StrongLifts and Keto

(Briton) #1

Ok. So I know the scale isn’t the end all be all, BUT since I started doing StrongLifts 5x5 about 3 weeks ago I have put on 5 lbs and my body fat percentage hasn’t changed according to my scale. I am stronger and feel better but I’m trying to lose weight and get off my insulin and other diabetes meds. Thoughts? Suggestions? Below are my stats:

42 M 5’5” type 2 diabetic (10yrs)
SW = 245
CW = 220 lowest was 215 until recently
GW = 175
Since beginning keto 8 months ago: I have decreased insulin intake from 60 units twice a day to 10 units twice daily. A1C = 6

(Jason Fletcher) #2

i would give it more time.

If you are not accounting for what you are eating or eating to satiation when you start a new exercise regiment you will over eat.

(Briton) #3

I track all my nutrition and macros with my fitness pal. I eat 1695 cal and macros are C 5% P 20% F 75%. I also forgot to mention I do Tabata HIIT on the bike 3x week.

#4

Have you really crunched those numbers? SL5x5, HIIT and eating less than 2k cals/day? In any case you can’t do a program like SL5x5 which is designed to put on mass at a quick speed and expect to NOT put on weight! If you start building muscle the scale’s gonna go up. Scale weight is no longer a metric you should be paying attention to. BF% is, but scales are hit or miss with that. Get yourself a cheap but accurate measurement like a bodpod or see if the gym you go to can measure you and check in every couple months to see a trend.

(Briton) #5

What’s wrong with the numbers? I use the keto diet app calculator? Where can I get a bod pod?

#6

Just seems low for that type of lifting program, bodpod is a professionally done measurement that mimics hydrostatic water measurement, but with air. Usually $50-$75 most places. But a caliper does a pretty accurate job as well, just very hard to do to yourself. At least for me.

(Briton) #7

More interested in losing weight but want to gain strength so I am eating at a deficit would that be working against me with weight loss? Should I be eating more calories?

#8

Burning fat while building muscle is where keto starts going against normal thinking about stuff. Different people have different views on that, I’ve never been into calorie counting while loosing weight on keto, now that I don’t have as much to loose but focusing on muscle growth I’m now tracking, but mainly to watch carbs, and make sure I’m getting in enough protein for what I’m doing. Still don’t care too much about calories though. As long as you feel like you have adequate energy in the gym, and aren’t cutting your food off when your still hungry because of some calorie count, I wouldn’t worry about it. I’d just make sure your protein is adequate for muscle growth. With SL5x5 you’ll want to make sure your not too low, as it’s a mass building workout program and when it comes to muscle growth we don’t really bend the rules on that, need protein to build muscle. Obviously the real thing is always best. How much is right for people becomes a whole discussion on it’s own. Many go with the 1.5g/kg LBM on their lifting days.

(Jason Fletcher) #9

Ketogains has the best protocol for body composition. You can find the info here
https://www.reddit.com/r/ketogains/wiki/index#wiki_what_is_a_.22recomp.22_and_how_to_do_it_.28also_known_as_calorie_cycling.29

(Michael ) #10

Well, 5 pounds is a bit much for lean muscle mass in 3 weeks but you potentially gained 2 pounds of muscle and have extra water drawn to your muscles. If the only change in your situation was exercise, i wouldn’t worry too much. 5 pounds is not that much. I fluctuate 5 pounds week to week.

(Justin Ford) #11

If you just started lifting you will increase the water (blood) in your muscle which would account for the weight. It is unlikely to gain 5 lbs of muscle that fast but when you feel sore after lifting that is actually inflammation and swelling which happens all the time even when you no longer are sore. That is kind of the point of lifting. My advice is don’t worry about the scale, maybe get some calipers to do body fat and figure out what your BF% goal should be.

As an aside. Try Creatine you will see your lifts improving and your water retention increase after a couple weeks :wink: