What program are you using? What are the weights on your lifts? What is the nature of your struggle with heavier weights (ie - form breaking down, muscles giving out, etc)? How long have you been low carb? How many calories are you eating each day?

christch wrote: »

Eating low carb about 6 wks now, about 1700 cal, normally 2000 cal just trying to shift bit of bf.
Been using progressive overload prog at hypertrophy until two weeks ago switching back to power for next few weeks, basically PHUL, had been doing SL 5x5 for several months. Goal is to gain muscle, drop bf. Actual scale weight has had +/- 1 to 2 kg fluctuation over past year but I've definitely dropped inches and have seen more "muscle" appear.
DL 1x5 75kg
Bench 2x2 40kg
Front squat 1x5 45kg though can do 52.5kg but not below parallel
Oh press 20kg
Lat pulldown 5x5 40kg
Seated row 5x5 40kg
Leg press 3x3 90kg
Plus bicep, triceps, legs etc
These are my working sets and I do warm up sets for bench, DL and front squat first.

I just seem to run out of energy then of course my lifts fail particularly on bench .
Maybe I'm trying to put through too much volume.
I work from home looking after toddlers so while I'm busy it's not a physically demanding job.
BTW 43 yr old woman, maybe that's my problem.

First, nice lifts.

It could be a few different things. Here are my thoughts:

When was the last time you deloaded, before switching programs? Did you adjust your weights for the new sets/reps in the new program?

You might just need more food, given your feeling of running out of energy. It also takes a little time for the body to fat adapt, athletically. Additionally, LCHF means less glycogen, generally, so the raw weight will go down in the transition (this doesn't affect your muscle/strength gaining, you just no longer have the extra "NOS" to push your numbers up a little).

Those are pretty good numbers for a woman without bunches of training. Your deadlift's around bodyweight, and the rest are about 2/3 bodyweight, which isn't too shabby. It looks like your shoulders, traps, and pecs are a bit on the weak side, which isn't uncommon for women. If you're not failing on the lower body stuff, it might just be that you need more work on upper body.

Most of these point back, to me, to "perhaps it's time to deload." Basically, keep the sets/reps the same, and drop the weight by 20-50%, then work back up. Pay special attention to your form, so that you make sure it's spot-on at the higher weights, which will make or break a lift (and your body) as the weight goes up. This will also help the stabilizing muscles catch up, and should help you power through your plateau.

Generally speaking, as you start getting to and beyond bodyweight on your lifts, adding weight will slow down. It's just how muscle gain works. Higher weights also start getting affected by the mental component. If you're just not feeling the routine, or if you're intimidated by a particular weight, the mental energy alone could keep you from progressing, even if your muscles are actually ready.

I'd say first, add calories back in. You can eat more on LCHF than on higher carb diets and still get the weight loss benefits (yay, hormones!), and it sounds like you need more. Start with 2000, keep monitoring your tape and scale to ensure you're still on track. If you're still feeling fatigued, bump it up by 100-200 calories, while keeping carbs low. If you get to the point where you're gaining fat (not just weight), then start looking into deloading at least the trouble lifts.

Also, have a look at http://ketogains.com/. It's a great resource by a guy who's been lifting while keto for over a decade.

I work from home looking after toddlers so while I'm busy it's not a physically demanding job.

lol

As a mother of a 5 year old, I challenge you to get a Fitbit or other wearable tracker (ideally with a heart rate monitoring feature) and see just how physically demanding such a job actually is. You'll probably find you're burning a lot more fuel than you think you are.