition becomes a problem.

P

[btufts]

Thanks Brandon...it was tough because it was my third show and I started to diet in February which lasted to October...my body just was very tired and wouldnt do what i wanted...never again. I have a buy to the Nationals anytime so the next one will be different.

For you I would suggest trying to remain lean and not going over say 225lbs...this will make dieting easier and allow you to build much more lean muscle because your insulin sensitivity will be much better. Once your BF gets over 10% the amount of carbs you can eat diminishes greatly otherwise fat deposition becomes a problem.

P

Thats what happened to me too, I went from dieting for nationals to a huge bulk season and dieting 16 weeks to provincials. My body just wasn't working at full steam and I suspect half the reason my concussion I got at work was so severe and couldn't heal properly.

And thats exactly what I'm doing now, I took a bit of time off from strict dieting since the accident and have cleaned up my diet now my morning fasted weight today is down to 224lbs. I lose weight extremely quickly at first and seem to get back to a leaner state within a week of dieting with insulin sensitivity in mind. (funny, I just wrote an article on insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance today on my page lol) I'm currently off all gear, and only taking Ostarine and a few peptides at the moment "bridging" between cycles. I've been off for about 8 weeks now and plan to take another 4 weeks off, cleaning up my diet and getting leaner before i began again, like you said to increase insulin sensitivity and getting to a leaner state (I believe I'll level out around 210-215lbs knowing my body). Of course being in a leaner state will create leaner gains and better efficiency with nutrient absorption (increasing insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism) will without a doubt give me a better platform for lean gains and an easier contest preparation for provincials next year with of course less muscle wasting.