Please critique this diet

[#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