Quick question on 'Carb-Loading' w/ Atkins/Keto types of diets...

[b1ggjoe]

Quick question for everyone who has had success with Atkins/Keto types of diets:

With the Atkins diet, for example...there is an 'induction phase' that should take place the first 2 weeks...however for some, it can be a lot longer.

What is the conventional theory or 'best practice' when it comes to Carb-loading and these types of diets? If doing Atkins or some kind of CKD-style Keto-Diet...is it good to - carb-load one day out of the week at all?

I ask because I have read from others that when you start dropping so much fat/weight...so fast...your body thinks you are starving yourself and will begin to hold on to the fat...which is counterproductive?

Please share your thoughts.

Thank you!

BJ

 

[Bieberhole69]

A lot will depend on your current bf%, goals, stats, etc. What are you trying to accomplish?

 

[b1ggjoe]

Both my friend and I are trying to lose weight. I'm at about 280lbs...about 100lbs over weight. She is trying to drop about 25 pounds or so...but she already looks pretty damn hot. However, I was just curious if 'Carb-loading' is part of an overall strategy...if it is REALLY needed or is it just an excuse to eat crap carbs again.

BJ

 

[sassy69]

I don't know much about the cutting phase of the Atkins diet, but CKD you can find lots of information. I'm thinking of particularly going to the master: Lyle McDonald's "The Ketogenic Diet". But the basic idea is do keto for a week, and then a refeed at least once / week. And ideally you're not just eating "crap carbs" but good quality, and maybe a couple shitty ones just to keep your system up to speed on processing less than optimal stuff. (I've found I get very sensitive to a variety of foods, even gotten lactose intolerant during contest prep when I'm on a restricted, ultra clean diet.)

 

[sassy69]

Here's a good link in the stickies that should help also: http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/diet-nutrition/25250-refeeds-leptin.html

 

[Bieberhole69]

No reason at all to carb load in your situation. You have the ability to lose a tremendous amount of weight using a ketogenic diet as long as you follow a consistent and strict diet and exercise plan. You HAVE to put in at least 5 days a week of moderate to intense workouts, preferably something to get your heart rate up. If you put your body into ketosis and do not exercise regularly you build up "toxins" and really put your health at risk. Exercise is a way of flushing these "toxins".

Now for the diet part. Start with the basics. Drop your calorie intake to about 600 less than your maintenance. Do not eat more than 30 g of carbs a day and let the rest come from protein and fat. That doesn't mean go crazy and eat bacon for breakfast, hamburger patties for lunch and a steak for dinner. You should LIVE off of turkey and boneless skinless chicken breast and as many leafy green veggies as you want (these are okay carbs). I like getting turkey from a BBQ place and always having it around. Example day would be:

5:30, wake up (don't eat yet)
6:30, do your workout or cardio or whatever you decide works best for 45 min to an hour
8:00, 4 egg whites, 1 whole egg. I usually add salsa
10:00 two scoops of whey protein with a little flaxseed oil
12:30 6 oz of turkey with veggies
2:30 6 oz chicken breast with veggies
4:30 two scoops of whey protein with a little flaxseed oil
Dinner: Salmon with veggies

**if you're unsure of the carb content don't eat it til you check it. If you can't be strict, keto won't work. Also don't be afraid of fat. Feel free to eat some organic peanut butter or even whole eggs in the morning if you want.

Do this Monday through Saturday afternoon. You can have carbs between this time and Sunday night but make sure they are good carbs. If you have to cheat on the weekends, fine, but watch your portion size. The more you cheat on the weekend the longer it's gonna take. Keto works, but it really does take dedication. A lot of people will give you their opinions and I am basing this on what has worked in the past for me.

 

[b1ggjoe]

Sounds awesome Sassy! I will checkout those 'Stickies' then. So by 'Once a week' Is that one full day out of the week?

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk

 

[sassy69]

Sounds awesome Sassy! I will checkout those 'Stickies' then. So by 'Once a week' Is that one full day out of the week?

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk

I'd suggest you google "Lyle McDonald" and "The Ketogenic Diet" - I found some links to his book (pdf). I don't know if you can actually download it, but I've seen the links. The only caveat I'd say about doing a full day of refeed is that it can turn into a fucking feeding frenzy free-for-all. I much prefer either keep it to a single refeed meal or a rule like "eat whatever you want for 2-3 hours" or something that keeps you from going literally hog wild because its your "cheat day".

 

[exphys88]

I like to add a cheat evening. Eat clean before dinner, then have anything I want for dinner and dessert. I may have a couple glasses of wine too.

 

[b1ggjoe]

Bieberhole69,

Thank you so much for your response as well...that sounds fantastic!!!

 

[sassy69]

I like to add a cheat evening. Eat clean before dinner, then have anything I want for dinner and dessert. I may have a couple glasses of wine too.

This is my general approach to cheat meals - pick a night when you can enjoy it. I typically go w/ a Saturday night. That way its consistent so your body can adapt to the schedule and also gives you an outlet from the more restrictive diet when it can often start cutting into your social life. For the keto diet, its good to do the carb up. For a diet in general its good to throw some shit down the piehole just to shock your body and give it a little digestive challenge. Expect to be fuller, possibly look more watery or bloaty the day after, but your body will assimilate the changes within a day or so and get back to business. The best approach to making changes in your body is small and consistent changes in short cycles w/ recovery periods so it can continue instead of running itself out until all its resources are tapped and it starts rebounding or going into a metabolic stall as a survival response.

As I think of it, this is true both in diet & training. You can't do ultra strict in either w/o giving some form of cyclic recovery so you can continue until you meet your goal. I'll reference the use of "periodization" in training as well as cycles such as keto or carb cycling. The body doesn't like extreme anything because it can't accommodate and maintain changes quickly. It needs time to adapt to things - so slow & steady is your best approach to achieving & maintaining the changes you want. The people who want quicky changes are the ones who screw themselves.