The Ketosis Monologues

[Macdon1588]

Over the last month or two, I've become fairly decent at maintaining Ketosis. The gut is getting smaller,and things resembling pecs are slowly coming into focus. Things are good. However,lately, I've come obsessed with a question: Will carbs before a heavy workout day knock me out of Ketosis? If so, how long? And how many carbs? I am good at pushing myself through work outs without carbs, but let's face it, carbs make workouts easier and better. My hypothesis is that properly timed carbs before a workout will be mostly burned resulting in no bad effect on my Ketosis state.

So, here's the experiment:

At about an hour before a workout tomorrow, I am going to drink a protein shake with a half cup of carbohydrates...err I mean oatmeal. That will give 27 net carbs before the workout. Then, I'm going to bust my ass with a 30-40 minute, full body routine followed by ten to fifteen minutes of HIIT using a prowler sled. Afterward, an isopure whey shake and low carb as usual. I will monitor my urine with keto sticks to determine how thinks go. Depending on how it goes, I will escalate carbs.

So here's some questions I put before the panel: Is oatmeal the right carb? Is one hour ahead of my work out the right time? Should I do faster carbs, like bread closer to go time? Or should I wait more time?

Thoughts on the layout of the experiment are greatly appreciated and I will keep everyone posted on how it goes.

[h2s]

Look into TKD. It is a form of a ketogenic diet that utilizes carbs around your workout. I am not sure the amounts they use, but I think the goal is to have as limited of an impact on ketosis as possible.

Also, I can't answer your question, because I have only done one form of TKD, and it was quite some time ago. But I do believe that simple sugars were adequate for preworkout.

[Macdon1588]

Look into TKD. It is a form of a ketogenic diet that utilizes carbs around your workout. I am not sure the amounts they use, but I think the goal is to have as limited of an impact on ketosis as possible.

Also, I can't answer your question, because I have only done one form of TKD, and it was quite some time ago. But I do believe that simple sugars were adequate for preworkout.

I'll look it up.

[HIXX504]

I've found that the longer I stay on a Keto diet, the quicker I get back into ketosis after a cheat day. I use the Keto sticks also. Yesterday I had an epic cheat day. I had about 12 beers, burger, fries ,pizza, desert, cocktails. Pretty much ate whatever I wanted and this morning I checked my urine with a Keto stick and was back in ketosis. I'm going to try your idea and have about 20 grams of carbs pre work out. I'll let you know what my results are.

[Eden]

I would say take the carbs after your workout since there's straight nutrient shuttling. Also you should be fat adapted and so you should have some gluconeogenesis going on already to provide you with some muscle glycogen.

[Macdon1588]

I've found that the longer I stay on a Keto diet, the quicker I get back into ketosis after a cheat day. I use the Keto sticks also. Yesterday I had an epic cheat day. I had about 12 beers, burger, fries ,pizza, desert, cocktails. Pretty much ate whatever I wanted and this morning I checked my urine with a Keto stick and was back in ketosis. I'm going to try your idea and have about 20 grams of carbs pre work out. I'll let you know what my results are.

How long do you stay in keto before doing a cheat day?

[Macdon1588]

My theory that this is based on is that during there is an order to energy consumption ( carbs, fats, then proteins). I think that the spike in carbs coupled with protein will prime the muscles for a good workout and so long as that workout expends all of the carbohydrate taken in, the body should return to Ketosis quickly as there is no remaining easy energy source. I am hoping to get up to a hundred grams.

[Eden]

You're correct. But isn't nutrient shuttling heightened after stimulating the muscle? You will return to ketosis but I'm not sure on weither this will mess with your fat adaptation.

[Jack O'Neill]

It looks like Carb Back-loading diet from John Kiefer.

Keto diet for a day without workout. For a workout day, keto diet until the end of workout. Carbs only after, fat+carbs for the 2nd meal.
The aim is to manage hormones like Insulin, Cortisol, Ghrelin. It seems that you're more insulin resistant at the end of the day. That's why it's better to do workout from 4-6PM for this diet.

It would be better to open a specific topic for this diet to talk about it

[HIXX504]

I cheat on my diet about once a month. This is normally pretty easy for me but right now it's football/hunting/holiday season, and my birthday is in less than a month, so my goal for the rest of the year is to just maintain my current weight and continue getting stronger.