Q's FOR WHITEHULK or anyone who knows ketosis

[Kingjarl]

So, I did my first Carb-up weekend and had two fantastic workouts... it was great. I just want to make sure I get the gist of this.

I work out upper body on Wed, so I eat a powerbar about 2 hours before I do. I do lower body on Fri, and eat a powerbar about 2 hours before then as well. Then Friday night through to Sunday morning, I eat anything I want, keeping my fat intake high. Then, I do a full body on Sunday. After that workout, can I still eat carbs until Sunday night? Or do I shut down my carb intake after that workout? Every other day (Mon-Fri afternoon, I do the full ketosis diet).

Also, I do cardio (biking, low impact Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat). Just given these very basics, am I doing it right?

Kingjarl

[WhiteHulk4]

So, I did my first Carb-up weekend and had two fantastic workouts... it was great. I just want to make sure I get the gist of this.

I work out upper body on Wed, so I eat a powerbar about 2 hours before I do. I do lower body on Fri, and eat a powerbar about 2 hours before then as well. Then Friday night through to Sunday morning, I eat anything I want, keeping my fat intake high. Then, I do a full body on Sunday. After that workout, can I still eat carbs until Sunday night? Or do I shut down my carb intake after that workout? Every other day (Mon-Fri afternoon, I do the full ketosis diet).

Also, I do cardio (biking, low impact Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat). Just given these very basics, am I doing it right?

Kingjarl

No, no, no!  Well, sort of!  During the week, you need to be doing the full ketogenic diet - that means no powerbars before your workouts!  You've really got to give yourself the full 5 days of low-carb eating for the weekend pig-fests to be effective.  So, 5 days of low-carb, high-protein, high-fat.  Then 2 days of High-Carb, Moderate-Protein, Moderate-Fat (pretty much whatever you want).

On Monday, you'll want to do a pretty hefty workout.  I've found that doing a super-high-intensity Leg workout on Monday is a great way to burn up all that extra glucose you stored over the weekend and get you back into fat-burning mode.  You'll have lots of strength on Monday, and it will gradually decrease throughout the week.

Also, take a double dose of Alpha Lipoic Acid (400-500mg) Sunday night before bed.  That'll help get you on your way into ketosis for Monday as well.

[Kingjarl]

Okay, great. Sounds good... so maybe do a full body workout on Monday, upper body on Wed, and Lower body on Fri?

I live waaaaay north (Yellowknife, NWT Canada). The supplements aren't in the greatest supply up here. I'm having trouble finding ALA. How much should (if any) my diet change without it?

By the way, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain these things in detail to me.

Kingjarl

[WhiteHulk4]

Can you order ALA from an American company?  Because Netrition.com has a great deal on the stuff:

http://www23.netrition.com/now_lipoic_acid_page.html

Anyway, no diet actually REQUIRES any supplements...  But ALA is just the most effective supp I know of for clearing glucose from the bloodstream.  Therefore, you're able to get back into ketosis much, much faster on Monday - and/or stay in ketosis over the weekend, despite eating a lot more carbs.

[Kingjarl]

I'll look into ordering from the states, thanks. By the way, is there a certain amount I need to be eating in order to stay in ketosis. The diet really fills me up, so I'm only eating maybe 4 times a day, and the ketostix aren't always measuring ketones. Am I not eating enough? If the strips show no ketones, then I go eat a bunch of fat - within a couple of hours they're showing ketones again. What's up with that?

[WhiteHulk4]

If you haven't eaten in a few hours or have done some exercise, then you've most likely used all of the ketones you had running through your bloodstream, as energy.  If you show ketosis after you eat, then you're most likely in ketosis all day.  Your body doesn't just switch it on and off on a regular basis.

[Kingjarl]

So, if I'm in ketosis (even though the strips are showing no excess), am I still burning fat for energy? I don't seem to be losing any fat this week - though I've been in ketosis, and doing cardio 30-40 mins each morning. How can I maximize my fatloss?

[WhiteHulk4]

If you're in ketosis, then you're burning fat.  The only thing I can recommend is upping the intensity of your workouts.  Slow-go cardio isn't the way to do it when you're doing low-carb.  High Intensity is key.  Thay way you'll burn up all the ketones you've got, and your body will be forced to create new ones - from your stored body fat!

[Kingjarl]

Sounds good. Here's another thought/observation/question...

If I'm eating too much fat, more than I'm burning, then my body won't be burning it's own fat stores, correct? So in fact, if I eat too much fat in ketosis, then I could actually store fat (considering that the energy expended is less than the fat energy consumed)?

[WhiteHulk4]

Yes, you still have to keep track of calories.  Granted, it's much harder to store fat when you're in ketosis, but you still can.  In addition to cutting carbs, you still have to cut calories.  That's why you see so many complete LARD ASSES eating big piles of hotdogs and they say "Oh no, this is all part of my diet..."  And they wonder why they're not losing any weight!  Well, I guess for them, as long as they're not gaining weight, they're happy...  Poor souls...

[Kingjarl]

Ha! I knew it... too bad I didn't figure it out sooner! I was eating too many healthy fats (in the form of %100 organic sunflower seed oil).

Anyhoo, I've really been able to streamline my diet with your help. Thanks again.

Given that I have consumed too much fat (and put on a little weight) this week, should I skip my carb-up weekend?

Kingjarl

[WhiteHulk4]

If you can stand it, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to skip the carb-up...  However, personally I'd go insane doing that.  So keeping it to only one day instead of two, should work pretty well also.

[Kingjarl]

Yeah, I was just thinking about the insanity as well. I have a big hockey tournament this weekend, so I'll be burning a ton of energy anyways with 5 games in 3 days. Mmmmm... chocolate caramel donuts... and pizza... I feel like Homer Simpson right now. Lol.

Kingjarl