Questions for the gym rats!

(Jarred) #1

Hi all! Been creeping around here for a little while. This is my first post. A little background. I have been using low carb to lose fat for over a decade. Got into keto/if about 3 years ago because it seemed to be alternative to feeling Iike shit while reducing carbohydrate intake, sick of yo-yo dieting and looking for something more sustainable.
I typically stay in keytosis for a couple months. Im in the gym typically 5 days a week. Strength and functional CrossFit style workouts. Oly lifting etc.
I’d like to her some other peoples experiences and I have some questions on a couple of topics.

On the strength components of my workouts I lose strength being in keytosis. If eat some carbs i can immediately, like the next day see an increase in strength. Also my muscles are fuller, tighter and my face is fills out. My wife will usually be the first to point out when my face and body start getting that deflated sunken in look after being in keytosis for a while. Also muscle soreness last longer in keytosis. What are other people’s experiences with this? Are you carb cycling? How often? Do you find it aiding in muscle growth and performance? Right now I’m at about 16% body fat. Would like to get to about 12% in your experience does carb cycling hinder that? And I do keep my electrolytes in check.

This one might seem strange. I get tattooed quite often. I feel like I have way less of a pain tolerance while in keytosis. Anyone experiencing this. Probably a long shot but just curious.

Thanks again for input!

#2

It’s interesting to read you observations because I am noticing everything you wrote except in reverse. Less muscle soreness, less pain, faster recovery when eating keto. The filled out muscles and face make sense though because you are simply replenishing your muscle glycogen stores when eating carbs. In ketosis there is less water retention so you can get that sunken in look you describe. I personally like that cosmetically on me because my face is fuller, but my husband has gotten comments that he looks older.

(Sheri Knauer) #3

I too find that my strength has increased, muscle soreness decreased, while eating a ketogenic diet, with the exception of when I was in the first month, in which my body was becoming fat adapted and I did lose some muscle strength, which quickly returned after being fully fat adapted. I have been strict keto for 2 years now.
Do you measure for ketones? What is your diet like when you are restricting the carbs? Are you eating enough food to fuel your activity level?
I suggest you check out Robert Sykes. He is a ketogenic body builder who recently earned his pro card being 100% keto. http://ketosavage.com

(Allie) #4

I’m wondering if you got properly fat adapted with just doing s couple of months at a time. I have less soreness and better gains than pre-keto, even better than when I was in my 20’s

#5

I find that I run into these issues when I am stricter on keto vs more on the “I’m just eating meat” side. I think the extra protein helps with replenishing glycogen. I think the FASTER study shows glycogen stores replenish better in long-term adapted athletes (I might have the wrong study).

I’m with the other folks here, my recovery and soreness are better than when I was 25, I’m 41. I only use carbs (1 Gu packet) if I’m doing a high intensity effort lasting more than an hour, such as a MTB race.

KetoGains are the experts in ketogenic strength athletics, you should check them out, they got me from 17% to 13% without carb cycling.