Going keto, any tips?

Furius_Saturninus_Plautia

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The past few months I pretty much gave up on bodybuilding and did nothing but eat shitty carbs so I've kicked myself In the ass and decided to get serious again and to drop the fat I'm going keto. My plan is to give it a shot for 4 weeks and see how it goes so any tips regarding this would be nice. Thanks for any info.
 
Well if you haven't done keto before, just a heads up; it's going to take a few days of feeling like shit until your body adjusts to it. Just stick to the basics, I personally found dieting while keto easier than not... If you stall, try implementing intermittent fasting. Also, if your performance in the gym starts to suffer, you could try Targeted Keto. Which is basically just having some fast absorbing carb source pre-workout. I used to like 20 grams of dextrose with iso whey. You definitely feel the extra strength from it.

Actually one really big tip a lot of people aren't aware of, is making sure to keep your electrolytes up while keto. Since your body will flush a lot of water, especially at the start. SALT EVERYTHING!!!! And of course make sure you're balancing your sodium with potassium/magnesium. If you don't you will also feel like shit, and your performance will suffer.
 
Well if you haven't done keto before, just a heads up; it's going to take a few days of feeling like shit until your body adjusts to it. Just stick to the basics, I personally found dieting while keto easier than not... If you stall, try implementing intermittent fasting. Also, if your performance in the gym starts to suffer, you could try Targeted Keto. Which is basically just having some fast absorbing carb source pre-workout. I used to like 20 grams of dextrose with iso whey. You definitely feel the extra strength from it.

Actually one really big tip a lot of people aren't aware of, is making sure to keep your electrolytes up while keto. Since your body will flush a lot of water, especially at the start. SALT EVERYTHING!!!! And of course make sure you're balancing your sodium with potassium/magnesium. If you don't you will also feel like shit, and your performance will suffer.

I've gone low carb before, but never full on keto. I've put on at least 10-12lbs of fat the past few months so my main goal here Is to drop the fat.
 
If you've never gone keto before, I recommend it. Even just for the experience. Everything runs cleaner. Higher brain function, focus right through to the exhaust gases.
There are drawbacks though. It is way too easy to run an excessive caloric deficit for too long. So unless you are counting calories and tracking macros, you may run short. Also, if you aren't measuring, you're guessing. So ideally you should have a way to measure ketones.
Obviously keto isn't just a diet. It's a complete metabolic switch. It takes time. Getting into ketosis and then actually becoming keto adapted where your muscles are drawing energy differently. (the whole krebs cycle stuff)
Instead of going keto, maybe consider going Paleo. This eliminates all the shit you've been bingeing on. And it's easy. Then, implement some time restricted feeding. 16-8. This is actually a very useful tool. I found eating from 12pm-8pm best for my lifestyle. But it really doesn't matter what time of day.
Then, after a couple of months, if you want to take it to the next level, hit the keto.
When you do go keto, like @Brbpuppy said, sodium, magnesium and potassium are important. Add some Brain Octane or another mct oil. Omega 3.
If you like to research and want the nerdy stuff, I've recommended him before but check out Dr Peter Attia. He has been a keto guy for years. Way smarter and more interesting than I am.
 
Dude, I forgot to mention. If you add mct oil, do it very slowly. Like a tsp a day at first. If you add too much too fast you will feel like William Wallace in Braveheart being disemboweled before execution. Agony!
 
Dude, I forgot to mention. If you add mct oil, do it very slowly. Like a tsp a day at first. If you add too much too fast you will feel like William Wallace in Braveheart being disemboweled before execution. Agony!

I prefer EV olive oil especially when cooking eggs so mct won't be In my diet.
 
I prefer EV olive oil especially when cooking eggs so mct won't be In my diet.
No man. It’s not about cooking. Off the top of my head I don’t have anything to cite so I will let you do the research. However, the mct specifically the c8 bipasses the regular digestive channels and is converted to ketones and used immediately by the brain as fuel. It is a good supplement to add to the keto journey.
 
No man. It’s not about cooking. Off the top of my head I don’t have anything to cite so I will let you do the research. However, the mct specifically the c8 bipasses the regular digestive channels and is converted to ketones and used immediately by the brain as fuel. It is a good supplement to add to the keto journey.

From what I understand keto just requires fats, I've read nothing about mct oil being a MAIN fat for this diet. Perhaps we are not understanding one another on this? I'm zero experience here though so :p
 
You are correct. MCT oil is not required and is definitely not a main fat. To achieve ketosis you need to deprive the liver of glycogen. It then cannot fuel the brain. So it must create an alternative fuel. Your body will use fat as a fuel source by converting it into ketones. There is a complex set of steps for this to happen. The mct oil skips most of these steps and heads straight to the brain. More or less.
It has been a long time since I've needed out on this stuff. I am not in ketosis now. So, I've dropped a few IQ points and cannot recite much of the complexities. I even get slip on work boots now so I don't have to remember to tie my laces.
I downloaded everything I could get my hands on. If you are interested, I would be happy to email you as much as you would like to read.
Honestly though, to make it as easy as possible I would recommend going low carb/paleo, add some TRF (time restricted feeding).
Make some slow steady weight loss. Then when you are ready, hit a 24-48hr fast. You will be in ketosis. Then maintain it through diet. Once you go keto, there are no cheat meals. No milk in your coffee even. A drop of cream or butter even. No fruit. (Fructose can only be digested through the liver which as you remember must remain depleted of glycogen) 20-25g carbs adds up fast.
Keto is protein sparing. Which means you should suffer less catabolic muscle losses. However, if you do not do it right, (slip in and out of ketosis or don't actually achieve nutritional ketosis) you will lose mass as well as fat.
Losing weight is the same as making gains. Do it too fast and it won't last. Those goddamn belly fat cells will fill back up in a hurry.
Honestly, I cannot remember if you are on TRT. If you are, this will definitely help with maintaining muscle mass.
I love keto. I lost a shit load of weight. But I didn't look ripped. lol. I looked gaunt.
It's a great tool. A great way to really understand what hunger is. Or isn't. 100hr fasts. No problem.
I would just save it for down the road a bit.
 
I highly recommend dietdoctor.com. They have thousands of keto, low carb and paleo recipes. They even have a shopping list feature where you just click add to shopping list and every ingredient is automatically saved for you.

I have IBS so keto is the only thing that's helped over the years. I used to be super strict about it but now am on a cycling keto diet which -simply put- is 20 -30 gs of carbs a day during the week and then usually have around 100 on a Sunday before I start my work week and help fuel my workouts. It's also allowed me to enjoy 1 cheat meal a week but it's always complex carbs.

Good luck!
 
Well if you haven't done keto before, just a heads up; it's going to take a few days of feeling like shit until your body adjusts to it. Just stick to the basics, I personally found dieting while keto easier than not... If you stall, try implementing intermittent fasting. Also, if your performance in the gym starts to suffer, you could try Targeted Keto. Which is basically just having some fast absorbing carb source pre-workout. I used to like 20 grams of dextrose with iso whey. You definitely feel the extra strength from it.

Actually one really big tip a lot of people aren't aware of, is making sure to keep your electrolytes up while keto. Since your body will flush a lot of water, especially at the start. SALT EVERYTHING!!!! And of course make sure you're balancing your sodium with potassium/magnesium. If you don't you will also feel like shit, and your performance will suffer.
For hydration I started making bone broth from my whole chicken. Carcass, seems to really help, especially after I do a "cheat meal" because I will fast for a few hours after waking up to try and kickstart the glycogen depletion, keeps you hydrated as well.

Once your body starts going into ketosis you will urinate like crazy as well for the first few days as the body rids itself of water
 
No man. It’s not about cooking. Off the top of my head I don’t have anything to cite so I will let you do the research. However, the mct specifically the c8 bipasses the regular digestive channels and is converted to ketones and used immediately by the brain as fuel. It is a good supplement to add to the keto journey.
I know Palumbo prefers macadamia nut oil, I believe it's to do with the bypassing of the digestive system, as a fat source anyway.
 
Don't think just because you're on keto that you don't have to count calories, It's a great diet, but you still need to be in deficit, it's not a miracle.
 
Don't think just because you're on keto that you don't have to count calories, It's a great diet, but you still need to be in deficit, it's not a miracle.
Couldn't agree enough. Keto's a tool that reduces your hunger and cravings - while cutting, it's pretty powerful. After a 1-2 week adaptation period (where hunger kicks your ass), you've got to start counting calories, and maybe push your fasting windows further towards the 20/4 if fat loss is your goal... It helps sustain energy levels, during long periods of fasting, and staves off hunger on an aggressive low-calorie diet.

Nothing else.

However, I find it interesting that, due to the drying effect of the diet, I resolve my carpal tunnel symptoms, and even reduce my asthma symptoms a bit (less productive cough during cardio).
 
However, I find it interesting that, due to the drying effect of the diet, I resolve my carpal tunnel symptoms, and even reduce my asthma symptoms a bit (less productive cough during cardio).

I do like that drying effect too, I used to have severe edema (fluid buildup in feet and legs) from being in the wheelchair, and it went away because of the Keto,.

I'm not even that strict, I eat usually about 50 sometimes as much as 100 grams of carbs in a day, and my urine ketone levels are 1.5-2 on fasting days, but the edema is still gone, which is great for me, as I don't have to wear compression stockings anymore and my foot health and lower limb circulation has significantly improved.
 
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