Exercise? Thoughts?
ttw1211
Posts: 91 Member
I work out 4-5 days a week. Some strength training, some cardio, sometimes both in the same night, sometimes not that much.
The owner of the gym said tonight "if you don't eat healthy carbs, your body will burn muscle because you don't have carbs to burn".
I eat around 20 total carbs a day.
I've never heard that before. Wouldn't I be burning fat? So many people have opinions about our LCHF lifestyle. Plus I'm gaining muscle, and I see some new (little baby lol) muscles forming.
Thoughts??
The owner of the gym said tonight "if you don't eat healthy carbs, your body will burn muscle because you don't have carbs to burn".
I eat around 20 total carbs a day.
I've never heard that before. Wouldn't I be burning fat? So many people have opinions about our LCHF lifestyle. Plus I'm gaining muscle, and I see some new (little baby lol) muscles forming.
Thoughts??
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Replies
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Some broscience, some truth.
Forget the "healthy carbs" nonsense, but you do need some glucose each day. About 40g. If you don't get it from your diet, your body will make it for you.
So if you're eating 20g carbs, you are running a 20g glucose deficit. About 40% of that (IIRC) can come from glycerol -- leftovers from fat metabolism. That leaves about 12g that will come from protein (via GNG).
So if your protein intake was 0, then you would lose a bit of muscle mass eating 20g carbs. I assume your protein intake is sufficient to both fuel GNG and add to your muscles.
If you only did cardio, you might lose a bit of muscle mass, but strength training will allow you to maintain or gain mass.
IOW, it sounds like you're nailing it perfectly.
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Some broscience, some truth.
Forget the "healthy carbs" nonsense, but you do need some glucose each day. About 40g. If you don't get it from your diet, your body will make it for you.
So if you're eating 20g carbs, you are running a 20g glucose deficit. About 40% of that (IIRC) can come from glycerol -- leftovers from fat metabolism. That leaves about 12g that will come from protein (via GNG).
So if your protein intake was 0, then you would lose a bit of muscle mass eating 20g carbs. I assume your protein intake is sufficient to both fuel GNG and add to your muscles.
If you only did cardio, you might lose a bit of muscle mass, but strength training will allow you to maintain or gain mass.
IOW, it sounds like you're nailing it perfectly.
Okay, that's what I figured. So basically my protein intake is making up for it? It would be a problem if I was eating carbs or protein.0 -
Right. If you want to restict carbs to 20g, I usually suggest adding about 20g of protein to what you think you need -- that ensures you have enough for both GNG and muscle maintenance.
So 20g carb is fine. Even 0g carbs is fine. As long as you're willing to burn protein to make glucose.
I used to think that eating around 40g carbs might be an optimal balance between ketone production and minimizing protein catabolism, but I'm not sure it's actually been studied.0 -
Right. If you want to restict carbs to 20g, I usually suggest adding about 20g of protein to what you think you need -- that ensures you have enough for both GNG and muscle maintenance.
So 20g carb is fine. Even 0g carbs is fine. As long as you're willing to burn protein to make glucose.
I used to think that eating around 40g carbs might be an optimal balance between ketone production and minimizing protein catabolism, but I'm not sure it's actually been studied.
I seem to average 120 protein, 20 carb, 95 fat. Maybe I should up the protein..0 -
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Right. If you want to restict carbs to 20g, I usually suggest adding about 20g of protein to what you think you need -- that ensures you have enough for both GNG and muscle maintenance.
So 20g carb is fine. Even 0g carbs is fine. As long as you're willing to burn protein to make glucose.
I used to think that eating around 40g carbs might be an optimal balance between ketone production and minimizing protein catabolism, but I'm not sure it's actually been studied.
Would that be 40gm total or net carbs?0 -
Right. If you want to restict carbs to 20g, I usually suggest adding about 20g of protein to what you think you need -- that ensures you have enough for both GNG and muscle maintenance.
So 20g carb is fine. Even 0g carbs is fine. As long as you're willing to burn protein to make glucose.
I used to think that eating around 40g carbs might be an optimal balance between ketone production and minimizing protein catabolism, but I'm not sure it's actually been studied.
I seem to average 120 protein, 20 carb, 95 fat. Maybe I should up the protein..
That's more protein than I get, and I'm a 6'1" guy. You're getting plenty!0 -
macchiatto wrote: »Right. If you want to restict carbs to 20g, I usually suggest adding about 20g of protein to what you think you need -- that ensures you have enough for both GNG and muscle maintenance.
So 20g carb is fine. Even 0g carbs is fine. As long as you're willing to burn protein to make glucose.
I used to think that eating around 40g carbs might be an optimal balance between ketone production and minimizing protein catabolism, but I'm not sure it's actually been studied.
Would that be 40gm total or net carbs?
It's really just a ballpark estimate, and it completely ignores anaerobic exercise, but in theory, it's 40g net.0 -
Right. If you want to restict carbs to 20g, I usually suggest adding about 20g of protein to what you think you need -- that ensures you have enough for both GNG and muscle maintenance.
So 20g carb is fine. Even 0g carbs is fine. As long as you're willing to burn protein to make glucose.
I used to think that eating around 40g carbs might be an optimal balance between ketone production and minimizing protein catabolism, but I'm not sure it's actually been studied.
I seem to average 120 protein, 20 carb, 95 fat. Maybe I should up the protein..
That's more protein than I get, and I'm a 6'1" guy. You're getting plenty!
Thank you sooo much for your help!!!! 0 -
If you are doing anaerobic exercise, you should first establish your protein needs. Here's an excellent calculator: http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/DietMakeupCalc.php. I do anaerobic workouts so I have my protein set at 25% of daily calories. Next is to make sure you eat your green vegetables. My carbs are set at 5% of daily calories. I try to eat four servings per day. Fill the rest with fats. Mine are set at 70%. So 70/5/25.
If I only did aerobic cardio I'd go 75/5/20 or maybe even 80/5/15. And sedentary I would be 80/5/15.
Thank you! I'll look at this tomorrow 0 -
If you are doing anaerobic exercise, you should first establish your protein needs. Here's an excellent calculator: http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/DietMakeupCalc.php. I do anaerobic workouts so I have my protein set at 25% of daily calories. Next is to make sure you eat your green vegetables. My carbs are set at 5% of daily calories. I try to eat four servings per day. Fill the rest with fats. Mine are set at 70%. So 70/5/25.
If I only did aerobic cardio I'd go 75/5/20 or maybe even 80/5/15. And sedentary I would be 80/5/15.
That's a pretty awesome calculator! It gives some nifty info.
I like this one, too: http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
And this one has some great info about how to balance your macros to maintain a consistent level of ketosis: http://www.flexibleketogenic.com/0 -
I use the same calculator, @KnitOrMiss. I was freaking out about constantly going over my 25% MFP protein limit (~48 grams, I think) and that calculator told me I should be getting around 85g, which is pretty much where I was most days. Whew.0
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If you rely on calculators, make sure you read and agree with the underlying assumptions.
The phlaunt calculator makes some pretty crazy assumptions about protein, but the number it spit out for me was reasonable. Loved her book, BTW.
This is one of her (crazy) assumptions:
We are assuming you will need 85 grams of glucose to be produced from protein (also a generous estimate).0 -
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@ttw1211 below is a link by body builders that you may want to share with those with no understanding of living in nutritional ketosis for any reason.
bodybuilding.com/fun/keto.htm0 -
@GaleHawkins I love that article!!!! Thank you 0
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