# The Ketogenic Sponge



## Spongy (Sep 15, 2018)

Well, I've decided to go Keto.  I am doing this for two reasons.

1)  To piss off POB

2)  I've never done a strict Keto diet before and there seems to be some interest in it on the board suddenly so why not test it out?

I will be consuming 5% carb, 25% protein, and 70% fat.

I'll be keeping track of my mood, mental acuity, irritability, and energy level along with weight, etc.

Training stays the same.

I'm ok with losing some LBM because I've got an endurance event in March 2019 (To piss off POB) I'm training for where excessive weight in any form will reduce performance.  I am still young by most accounts but need to start looking at overall health and longevity now that I've got two kiddos in the mix.


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## Rhino99 (Sep 15, 2018)

Im in for the log.
Good luck brother.


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## Flyingdragon (Sep 15, 2018)

U going to test if your actually in ketosis?  Most on keto never make it 2 ketosis.....


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## Viduus (Sep 15, 2018)

I noticed better healing when I ate a bit more fat. Curious if you get a chance to test that. 

I was pretty depleted and doing weekly carb ups but I didn’t notice a difference with wound healing until I took your advice and at a little higher (lots of steak). I’m pretty sure the calories weren’t out of line with my higher carb days but something changed.

Haven’t done any research around it but if you notice anything when making the switch, let me know!


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## Spongy (Sep 16, 2018)

Flyingdragon said:


> U going to test if your actually in ketosis?  Most on keto never make it 2 ketosis.....



I've got the pee strips if that's what you mean.  I may go out and get a glucometer as well.


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## PillarofBalance (Sep 16, 2018)

Oh cool I remember when low carb was all the rage 17 years ago.


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## Spongy (Sep 16, 2018)

First day down. 

Thirstier than normal, but that could just be a coincidence.

feeling pretty full right now, but I just had a 700 calorie smoothie so we will see if it sticks.

65% fat

9% carb

26% protein

All but 17g of carbs were fiber which does not count towards the totals so my carb percentage is actually much lower than 9%.

I have a bit of a headache tonight, but that could once again just be coincidental.

Overall I feel normal other than I have chia seeds stuck in my teeth.

my foods today were:

Cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Olive Oil
Eggs
Boneless skinless chicken thighs
Beef snack sticks
Spinach
Mushrooms
Garlic
Chia seeds
100% natural zero added sugar peanut butter
MyProtein Whey Isolate
Almond milk
Sugar free metamucil
Heavy cream

I can't believe the stuff I ate today.  I normally dont eat cheese at all, and definitely not beef snack sticks.  

I'm just kind of throwing caution to the wind and trusting the science behind it and the methods.  Worst thing that happens is I go back to what I've always done.


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## NbleSavage (Sep 16, 2018)

In for the ride, Spongy. Good luck in March.


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## Viduus (Sep 16, 2018)

Now I want an Italian sausage... I think the hard part would be the lower food volume. Fat adds up so fast.


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## dk8594 (Sep 16, 2018)

Spongy said:


> I've got the pee strips if that's what you mean.  I may go out and get a glucometer as well.



You’ll eventually stop registering on the piss strips.  The glucometer is the gold standard, but there are also some breath analyzers that , although not as accurate as the glucometer, will continue to give you an indication of how deep in ketosis you are.

Also, side note, I don’t think the headache is coincidental. I had one for the first week and a half.


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## Rhino99 (Sep 16, 2018)

I think you guys are confusing glucometer with ketone meter.

Also, When I went low carb I had occasional headaches too.


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## PillarofBalance (Sep 16, 2018)

Just use the wife test to know if you are in ketosis. Breathe on her and if she throws up in her mouth from your nasty acid breath you are g2g.


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## Blusoul24 (Sep 16, 2018)

Definitely interested in your experiences here.


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## Beedeezy (Sep 16, 2018)

I've been keto/carnivore for months. Did it for health reasons only and reaping the other benefits as a plus. BEST dietary decision I've ever made, feel better in every way. Couldn't imagine switching back, I've ****ed up and ate a whole extra large pizza because I didn't feel like cooking. That's a real good way to remind myself why I went carnivore in the first place. Felt terrible, along with GI upset for days...


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## snake (Sep 17, 2018)

God bless ya Spongy if you can do this. You're a better man than me.


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## Viduus (Sep 17, 2018)

The title of this thread makes me want to own a smoking jacket. I’ll be in the parlor waiting to read today’s edition.


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## Spongy (Sep 17, 2018)

Well, day two complete.

I'll tell ya what, I was absolutely exhausted last night for no reason and fell asleep in my living room at 845.  That is really strange for me.  I moved to the bedroom and slept hard until about 630 this morning.

Felt very very tired this morning.

No headaches today at all

I've been drinking a ton of water today

Energy picked up in the afternoon but quite tired omce again this evening

Everyone I have talked to about keto has said the same thing about never being hungry and kind of needing to remind yourself to eat.  I don't know what the hell they are talking.  I've been ravenous today.

Weight was actually up 1.2 lbs today from yesterday but that is pretty in line with my day to day fluctuations

I ended up eating at maintenance today

Foods included the following:

Ground pork sausage
Eggs
Cheddar Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Beef jerky
Beef sticks
Beef hot dogs (wtf, haven't had these in a long time)
Mustard
Boneless skinless chicken thighs
Spinach
Red wine vinaigrette 
Sunflower seeds
Almond Milk
Organic no sugar added peanut butter
MyProtein whey isolate
Chia seeds
Metamucil

66% fat
26% protein 
8% carb 

21 net carbs and the rest fiber, so again my net carb % is much lower than 8%.

The family and I met the in-laws out at the woods property to finish rebuilding the roof over the cabin porch and have a cookout with s'mores and such for the kiddos.  My wife is a twin so her sister and husband came with their two kids that are almost exactly the same age as ours.  Good times were had by all and we got the roof finished up with minimal injuries.

Mother in law typically does hot dogs and such for everyone and I usually bring a chicken breast or sirloin, etc, to slap on the grill.  You should've seen the looks on everyone's face when I start chowing down on a couple hotdogs.  My wife just stares and them and says very dryly (drily if you're English) and sarcastically "don't ask, he's got some idea in his head about going keto.  How wonderful for us all."  Glad the wife is on board.


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## PillarofBalance (Sep 17, 2018)

Just so it's not like I am just busting your balls the whole time here is a winner

Bacon wrapped hot dogs fried in ghee (coconut oil and butter if you don't have ghee or are racist).


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## Spongy (Sep 17, 2018)

PillarofBalance said:


> Just so it's not like I am just busting your balls the whole time here is a winner
> 
> Bacon wrapped hot dogs fried in ghee (coconut oil and butter if you don't have ghee or are racist).



I came.

10 characters.


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## Spongy (Sep 17, 2018)

Beginning of day three

Slept like ass

Weight is up another .8 lbs.  I think weight gain likely due to large amount of salt I have taken in this weekend.  I can't really think of any other reason but definitely keeping an eye on it.

Put butter in my coffee this morning, that was weird.

I'm not really having any carb cravings yet so that's a positive.

Anyways, happy Monday.


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## HollyWoodCole (Sep 17, 2018)

Keto is the diet I enjoyed the most out of everything I've tried.  Not sure why but my reflux disappeared pretty much overnight when on this diet. I could actually eat spicy foods again, Sriracha got put on most everything lol.

My favorite breakfast in the world, you have to try it Spongy:

1 cup of spinach sauteed in butter
1 cup of ground turkey with taco seasoning (cooked, crumbled)
4 eggs
1/4 cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of guacamole 

Pre-cook the turkey in bulk
Sautee the spinach up, then add in the eggs and turkey in the same pan
Cook until the eggs are desired consistency
Add some sriracha and enjoy


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## DevilDoc87 (Sep 17, 2018)

That sounds prettt good cole


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## Spongy (Sep 18, 2018)

Day 3 in the books

First day weight training and I can definitely tell a difference.  I felt frustratingly weak and had to adjust accordingly.  I knew this would be the case, so I'm not surprised despite the frustration.  I would say, conservatively, I took about 10-20% off each lift.

I've been doing cardio every day (enter triggered POB, stage right) so I'm sure I'm significantly depleted of glycogen but I haven't really noticed a difference in my endurance.

Peed on a strip today, no detectable ketones yet, once again not surprised.  

Anyhow, diet for the day was a bit cleaner.  Calories just shy of maintenance.

64% fat
29% protein
7% carb

14g net carbs, the rest from fiber

Foods for the day:

Coffee
Butter
Eggs
Pork sausage
Mozzarella cheese
Cheddar cheese
Beef stick
Chicken thighs
Sirloin tip roast
Spinach
Balsamic vinaigrette 
Sunflower seeds
MyProtein Whey Isolate
Chia seeds
Olive oil
Metamucil

No headaches today
Not as thirsty today

So far so good


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## HollyWoodCole (Sep 18, 2018)

DevilDoc87 said:


> That sounds prettt good cole


It's the deal brother.  Has become my favorite breakfast other than pussy.


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## DieYoungStrong (Sep 18, 2018)

I ran carbnite (1 carb day per week) for months and it worked amazing for me. After the first week of feeling like shit (you go 10-14 days at first before your first refeed), I felt amazing. Want to go back to it actually but its just really hard for me during football/beer season.


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## Spongy (Sep 19, 2018)

Day 4 done

I woke up tired as hell and stayed that way pretty much all day.  I honestly can't say tired is the best way to describe it though.  Lethargy I guess.  Awake, but just blah.

Surprisingly my cardio session tonight went quite well.  I don't feel like my endurance has suffered any.

66% fat
27% protein
7% carb

13 net carbs, the rest just fiber

Foods for the day:

Coffee
Butter
Coconut oil
Eggs
Egg whites
Olive oil
Sirloin tip roast
Mustard
Macadamia nuts
Spinach
Balsamic vinaigrette 
Sunflower seeds
Whole roasted fresh young chicken - did not eat skin
MyProtein whey isolate
Chia seeds
Metamucil

I would say hunger was a bit more controlled today.  Ate at slightly below maintenance.


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## dk8594 (Sep 19, 2018)

Thanks for keeping this log.  I'll be really interested to hear you opinion when you're done.

Forgive me if it's mentioned somewhere in here and I didn't see it, but are you also doing a calorie deficit with this or are you doing maintenance ?


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## Spongy (Sep 19, 2018)

dk8594 said:


> Thanks for keeping this log.  I'll be really interested to hear you opinion when you're done.
> 
> Forgive me if it's mentioned somewhere in here and I didn't see it, but are you also doing a calorie deficit with this or are you doing maintenance ?



Doing a slight calorie deficit.  Nothing more than 500 per day and eating at or above maintenance on weekends.  I'm doing a lot more endurance work so trying to keep calories reasonable.


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## jennerrator (Sep 19, 2018)

How old are you...if you don't mind me asking?


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

Day 5

Felt decent today but got a headache later in the afternoon.  I have some pretty killer blisters on my feet from training, but that's cool with me.  I need more callouses come March!

Today I ate slightly above maintenance.

65% fat
25% protein
10% carb

16 net carbs, the rest were fiber

Foods:

Coffee
Butter
Coconut oil
Eggs
Egg Whites
Sirloin tip roast
Macadamia nuts
Metamucil
Whole roasted chicken without skin
Spinach
Balsamic vinaigrette 
Sunflower seeds 
Chia seeds
MyProtein Whey Isolate
Mushrooms
Almond milk
Olive oil

I am down 3.2 lbs since starting, even with the initial two days of weight gain.


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

jennerrator said:


> How old are you...if you don't mind me asking?



I am 33
5'10
240 lbs
20% BF after last cycle with insulin and npp that ended a couple weeks back

Currently lowered my cruising dose to 250mg per week.

No AI as I dont require one typically at this dose

Like i said in the beginning, I've got two little girls now and as much as I want to keep pushing my aesthetic limits, I want to be there for them more.  I dont have the genetics to take aas nonstop like the pros and I dont want to end up another blurb on the news about death due to steroid abuse.  

I've always been a competitor whether in fitness or other aspects of my life, so fitness is engrained in me.  It's just time to start thinking about what's truly important.  

I put on more weight during this last cycle than I had originally planned, mostly due to wanting to see how far I could push my strength.

right now I have about 192 lbs of lbm and I'm looking to drop down to about 210lbs and 10% by March for my endurance event in order to be competitive.  That leaves me with about 189lbs lbm. I'll still be a lot bigger than most competitors but oh well.


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## HydroEJP88 (Sep 20, 2018)

I'm gonna follow this also because I've been considering this diet a lot lately.

I've never dieted ever but I'm gonna start yoga due to me having the flexibility of a 2x4 so I think this will compliment that very well.

So I have a sweet tooth. Wtf does someone on keto eat to curb this?


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## DevilDoc87 (Sep 20, 2018)

Their dreams? Lmao not sure brotha


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

HydroEJP88 said:


> I'm gonna follow this also because I've been considering this diet a lot lately.
> 
> I've never dieted ever but I'm gonna start yoga due to me having the flexibility of a 2x4 so I think this will compliment that very well.
> 
> So I have a sweet tooth. Wtf does someone on keto eat to curb this?



8oz vanilla unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 scoop myprotein whey isolate cinnamon roll

pour about 5 oz into a mug with the chia seeds and put in the fridge for an hour or so.  Makes a nice, sweet, slight crunchy pudding.


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

Day 6 morning.  Down 4lbs so far.  A bit too fast for my taste but it's probably due to the transition into ketosis.


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

Hmm, those MCTs will just go right through ya, eh?


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## Viduus (Sep 20, 2018)

Spongy said:


> Day 6 morning.  Down 4lbs so far.  A bit too fast for my taste but it's probably due to the transition into ketosis.



Assuming a large chunk of that is water from pulling carbs? It’ll be interesting to see how the drop continues.


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## Jin (Sep 20, 2018)

Spongy said:


> Hmm, those MCTs will just go right through ya, eh?


Explosive. Your body will adjust quickly but stay near a toilet for now.


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

Viduus said:


> Assuming a large chunk of that is water right from pulling carbs? It’ll be interesting to see how the drop continues.



I'm assuming so.  Definitely looking a bit flat.  I'm going to up the calories a bit too.  I'm looking for about 5-6lb drop per month.


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

Jin said:


> Explosive. Your body will adjust quickly but stay near a toilet for now.



Yup, I'm just planning on being late for everything today lol.


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## j2048b (Sep 20, 2018)

https://youtu.be/PBNQQmFAIBw

I had to post this for u sponge , low glycogen = no energy, etc....good video tho


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## j2048b (Sep 20, 2018)

https://youtu.be/v3r7G8hPtNw

Another


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## dk8594 (Sep 20, 2018)

Spongy said:


> Hmm, those MCTs will just go right through ya, eh?



Quest makes an mct powder that’s easier on the digestive system. Just keep in mind that it uses a small amount of carbs as a binder. Pretty flavorless though and you won’t feel like you are drinking an oil slick.


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## Spongy (Sep 20, 2018)

Anyone else having flashbacks?

I'll update later.  I'm gonna go soak myself in ice water.


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## Spongy (Sep 21, 2018)

short update tonight.

Low on calories today but feel ok

64% fat
26% protein
10% carb

Only 11 net carbs, rest from fiber

Foods:

Metamucil
Coffee
Coconut oil
Butter
Egg whites
Olive oil
Organic hamburger
Mustard
Romaine lettuce
Chia seeds
Almond milk
Chia seeds
Cheddar cheese

I am ****ing spent tonight.


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## Spongy (Sep 21, 2018)

Day 7 weigh in

5.4lbs lost since starting.

As Viduus mentioned before it's likely due to dropping carbs and not an accurate representation of actual fat or muscle loss.  Regardless, I am going to be eating above maintenance this today through Sunday.  Hot Italian sausage for dinner!


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## HydroEJP88 (Sep 21, 2018)

Are you taking Polaroids for visual progress


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## Spongy (Sep 21, 2018)

HydroEJP88 said:


> Are you taking Polaroids for visual progress



I've hired a caricature artist from Six Flags to draw weekly portraits.

I am taking photos as well though.  He leaves out some of the details


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## HydroEJP88 (Sep 21, 2018)

Spongy said:


> I've hired a caricature artist from Six Flags to draw weekly portraits.
> 
> I am taking photos as well though.  He leaves out some of the details



For sure. They are perfect for emphasizing your strong points


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## DevilDoc87 (Sep 21, 2018)

Nice rucksack .. can’t say I miss that haha


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## Spongy (Sep 25, 2018)

HollyWoodCole said:


> Keto is the diet I enjoyed the most out of everything I've tried.  Not sure why but my reflux disappeared pretty much overnight when on this diet. I could actually eat spicy foods again, Sriracha got put on most everything lol.
> 
> My favorite breakfast in the world, you have to try it Spongy:
> 
> ...



Doing this tomorrow morning for breakfast.  Looking forward to it!


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## Spongy (Sep 25, 2018)

So let's see...  The weekend...  Not the best weekend for the keto diet and actually kicked myself out of ketosis.  

Back on track today.


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## Viduus (Sep 25, 2018)

Spongy said:


> So let's see...  The weekend...  Not the best weekend for the keto diet and actually kicked myself out of ketosis.
> 
> Back on track today.



POB send you poptarts?


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## DevilDoc87 (Sep 25, 2018)

Viduus said:


> POB send you poptarts?



There’s more than one way to expand a sponge ...


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## Coldblooded (Sep 25, 2018)

PillarofBalance said:


> Just use the wife test to know if you are in ketosis. Breathe on her and if she throws up in her mouth from your nasty acid breath you are g2g.



It's funny cause it's TRUE. If your breath smells like your using cat shit for toothpaste your doing it right...lmao


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## strongassnurse (Sep 26, 2018)

Spongy said:


> I've hired a caricature artist from Six Flags to draw weekly portraits.
> 
> I am taking photos as well though.  He leaves out some of the details



Legit just laughed out loud at this.. in a lecture.. I am the asshole in the room.


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## Rhino99 (Sep 26, 2018)

How many calories are you taking in daily?
From your list it seems very low?


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## DevilDoc87 (Sep 26, 2018)

strongassnurse said:


> Legit just laughed out loud at this.. in a lecture.. I am the asshole in the room.



Glad I’m not the only one suffering through a lecture right now.. but mine speaks Spanglish.. can’t understand a damn work.


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## strongassnurse (Sep 26, 2018)

DevilDoc87 said:


> Glad I’m not the only one suffering through a lecture right now.. but mine speaks Spanglish.. can’t understand a damn work.



We'll at least yours is probably a lecture you need to be at. I'm just sitting in on one with the gf because she asked and it's ****ing awful.. &#55357;&#56899;


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## Spongy (Sep 26, 2018)

Rhino99 said:


> How many calories are you taking in daily?
> From your list it seems very low?



between 3200 and 4500 depending on activity for the day.  Higher on endurance days.


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## Rhino99 (Sep 26, 2018)

Wow.
Ok......


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## Chillinlow (Sep 26, 2018)

It’s a tuff road just cause your limited to so little of what you can eat unless you have time to cook your own meals


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## Spongy (Sep 26, 2018)

Rhino99 said:


> Wow.
> Ok......



yeah, I eat a lot of the same stuff.  I burn upwards of 2000 calories or more during endurance days.


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## dk8594 (Oct 9, 2018)

There hasn't been a Ketogenic Spongy update in two weeks.

Word is he went crazy and hijacked a bread truck.


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## Viduus (Oct 9, 2018)

I thought my subscription expired....

Now I'm picturing spongy huddled in a corner snorting pixie sticks.


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## j2048b (Oct 12, 2018)

Well i hope he and the fam are good,  8 needs a diet as well, just no keto for me, hopefully his endurance aspirations didnt hurt him


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## Spongy (Oct 17, 2018)

Alright all.  I made it a month and it was a great experience.  My weight evened out for the most part and leaned out a bit for sure.

I'm slowly adding carbs back in at this point just to get back to a more traditional diet.  I enjoyed keto but I miss the pumps in the gym and things are really starting to ramp up with the endurance training and I honestly felt as though I wasn't able to push myself as hard and I dont think keto was conducive to my goals at this time.

I will likely revisit it after my event in March when I get back to a more conventional training schedule.

I'm honestly looking forward to giving it another go under different circumstances and for a longer period of time!

Feel free to ask any questions, but keep in mind I only went for a month.


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## Spongy (Oct 17, 2018)

j2048b said:


> Well i hope he and the fam are good,  8 needs a diet as well, just no keto for me, hopefully his endurance aspirations didnt hurt him



Email sent


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## Spongy (Oct 17, 2018)

Viduus said:


> I thought my subscription expired....
> 
> Now I'm picturing spongy huddled in a corner snorting pixie sticks.



That gives me an idea...


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## Viduus (Oct 17, 2018)

Did you see any advantages?


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## Spongy (Oct 17, 2018)

Viduus said:


> Did you see any advantages?



Oh for sure.  I could definitely see it being advantageous when trying to break through a plateau while cutting.  It also really simplifies cooking because of the limited options, I basically ate the same thing almost every day.

As weak as I felt in the gym, I honestly felt pretty damn good during my endurance training.  My energy levels were pretty on par with how I feel when I am eating 95% clean.  I very rarely felt hungry despite the deficit on some days.  It was also nice to eat cheese and cuts of meats I normally don't eat.


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## j2048b (Oct 17, 2018)

Spongy said:


> Email sent


Replied

Glad ur good, hopefully u can work the keto into some kind of option...


On another note

Connor Mcgregor's nuteitional coach on youtube while he was on w joe rogan was damn interesting

https://youtu.be/ARAT9HQY6e4


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## Viduus (Oct 17, 2018)

Spongy said:


> Oh for sure.  I could definitely see it being advantageous when trying to break through a plateau while cutting.  It also really simplifies cooking because of the limited options, I basically ate the same thing almost every day.
> 
> As weak as I felt in the gym, I honestly felt pretty damn good during my endurance training.  My energy levels were pretty on par with how I feel when I am eating 95% clean.  I very rarely felt hungry despite the deficit on some days.  It was also nice to eat cheese and cuts of meats I normally don't eat.



I’d be curious to see how you feel doing endurance running with yohimbine. As I mentioned, it seems to put me in a similar state.


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## jennerrator (Oct 17, 2018)

If you don’t mind, I’d be curious the weight you gain bringing the carbs back..I know slowly but how much weight gain do they  cause?


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## PillarofBalance (Oct 17, 2018)

jennerrator said:


> If you don’t mind, I’d be curious the weight you gain bringing the carbs back..I know slowly but how much weight gain do they  cause?



I bet he puts on 8lbs in 2 days.


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## jennerrator (Oct 17, 2018)

PillarofBalance said:


> I bet he puts on 8lbs in 2 days.




Yea, I figure that to an extent and I'm sure it can be more as it just depends on amount eaten...I am truly happy that I don't even need a big amount of carbs to function...haven't been a big carb eater in years...and have no issues with training or thinking lol...maybe my body is just used to it.


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## Spongy (Oct 17, 2018)

Total weight lost was 12 lbs, I'm sure quite a bit of it was water and glycogen.  Eating 100g carbs today, 35g are fiber.  I will let you know what happens with the weight.


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## Maijah (Oct 17, 2018)

I eat 100 grams of carbs for breakfast.. I need a serious adjustment in my diet I eat too much if everything, I curious to see how fast you gain weight back as well Spong. How do you feel/look? Leaner? Tighter?


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## Chillinlow (Oct 17, 2018)

How were the joints? Every time I’ve done keto pr even low carb diet my joints start to hurt ache when lifting.


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