Low Carb/Ketogenic diet with IF while weight training

gmhall2006
gmhall2006 Posts: 12 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I've lost about 40 pounds so far on MFP by lowering my carbohydrate intake, only eating between the hours of noon-8pm every day, and doing stronglifts 5x5 3 times a week.

I'm 32yo 6'6" 360 pounds, and threw shotput in College; so I have a good amount of muscle on my frame. My goals are to drop down to 280 pounds, and I want to keep as much muscle as possible in doing so. I'm really enjoying the lifting again, but I find myself feeling pretty worn down some days before lifting; which I'm guessing is due to the fact that I'm eating about 20g of carbs a day.

I was wondering about shaking up my diet to where I get about 100g of carbs on days that I lift, and eating absolutely none the other 4 days. That would take me to about an average of 40g/day which would still be moderately ketogenic, and definitely low carb, and should enable me to have more strenous workouts.

My other thought was don't fix it if it aint broke; and the more crucial component of my lifestyle change is to lose fat; and if that means staying on the superlow carbs, and gutting through some less than stellar workouts; I can worry about that after I'm at goal weight/composition.

Your thoughts?

Replies

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    A ketogenic diet has no metabolic advantage in terms of weight or fat loss. It's also probably one of the worst diets you could be on as somebody who does a lot of strength training.

    My thoughts would be to set up your macros more in line with the recommendations set forth in the link below and enjoy much better workouts, as well as the anti-catabolic effect that carbs offer:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    you can lose fat and eat higher carbs, as long as you maintain your deficit.

    My guess is that you are feeling worn down because you are lifting and eating low carb, which is not an ideal situation...

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    A ketogenic diet has no metabolic advantage in terms of weight or fat loss. It's also probably one of the worst diets you could be on as somebody who does a lot of strength training.

    My thoughts would be to set up your macros more in line with the recommendations set forth in the link below and enjoy much better workouts, as well as the anti-catabolic effect that carbs offer:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

    and this
  • gmhall2006
    gmhall2006 Posts: 12 Member
    Very interesting information gents, looks like I had bought into the broscience without doing some research. I'll happily start eating some carbs and hopefully having some better workouts.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    gmhall2006 wrote: »
    Very interesting information gents, looks like I had bought into the broscience without doing some research. I'll happily start eating some carbs and hopefully having some better workouts.

    you should notice improvement in a week or so..

    also, the scale will more than likely temporary go up due to water weight increase, which is totally natural when one re-introduces carbs. It is not fat, just water weight...
  • gmhall2006
    gmhall2006 Posts: 12 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    gmhall2006 wrote: »
    Very interesting information gents, looks like I had bought into the broscience without doing some research. I'll happily start eating some carbs and hopefully having some better workouts.

    you should notice improvement in a week or so..

    also, the scale will more than likely temporary go up due to water weight increase, which is totally natural when one re-introduces carbs. It is not fat, just water weight...

    Thanks for letting me know, I've been dropping weight like a champ, but had a pretty big gain last week after starting creatine and loading. Looks like i'll be stacking waterweight on waterweight.
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