TT Eric diet log 2014

[Praetorian]

Water rebound occurs even without eating carbs for most, if not all without the use of drugs to control the water rebound. This is the water rebound I am talking about. Anyone who's competed in back to back shows would likely have seen this. Even getting back on strict diet and cardio, its still not until a few days before they look as good as they were the week prior. What I mean by water rebound is that you are heavier, and have a blur over parts of your body (abs is common) then you were the week prior even without adding calories or carbs.

I've held water by simply dehydrating too much. Majority of this being simply aldosterone out of whack. Carbs can exagerate that effect because carbs hold water as well. The post show rebound that is common is this:

1. post show eat everything in sight.
2. 2 days later, continue this because food tastes so good.
3. 3 days later, holding onto 20 pounds of water that looks like fat
4. depressed, and continue to eat (although trying to be clean, but only lasting until noon).
5. by the time the water rebound is gone, that 20 pounds of water actually is 20 pounds of fat.

I'd be surprised if someone even on keto for months who switched their macros to 80% carbs, while keeping calories constant would have any water rebound. Eric... Would you like to be the test subject?! I'd be curious if he ate 2000 calories a day, 60% carbs, 20% fat, 20% protein, did half the cardio. My gut says he'd continue to lose. or stay within 1 pound.

Yes dehydrating too much will result in water retention the next few days. This is the bodies reaction to dehydration it basically recirculates all water through the kidneys instead of releasing it because it believes you are not going to get anymore due to the severe dehydration it has gone through...ie high aldosterone release. Carb sensitivity rebound is a different thing altogether. With some as I said this is not a problem mostly because they are not carb sensitive what so ever..ie case in point Milos Sarcev. However with many after dieting on a low carb diet, keto include they must reintroduce carbs slowly or the resulting effect from insulin (insulin causes water retention) will result in the body retaining water. I can keep caloric intake identical post contest as it was pre contest and just vary the macros ie elevate carbs and lower fat and the resulting water retention is massive. Yes many go way overboard after a contest and that is not the same thing but I have no issue with control and as I said caloric intake is identical. Insulin sensitivity is what controls the amount of carbs one can utilize effectively.

P

[steve_d]

Interesting. Seems I should be thankful to not be carb sensitive! I always thought I was because when dieting I can't really handle eating sugar. When Ange and I dieted last she'd make fun of me on a cheat day because she'd soak up the carbs and feel great all day, while I just felt like I was going into a sugar coma and felt like crap - acid reflux, heart racing, no energy, etc. For her it made the greatest workout, pumps for days, and feeling great. I only feel good after the first 100grams of carbs. Anything more and it just screws it up.

Same goes for carb up day before a show - I generally don't carb up well, and the math / glycogen just doesn't work - I feel like I don't benefit at all from carbs in the visual sense. And all I really need is a bowl of oats or 2 and thats about as much benefit as i'll get. Any more just bloats me, and doesn't 'fill me out' so to speak. It doesn't hurt me, but it just doesn't help.

What seems to work for me is keeping things steady, no fluctuations, no ups, no downs. In that sense, eating carbs all week prior to a show might be best... or throughout the entire prep.

In the end, I thought it was simply my sensitivity to carbs, but I am starting to think I am describing the reverse. My lack of sensitivity to carbs! IE - a carb simply doesn't do what it should to me! lol... Oh well, I think that could be thought of as a good thing. I don't have most of the negative side effects associated with carbs (ie carbs aren't my enemy).

[Praetorian]

I hear you Steve. It does appear you are very carb sensitive...but like most I think its the type of carbs that will result in making things worse..ie sugar. I dont do well with sugar either...bloated, feel like crap etc.

I also take longer to carb up so the traditional 2 days is not ideal...three days is better and using things like potato and sweet potato work better then rice.

P

[TT Eric]

I measured my arm and leg yesterday and today (double check), not really happy to say I've lost 1''+ of arm and 2'' of leg so far. My arms measure pretty much the same now then 2 years ago after keto, but I had 3/4'' more arms this year when I started the diet vs what I had 2 years ago before I started the diet. I feel like a shrimp.

Bench also went down further, I was really surprised to failed at using 105lbs, not even one alone, this is a weight I would normally do 7+ alone.

Eric

[steve_d]

if you've lost 1 inch arms and 2 inch legs, but lost near 30 lbs in the process, consider it a success! The fat is taken from everywhere. Inches will be lost.

[steve_d]

I hear you Steve. It does appear you are very carb sensitive...but like most I think its the type of carbs that will result in making things worse..ie sugar. I dont do well with sugar either...bloated, feel like crap etc.

I also take longer to carb up so the traditional 2 days is not ideal...three days is better and using things like potato and sweet potato work better then rice.

P

I can handle sugar well if only a little. And it just depends on the week too. Sometimes a massive cheat (anything), and I feel like I can run a marathon the same day. Off season I can handle anything. Like I was saying before, I could eat a whole cake and feel just fine. But if I cut carbs for a while, I guess my body starts getting confused when they come back in lol. The good part is after all diets i've done, I always get lean - so really my choice of diet doesn't really matter, and in the end its whatever helps me feel at my best. And the best for me is moderation it seems. I don't balloon in the offseason, and its simply because I don't have hunger that would get me past 195 pounds. However once below 185, it is really obvious I am starving lol. The good thing is I don't need to be under 185 for too long, so contest prep is only tricky for about 2-3 weeks.

[TT Eric]

if you've lost 1 inch arms and 2 inch legs, but lost near 30 lbs in the process, consider it a success! The fat is taken from everywhere. Inches will be lost.

The only thing I see that doesn't compute is that in 2012 at 173-175lbs my arms were pretty much the same then now but with 10 more lbs. They lost 1/2'' in 2012 while dieting vs now 1''.

Eric

[TT Eric]

Week #18 I'm not at 181.6lbs, so I've lost 1.0lbs. I was expecting more loss since I added one more fat free day. It seems my body is more resistant. I will add one more fat free day, so 5 days without fat. The next week it'll be preferable for me to move the re-feed meal to Saturday instead of Sunday. So it will be Monday to Friday no fat and re-feed on Saturday. Still 120min cardio /2.

Eric

[steve_d]

The only thing I see that doesn't compute is that in 2012 at 173-175lbs my arms were pretty much the same then now but with 10 more lbs. They lost 1/2'' in 2012 while dieting vs now 1''.

Eric

eventually you won't lose much more size on specific body parts. My arms at 195 are the same as when I am 175. My legs will lose 1/4 inch, my stomach will lose more, and my back as well. Depends where you store fat, not many store too much on their biceps when they are below 10%. most will still have a good bit to lose from their glutes / gut.

[steve_d]

Week #18 I'm not at 181.6lbs, so I've lost 1.0lbs. I was expecting more loss since I added one more fat free day. It seems my body is more resistant. I will add one more fat free day, so 5 days without fat. The next week it'll be preferable for me to move the re-feed meal to Saturday instead of Sunday. So it will be Monday to Friday no fat and re-feed on Saturday. Still 120min cardio /2.

Eric

I can't say I'd recommend having 5 days in a week without fat or carbs. Seems like your weekly calorie intake is getting pretty low / coupled with 2 hours cardio daily, plus trying to work out on top of that. Of course, no one said dieting was easy. But you've got more will power than me!