Question regarding Atkins and exercise.

going un-reg

Hey..

I've beem researching alot on the atkins diet and although its not the healthiest diet...it still does what I need it to do...a spring board I see it as.

Anyway....one aspect that has been mentioned whilst researching was that as your body uses up its stored fat as means for burning carbohydrate, it also burns away muscle mass ..making your muscles more lean.

I want to get back into body building so....surely, with the amount of protein I'd be taking into my body, it would suit muscle growth through body building...whilst loosing weight?...

Any informed answers welcome

Mellor

going un-reg wrote: »

Anyway....one aspect that has been mentioned whilst researching was that as your body uses up its stored fat as means for burning carbohydrate, it also burns away muscle mass ..making your muscles more lean.

Thee two points are totally wrong.

Stored fat isn't used to burn carbs, its used instead of it. Energy burns carbs, protein, fat. If these are lacking it turns to fat stores.

and "burning away" muscle doesn't make you more lean, it just lowers the amount of muscle you have (although you'd need to be eating a big defecit to lose significant muscle). You can't have lean muscle. Muscle is just muscle, its the layer of fat on top that makes you lean or not.

going un-reg

ok, you're taking my words way too literally....

I took that information and put them into my own words from a dietitions website, maybe my own wording was wrong..but what I said was correct....

I did also say "as a means" of burning it...as in not the exact procedure.

now...anyone have any advice on my actual question?

corkcomp

going un-reg wrote: »

ok, you're taking my words way too literally....

I took that information and put them into my own words from a dietitions website, maybe my own wording was wrong..but what I said was correct....

I did also say "as a means" of burning it...as in not the exact procedure.

now...anyone have any advice on my actual question?

thats a bit harsh as mellors point about loss of muscle mass is very true - you said "burning away muscle mass" - how are people suposed to interput this? If you take that attitude i cant see people lining up to offer advice!

Regarding atkins - if you are not willing to follow that type of diet for life then its pointless IMO - just start off by dropping carbs which are obviously bad ... if you post your current stats and diet it might make it easier to help ..

El_Dangeroso

Hi OP,

Ketogenic diets are more muscle sparing than traditional calorie reduction diets, so a lc diet is ideal for your purposes.

There is a certain type of diet called the anabolic diet, it involves eating lc for 6 days followed by one day of high carb low fat. This manipulates your hormones into stimulating muscle growth.

Here is a link to a free e-book on the diet:

http://www.australia-bodybuilding.com/Fitness%20-%20Anabolic%20Diet.pdf

Hope this helps and good luck!

EileenG

What she said.

Ketogenic diets like Atkins tend to prioritise fat burning, rather than the usual combination of fat and muscle that you get on most low calorie diets. This makes them ideal for people who are very obese, or who can't exercise for whatever reason.

However, exercise is essential for good health, and there's a sort of weird notion that you can't exercise on Atkins. Wrong! What will be harder is explosive exercise, for instance sprinting or kick boxing. The sort of exercise that most of us do, brisk walking/easy jog, cycling, swimming, not-to-failure weight training, is actually easier on Atkins, as you have steady energy without fluctations.

going un-reg

Thanks guys...

Ive tried a few diets and I always seem to fall by the way side eventually..


I think I might use atkins as a spring board to shift my excess weight and then be more motivated to do full on exercise. Im fully aware that when you stop, you put back on the weight, but I've talked to some people who were on it and my cousin, who shed 50 pounds on the atkins over 4 months, only regained 5 pounds of it having stopped, to each their own I suppose..

I started today, so fingers crossed it'll go ok.

One last thing, does anyone know any info on the atkins range of foods?...those shakes/energy bars?...are they just a gimmic or...?

corkcomp

going un-reg wrote: »

Thanks guys...

Ive tried a few diets and I always seem to fall by the way side eventually..


I think I might use atkins as a spring board to shift my excess weight and then be more motivated to do full on exercise. Im fully aware that when you stop, you put back on the weight, but I've talked to some people who were on it and my cousin, who shed 50 pounds on the atkins over 4 months, only regained 5 pounds of it having stopped, to each their own I suppose..

I started today, so fingers crossed it'll go ok.

One last thing, does anyone know any info on the atkins range of foods?...those shakes/energy bars?...are they just a gimmic or...?

see thats the problem, as long as you keep thinking of being on a "diet" you will most likely fail ... you are far better off to make a lifestyle change that allows you to eat a wide variety of foods and have very ocasional treats, and make sure you exercise regularly ... you WILL lose the weight this way, it may take a little longer but since you are not on a diet you wont have the problem of giving up and moving onto the next diet ... whether you follow atkins or low fat diet you will automatically cut out a lot of crap like processed foods and chocolate etc, where as you could easily just drop these anyway without being on a diet?

El_Dangeroso

going un-reg wrote: »

Thanks guys...

Ive tried a few diets and I always seem to fall by the way side eventually..


I think I might use atkins as a spring board to shift my excess weight and then be more motivated to do full on exercise. Im fully aware that when you stop, you put back on the weight, but I've talked to some people who were on it and my cousin, who shed 50 pounds on the atkins over 4 months, only regained 5 pounds of it having stopped, to each their own I suppose..

I started today, so fingers crossed it'll go ok.

One last thing, does anyone know any info on the atkins range of foods?...those shakes/energy bars?...are they just a gimmic or...?

Stay away from those shakes and and bars, they are complete processed crap and will most likely stall your weight loss.

Do you have the book? It's essential you read it and follow the rules exactly.

It's restrictive at first but then you can add in more and more foods and see how your body tolerates them. Despite what others say there's no lack of variety if you make an effort.

EileenG

Agreed. Avoid the bars and shakes etc. Concentrate on eating fresh whole food, and you'll be fine. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to make it a lifestyle rather than a diet. It's not so much about keeping carbs below a certain number, more about eating fresh healthy food instead of junk.

If you want to have a standby snack in case you get caught out, then a packet of raw nuts or seeds is a good idea. And cheaper than those stupid bars.

flywheel

EileenG wrote: »

The sort of exercise that most of us do, brisk walking/easy jog, cycling, swimming, not-to-failure weight training, is actually easier on Atkins, as you have steady energy without fluctations.

can you expand on this a little for me, they are easier on Atkins compared to what?

EileenG

I find them easier compared to when I'm eating a significant amount of carbs. When I'm on Atkins, I just go and go until I'm finished, I don't get the "I'm a bit tired, should I take a break?" thing that I sometimes do on carbs. You don't have variations in energy level.

I think warm-up does take a little longer, but I hate warming up anyway, so I'm not a good judge of that.

flywheel

i suppose i have a differnet experience, i'd eat carbs and don't feel tired or wanting to give up undertaking moderate intensity activity...

i can understand pushing up into high intensity (proper HIIT / Lactate Threshold training) but then planning the intake of carbs with the session works just fine to get me through the training and recovery...

EileenG

TKD (targetted ketogenic diet) is popular with a lot of people who need to stay competitive but also have to make weight classes in their sport.

But when it's something like cycling, I often set out to just do a short run, and two hours later find I've done 30 miles.

flywheel

EileenG wrote: »

TKD (targetted ketogenic diet) is popular with a lot of people who need to stay competitive but also have to make weight classes in their sport.

i always saw TKD as highlighting that SKD (standard) isn't something you can be on and also perform optimally at high(er) intensities

EileenG wrote: »

But when it's something like cycling, I often set out to just do a short run, and two hours later find I've done 30 miles.

cool altho i don't have a keto diet (consuming carbs in my daily nutrition) an can achieve similar...

EileenG

True, but people keep talking as if it's impossible to do exercise on low carbs, and it's just not true. And while I wouldn't try to do competitive intensity exercise on Atkins, very few people do that anyway. Most people who do exercise, do enough to enjoy themselves, keep fit and keep in reasonable shape. They are not working toward gold medals.

flywheel

well you're living proof it can be done i burn fat for fuel too altho i don't have an ultra low carb diet - it wouldn't be ultra high either...

i don't see the link with competition and medals, was just talking about one's own exercising / training, if there's a bit of a plan of action a healthy mix of everything from resistance, endurance, higher / lower intensity, flexibility etc... works for me