My Experience On the Anabolic Diet

Nutrition
6942

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
WildShoe wrote:
I just looked up some of the sample anabolic diet recipes that were posted, most contained veggies, and the author advocated the use of cheese, which I know contains some carbs. How can you possibly limit yourself to 5 carbs a meal if you eat 6x a day, I don’t see how it’s even POSSIBLE.

well if youre really that concerned you dont have to eat every meal with high carbs, you could have a couple not so pleasent meals such as scrambled eggs or ground beef patties and also have a couple fancier meals from the “AD cookbook”, just think of it as some flavor to keep you sane.

and perhaps you should start bringing your own food to school? i bring food to work and school so that i know A) im going to eat and B) what it is that im eating.[/quote]

I haven’t posted in a while, but something you may want to try is making a habit of eating the majority of your meals with evoo as it packs the good fats and no carbs. Most meats with the exception of sausages don’t have any carbs so combining these with evoo and fibrous vegetables completes the meal. I myself have found that flaxmeal has endless possibilities as I’ve found myself making up recipes one of which is this:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

5 scoops chocolate EAS Premium Protein Blend (I got it at costco, but any protein will probably do)
1/2 cup flaxmeal
2-3 packs spenda (however sweet you’d want it)
1 tbsp baking soda

Mix the dry ingredients above together. Then beat four eggs and mix until consistent. Get a large cooking pan and spray lightly with cooking oil (so it doesn’t stick) and then spread the mixture evenly throughout the pan. Once that’s complete, add 4 tbsp of natural peanut butter (which I warmed up in the microwave to make it even more liquid) by evenly pouring it on the mixture. Set the oven at 350 and let it sit for 10 minutes or longer if you think it needs it.

Usually I’ve found that they’re done when the areas without PB on them are extremely fluffed up. Anyways, here’s the stats on it:

72.5g fat 19.5g cho 121.5g pro
Which workout out to these ratios
53.6% 6.4% 40%
not to mention the 20g of fiber (flaxmeal/natural pb)

Let me know what you think.

6943

[quote]stevefinch wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
WildShoe wrote:
I just looked up some of the sample anabolic diet recipes that were posted, most contained veggies, and the author advocated the use of cheese, which I know contains some carbs. How can you possibly limit yourself to 5 carbs a meal if you eat 6x a day, I don’t see how it’s even POSSIBLE.

well if youre really that concerned you dont have to eat every meal with high carbs, you could have a couple not so pleasent meals such as scrambled eggs or ground beef patties and also have a couple fancier meals from the “AD cookbook”, just think of it as some flavor to keep you sane.

and perhaps you should start bringing your own food to school? i bring food to work and school so that i know A) im going to eat and B) what it is that im eating.

I haven’t posted in a while, but something you may want to try is making a habit of eating the majority of your meals with evoo as it packs the good fats and no carbs. Most meats with the exception of sausages don’t have any carbs so combining these with evoo and fibrous vegetables completes the meal. I myself have found that flaxmeal has endless possibilities as I’ve found myself making up recipes one of which is this:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

5 scoops chocolate EAS Premium Protein Blend (I got it at costco, but any protein will probably do)
1/2 cup flaxmeal
2-3 packs spenda (however sweet you’d want it)
1 tbsp baking soda

Mix the dry ingredients above together. Then beat four eggs and mix until consistent. Get a large cooking pan and spray lightly with cooking oil (so it doesn’t stick) and then spread the mixture evenly throughout the pan. Once that’s complete, add 4 tbsp of natural peanut butter (which I warmed up in the microwave to make it even more liquid) by evenly pouring it on the mixture. Set the oven at 350 and let it sit for 10 minutes or longer if you think it needs it.

Usually I’ve found that they’re done when the areas without PB on them are extremely fluffed up. Anyways, here’s the stats on it:

72.5g fat 19.5g cho 121.5g pro
Which workout out to these ratios
53.6% 6.4% 40%
not to mention the 20g of fiber (flaxmeal/natural pb)

Let me know what you think.[/quote]

is that 19.5 g all fiber or is it in addition to fiber and counting to net CHO. In any case that shit is clever dude, clever.

-chris

6944

ill have to try that out.

heres something i was wondering about, in the book Dr. D (obviously exaggerating) says how the Anabolic Diet has similar attributes/effects to that of anabolic steroids, does anyone know how true this is and exactly to what extent? i mean i know its not anywhere near as close as the real thing but even say 10-25% is pretty damn high just from a diet.

6945

[quote]Avocado wrote:
stevefinch wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
WildShoe wrote:
I just looked up some of the sample anabolic diet recipes that were posted, most contained veggies, and the author advocated the use of cheese, which I know contains some carbs. How can you possibly limit yourself to 5 carbs a meal if you eat 6x a day, I don’t see how it’s even POSSIBLE.

well if youre really that concerned you dont have to eat every meal with high carbs, you could have a couple not so pleasent meals such as scrambled eggs or ground beef patties and also have a couple fancier meals from the “AD cookbook”, just think of it as some flavor to keep you sane.

and perhaps you should start bringing your own food to school? i bring food to work and school so that i know A) im going to eat and B) what it is that im eating.

I haven’t posted in a while, but something you may want to try is making a habit of eating the majority of your meals with evoo as it packs the good fats and no carbs. Most meats with the exception of sausages don’t have any carbs so combining these with evoo and fibrous vegetables completes the meal. I myself have found that flaxmeal has endless possibilities as I’ve found myself making up recipes one of which is this:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

5 scoops chocolate EAS Premium Protein Blend (I got it at costco, but any protein will probably do)
1/2 cup flaxmeal
2-3 packs spenda (however sweet you’d want it)
1 tbsp baking soda

Mix the dry ingredients above together. Then beat four eggs and mix until consistent. Get a large cooking pan and spray lightly with cooking oil (so it doesn’t stick) and then spread the mixture evenly throughout the pan. Once that’s complete, add 4 tbsp of natural peanut butter (which I warmed up in the microwave to make it even more liquid) by evenly pouring it on the mixture. Set the oven at 350 and let it sit for 10 minutes or longer if you think it needs it.

Usually I’ve found that they’re done when the areas without PB on them are extremely fluffed up. Anyways, here’s the stats on it:

72.5g fat 19.5g cho 121.5g pro
Which workout out to these ratios
53.6% 6.4% 40%
not to mention the 20g of fiber (flaxmeal/natural pb)

Let me know what you think.

is that 19.5 g all fiber or is it in addition to fiber and counting to net CHO. In any case that shit is clever dude, clever.

-chris[/quote]

that 19.5 is the net cho

6946

[quote]TGordo wrote:
So any advice for some one who was on the diet for like 3 1/2 months and them messed up on the carbs. Should I start over or get back on track. How do you know when you threw everything off.[/quote]

Just continue like normal unless you time off was longer than a week or 2 max.

AD

6947

[quote]JuicyLucy wrote:
First of all : AMAZING thread!!! Thank you very much,guys.

I’ve started 6 days ago. I was a carb junkie. In the first 3 days I went from 77.8 kg to 73.8 kg. I made a mistake I’d started with 12xBW cal. Too little. Now I’m at 14xBW being slightly full.

I’ve been feeling run down most of the time. I was eating lots of carbs before - no wander. My brain is not working properly either. That’s the way it goes. The funny thing is when I need to perform I do find the energy so it seems like I’m on saving mode most of the time.

I’ve got a question or two:

  1. Why am I drinking water like a camel???
  2. Can I have a little carb up(not more then 12 hours) if I want to perform well on Monday? See I’ve got a tennis match that day.Or should I just tough it out and go with what I’ve got?

Thanks

[/quote]

Hi. Welcome to the AD.

  1. You are drinking more because you want to or you actually crave it?

  2. I wouldn’t suggest it. If you can get hold of some Spike that would help tons…if not, then some other “upper” may help, but I’d stay away from carbs altogether.

AD

6948

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
ill have to try that out.

heres something i was wondering about, in the book Dr. D (obviously exaggerating) says how the Anabolic Diet has similar attributes/effects to that of anabolic steroids, does anyone know how true this is and exactly to what extent? i mean i know its not anywhere near as close as the real thing but even say 10-25% is pretty damn high just from a diet.[/quote]

This is my first post to this thread, lots of good info and support. More about myself later. To answer above:

As I recall I believe he made that statement because of the way you are able to naturally manipulate the body’s hormones. The diet is conducive to raising testosterone naturally and by limiting insulin use to almost nothing 5 days out of the week the loading phases create a highly anabolic state in the body due to insulin spiking. Another interesting point he made was that unlike steroids, you could theoretically continue to make gains in size and weight without adding so much fat, and keep those gains rather than lose them.

My background, I bought the Anabolic diet back in 94-95 when it first came out. I was young to the iron game and used it to go from 185 lbs with a 36" waist to 205 with a 34" waist. I was 24 at the time. I went on to reach a weight of 225 at 8% bf. Over the last 12 years I have used it off an on, but have recently started back with a very focused approach. Currently at 36 I’m 6’4" 264 with a 41.5" waist (umbilicus). I powerlift now and my goal is to hit 275 at 10-15% bf. I am currently on day 8 and suprisingly had no trouble making it through the weekend. This is my first attempt at a 12 day induction. I went through my “crash” on day 3 which is where I have always had it. My workouts are okay, but I scheduled a deload phase for this week, so weights are moderate and reps a little higher.

The best part, so far, is that I started at a shade over 42" for my waist and 260 lbs fasted. Today I was 41.5" but up to 264 fasted. I have always dropped 5-6 lbs the first week, but in the past I don’t think I kept my fats as high as I am now. I am also far from constipated, so I know it’s not being held up in the intestines. Looking forward to staying the course and shattering some pr’s.

6949

I am starting CW’s Total Strength Program this week. Does it make any sense to eat below maintenance during this phase? I’m thinking not, since it is usually hard to gain strength or size during a caloric deficit.

What about waving the calories? Could this still work during a period of maintenance eating or in a slight surplus?

6950

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
ill have to try that out.

heres something i was wondering about, in the book Dr. D (obviously exaggerating) says how the Anabolic Diet has similar attributes/effects to that of anabolic steroids, does anyone know how true this is and exactly to what extent? i mean i know its not anywhere near as close as the real thing but even say 10-25% is pretty damn high just from a diet.[/quote]

LiveFromThe781,

As I mentioned in a post a few pages back my hormonal levels had increased dramatically after only 6 weeks on the diet. Now it has been more like 3 months and I feel even stronger although I have not had another blood test yet to confirm sustained higher levels of testosterone and thyroid function.

My free testosterone level raised from constantly remaining below the bottom of the reference range prior to Ad-ing to the 75% level (sweet spot) of the reference range after 6 weeks. I had been trying to raise my testosterone levels for years with a variety of supplements and meds. I had little results except when the meds were totally cost prohibitive.

The results I achieved to date with the AD are as good as the best results I achieved supplementing with hCG combined with an estrogen inhibitor (Arimidex). I must say that the mere fact that I can ratchet up my hormonal levels without the use of meds (which can have negative side effects) by simply manipulating my diet is fantastic as far as I am concerned.

Libido increase is a bonus and certainly adds zest. I am enjoying my workouts more than I ever have in the past with more energy and strength that I can remember.

6951

[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
JuicyLucy wrote:
First of all : AMAZING thread!!! Thank you very much,guys.

I’ve started 6 days ago. I was a carb junkie. In the first 3 days I went from 77.8 kg to 73.8 kg. I made a mistake I’d started with 12xBW cal. Too little. Now I’m at 14xBW being slightly full.

I’ve been feeling run down most of the time. I was eating lots of carbs before - no wander. My brain is not working properly either. That’s the way it goes. The funny thing is when I need to perform I do find the energy so it seems like I’m on saving mode most of the time.

I’ve got a question or two:

  1. Why am I drinking water like a camel???
  2. Can I have a little carb up(not more then 12 hours) if I want to perform well on Monday? See I’ve got a tennis match that day.Or should I just tough it out and go with what I’ve got?

Thanks

Hi. Welcome to the AD.

  1. You are drinking more because you want to or you actually crave it?

  2. I wouldn’t suggest it. If you can get hold of some Spike that would help tons…if not, then some other “upper” may help, but I’d stay away from carbs altogether.

AD[/quote]

Thanks. I stayed on the diet and it was worth it. Didn’t feel lack of energy what so ever I could keep going and going …
I’ve got one more question: When I start the 12-36h carb loading can I mix carb + fat meals together or should I separate it in some way?
So far this diet seems like being in heaven:))

6952

[quote]PharmD Pete wrote:
I am starting CW’s Total Strength Program this week. Does it make any sense to eat below maintenance during this phase? I’m thinking not, since it is usually hard to gain strength or size during a caloric deficit.

What about waving the calories? Could this still work during a period of maintenance eating or in a slight surplus?[/quote]

From what older vets have descibed before, waving calories isn’t a bad way…but look at it more in terms of weekly caloric intake, if you do that.

And the AD is weird, actually. I’ve been at maintenance or below in the past and gained str and some size too. I’d say give it a try and if you don’t have energy or notice any differences, then change it.

AD

6953

[quote]JuicyLucy wrote:
AlphaDragon wrote:
JuicyLucy wrote:
First of all : AMAZING thread!!! Thank you very much,guys.

I’ve started 6 days ago. I was a carb junkie. In the first 3 days I went from 77.8 kg to 73.8 kg. I made a mistake I’d started with 12xBW cal. Too little. Now I’m at 14xBW being slightly full.

I’ve been feeling run down most of the time. I was eating lots of carbs before - no wander. My brain is not working properly either. That’s the way it goes. The funny thing is when I need to perform I do find the energy so it seems like I’m on saving mode most of the time.

I’ve got a question or two:

  1. Why am I drinking water like a camel???
  2. Can I have a little carb up(not more then 12 hours) if I want to perform well on Monday? See I’ve got a tennis match that day.Or should I just tough it out and go with what I’ve got?

Thanks

Hi. Welcome to the AD.

  1. You are drinking more because you want to or you actually crave it?

  2. I wouldn’t suggest it. If you can get hold of some Spike that would help tons…if not, then some other “upper” may help, but I’d stay away from carbs altogether.

AD

Thanks. I stayed on the diet and it was worth it. Didn’t feel lack of energy what so ever I could keep going and going …
I’ve got one more question: When I start the 12-36h loading carbs can I mix carb + fat meals together or should I separate it in some way?
So far this diet seems being in heaven:))

[/quote]

Glad it worked out for you.

Actually, it’s 24-48 hours, but whatever you choose… :wink: BUt I’ll suggest that even when dieting you should do at least 24 hours. There, I got it off my chest.

Oh yeah, enjoy a C+F meal during the CHo ups!! Or two or three meals! :stuck_out_tongue:

AD

6954

[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
matt_t2004 wrote:
AlphaDragon wrote:
matt_t2004 wrote:
I have been losing fat, but i have now hit a wall. I was wondering that instead of having an all out carb up day if I could split it into 2 different days but only have a small carb meal at night on these two days? I would have like 200 carbs on wed. and sat. thanks for any help.

How long have you been on the AD? IF less than 6 months, I’d suggest not doing it. But that’s just me.

AD

I have been on the cutting stage for about 2 months, but have been following total for about 4. I also have to add that I have gained about 5 lbs of muscle while keeping the same bf%. I just want to get into the single digit category

To get into lower numbers, things need to become more strict, and I’m not sure that your plan will do it. Maybe by eliminating certain foods would help more (i.e. pork, bacon, etc?)

I don’t have the AD book a section on “Pre contest phase?” You may want to check it out (It’s not available to me at the moment to check out).

THus, I have no real opinion on that one. If you do it, tell us how it goes.

Sorry, otherwise I have nothing to say.

AD[/quote]

If I could chime in…
I’ve been on AD since roughly May/June, and basically I hit the same wall. I decided not to wait the full 6 months before tweaking the diet (not advising it at all, just saying what I did) by cutting out certain foods that I was eating.

Basically I noticed a difference in a matter of days (maybe also because I was actually working out my abs more) but i’m sure it could be attributed to the diet change. Here’s some examples of what I did.

I decided to drastically lower the fat I consumed. In the morning instead of eating turkey sausage or bacon with my eggs, I got rid of that and stuck my eggs between two pieces of low carb bread (5g each, i get the Pepperidge Farm brand one) for a total of 10g for breakfast, which also was a lot more filling then the sausage/bacon, as well as lowered the fat drastically. The low carb bread is 1.5g fat a slice, meanwhile any sausage or bacon will have a lot more, not to mention a lot of saturated fat which you NEED to stray away from if you want the single digit BF.

Also, some days when I wake up I don’t have time to cook eggs before work/class so I have a slice of the low carb bread with butter. I soon realized butter is bad. I even used margarine, and its bad as well. I cut that out and spread some cottage cheese on it instead.

Which comes to my next example. Don’t get the 4% cottage cheese anymore. Stick with the 2% whipped as it has the most grams of protein, and least amount of carbs (3g per 1/2 cup) with relatively little to no fat.

As far as protein powders go, most don’t contain a lot of fat but I reduced my scoops from 2 to only 1 scoop. I realized 50 grams of protein per shake is too much for my body to process (i’m 150lbs) and it was too much on my stomach. I guess you can decide on what you want to do there.

Last thing I can remember is nuts. I used to have about 14 walnut halves for lunch along with my cottage cheese and grilled chicken. I cut it in half to about 7. I’m not saying the fat contained in walnuts is bad, but its also the difference of about 100 calories by cutting it in half. You may say, why even eat 7 walnuts then ? Well, the fat contained in them are essential to the diet, like EVOO.

In terms of the carb-up I don’t know because I don’t set an amount of hours towards it, I just cheat now and then, & make sure I don’t go overboard. I can’t refuse wings and beer half off Monday nights now =] That defintely increases leptin levels for me hehe

That’s all I can think of in terms of foods i tweaked to help me lower the BF%. Remember, this is what I did and don’t advise anyone to do it, but it worked / is working for me.

6955

[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
matt_t2004 wrote:
AlphaDragon wrote:
matt_t2004 wrote:
I have been losing fat, but i have now hit a wall. I was wondering that instead of having an all out carb up day if I could split it into 2 different days but only have a small carb meal at night on these two days? I would have like 200 carbs on wed. and sat. thanks for any help.

How long have you been on the AD? IF less than 6 months, I’d suggest not doing it. But that’s just me.

AD

I have been on the cutting stage for about 2 months, but have been following total for about 4. I also have to add that I have gained about 5 lbs of muscle while keeping the same bf%. I just want to get into the single digit category

To get into lower numbers, things need to become more strict, and I’m not sure that your plan will do it. Maybe by eliminating certain foods would help more (i.e. pork, bacon, etc?)

I don’t have the AD book a section on “Pre contest phase?” You may want to check it out (It’s not available to me at the moment to check out).

THus, I have no real opinion on that one. If you do it, tell us how it goes.

Sorry, otherwise I have nothing to say.

AD[/quote]

double post sry.

6956

[quote]AlphaDragon wrote:
And the AD is weird, actually. I’ve been at maintenance or below in the past and gained str and some size too. I’d say give it a try and if you don’t have energy or notice any differences, then change it.

AD[/quote]

i agree and can testify since i was at a calorie restricted state for about a month and even still my forearms increased in size by a very noticeable amount.

however, my stength and energy levels did eventually plummit to an unbearable state.

6957

Just a recipe for anyone having trouble getting enough cals on AD:

1 can salmon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Pepper

1088 cals
43g protein
100g fat
3g carb

Eating a bowl of this is infinitely easier than eating 1088 cals worth of eggs!

6958

I was reading the last page of the thread and came across a question I have myself. I have been on the diet for around 4 months and have begin to tire of running out of energy on thursday and friday.

I’ve been thinking about doing a 12 hour carbup on Sunday after a brief total body workout (20 minutes; bodyweight exercises). A shake with whey/maltodextrin/dextrose and then steel cut oats the rest of the day. A cheat meal will also find its way in there somewhere. But all in all probably about 400 carbs.

Then on Wednesday do a HIIT cardio sessoin in the morning with about 20g BCAA’s during/after this following by a whey shake about a half hour after completion. I will continue to eat high fat and high protein until work is over with (6pm) and from there do a brief total body workout (same as before), and follow that with a whey/maltodextrin/dextrose shake and a couple bowls of steel cut oats so about 150 carbs.

Some opinions would be appreciated. FYI: I am currently doing a 4 day split (MON: Chest/Tris TUES: Back THUR: Biceps/Shoulders FRI: Legs) that is heavy volume in sets.

6959

Okay so the old link I have doesn’t work and if someone could refresh me on this I’d appreciate it. I’m looking to start cutting. I’m at 197 lbs right around 11% bodyfat. I know 18 kcals/lb is maintenance. What is cutting on avg? I’ve got months to lose and in no real hurry for anything, I’d like to preserve as much muscle as I can while doing this.

6960

[quote]stevefinch wrote:
I was reading the last page of the thread and came across a question I have myself. I have been on the diet for around 4 months and have begin to tire of running out of energy on thursday and friday.

I’ve been thinking about doing a 12 hour carbup on Sunday after a brief total body workout (20 minutes; bodyweight exercises). A shake with whey/maltodextrin/dextrose and then steel cut oats the rest of the day. A cheat meal will also find its way in there somewhere. But all in all probably about 400 carbs.

Then on Wednesday do a HIIT cardio sessoin in the morning with about 20g BCAA’s during/after this following by a whey shake about a half hour after completion. I will continue to eat high fat and high protein until work is over with (6pm) and from there do a brief total body workout (same as before), and follow that with a whey/maltodextrin/dextrose shake and a couple bowls of steel cut oats so about 150 carbs.

Some opinions would be appreciated. FYI: I am currently doing a 4 day split (MON: Chest/Tris TUES: Back THUR: Biceps/Shoulders FRI: Legs) that is heavy volume in sets.[/quote]

Not enough carbs. Period.

Hit a full day carb-up on either Saturday or Sunday. Don’t think about calories or macros and the inclusion/exclusion of protein from fat from carbs, or whatever. Eat what you want, when you want… just ensure you get a starchy carb source every time you eat. Eat some taboo foods, too. It’ll do you well. Just eat and make no bones about it.

Limit this carb-up to one day this weekend. See how you do. If all is well, bingo… you’re golden. If you still feel run-down, and I doubt you will, your options will be to either lengthen the carb-load (although I would suggest eating only clean foods on the second day) or using a mid-week carb spike of only clean foods. Of the 2, I would suggest a mid-week carb-spike.

Again, do NOT fear food on your carb-up day this weekend. I’m now convinced that this contributed to my physical breakdown when I was on the AD.

Goodluck.

6961

[quote]roofus_5 wrote:

My background, I bought the Anabolic diet back in 94-95 when it first came out. I was young to the iron game and used it to go from 185 lbs with a 36" waist to 205 with a 34" waist. I was 24 at the time. I went on to reach a weight of 225 at 8% bf. Over the last 12 years I have used it off an on, but have recently started back with a very focused approach. Currently at 36 I’m 6’4" 264 with a 41.5" waist (umbilicus). I powerlift now and my goal is to hit 275 at 10-15% bf. I am currently on day 8 and suprisingly had no trouble making it through the weekend. This is my first attempt at a 12 day induction. I went through my “crash” on day 3 which is where I have always had it. My workouts are okay, but I scheduled a deload phase for this week, so weights are moderate and reps a little higher.

The best part, so far, is that I started at a shade over 42" for my waist and 260 lbs fasted. Today I was 41.5" but up to 264 fasted. I have always dropped 5-6 lbs the first week, but in the past I don’t think I kept my fats as high as I am now. I am also far from constipated, so I know it’s not being held up in the intestines. Looking forward to staying the course and shattering some pr’s.
[/quote]

I have a similar history to you, roof. I’m 37 and was powerlifting back when I was first introduced to the diet. Currently, I am into a crossfit type program with sprints/oly lifts/calisthenics as the core.
When we first found the diet, we completely abused the weekend carb ups, but being in our early twenties, our metabolisms’ were more forgiving. Like you, I have been eating in this way for over a decade and until recently (within the year) have never quite come upon the “sweet spot”.
I don’t officially carb up at all these days although once a month or so I have a beer, which will lead to more. My drinking is down to the above mentioned and that is what I found to be the wrench fucking up my progress. Drinking alcohol will fuck your progress almost as much as carbs will. I find that if my fat intake is kept high my performance is better than it ever was. On the opposite end, if I reduce the calories/portions I will loose bodyfat within days.

To mention of alphadragon’s post, and to base with what is being talked about lately: you really do need to first transition over to burning fat primarily before making some tweaks. This, as mentioned, can take months. I can’t speak to everyone, but for myself and some others, once the foggyness goes away you should be just about done. The general foggyness that may last only a minute or two is the last sign of switching that I have noticed, and it’s the first sign to come back if when I used to eat carbs for too long. Anyone else notice this? Also, in my years of going “on” and “off”, I noticed that the switch is made quicker and quicker the longer I’ve been eating like this. I also noticed that whenever I did go back to eating carbs, I felt the metabolic switch harder in the carb direction, making me believe that over time, one truly gets fat adapted. If you think in terms of your body wanting burn fat for fuel, and carbs just getting in the way all those years, then the longer you eat “properly” the more natural a state burning fat for fuel will be and your body will try to maintain this.

Once you have transitioned, you need to take careful notice of what is going on with your body and the performance resulting from what you put into it. When eating like this, small tweaks will be noticed rather quickly. One thing you will also notice is that you can eat much more calories exceeding your output and not gain fat or gain very slowly. And, as I said, if you reduce your overall caloric intake your bodyfat will melt off in days. My view of the prescribed calories is mostly for those transitioning. After that, if you want performance, eat a lot… if you want to loose bodyfat, eat less. You can be on the verge of hunger, eating 1000 calories or less per day, and still out perform fairly decent, understanding that this is not your focus. The best part of eating such a low intake on this diet is that your head always feels pretty good, as opposed to the complete misery on a carb based low cal diet. The worst thing is considering that our food is protein and mostly fat, the portions are so small.

Hope this helps someone.

-Al