Calorie Deficit

StrontiumDog

I can. I always train fasted and do not lack any energy for it. Just takes a few weeks to get adapted.

If I am trying to lean up I use intermittent fasting with a modified keto-ish diet and my daliy calories would be about 800 - 1200. It's the easiest (lazy mans) way to cut-up. And no, I don't lose size as keto is protein sparing and your body doesn't need to cannnibalise muscle for energy.

StrontiumDog

Starvation mode is a myth that has been debunked a few years ago now. It's a bit like the spot reduction from the 80s.

Loads of new research coming out about this which has come about from research into fasting/intermittent fasting, low carb/high fat diets and autophagy. It turns out, when you fast, starvation mode doesn't happen until the extreme late stages of starvation when your body is starting to shut down. Most people on a calorie restricted diet will never get anywhere near that stage - you'd literally have to go two weeks without food.

sim12

I got down to my lowest body fat a couple of years back whilst training fasted, I always found I had sense of satisfaction knowing most calories if not all was coming from fat stores when working out, the first few weeks as already mentioned are rough your body will argue with a touch about the lack of carbs,but after that all is good.

StrontiumDog

Yeah, when your body becomes adapted to fasted training your energy levels go through the roof.

mooperman

i'd avoid these scales... they are generally crap.

Body composition is important though.

StrontiumDog

I was watching a documentary the other day and it featured the inventor of energy gel. He is a complete low carb, high fat convert and now believes he was wrong with the energy gel and promoting high carb diets for sport.

If memory serves me I think the doco came from the Australian Institute of Sport.

StrontiumDog

I agree. Although while the bodyfat measurements are wildy inaccurate, they are consistently inaccurate, so they can be used to track changes in body fat.

inzaman

I have been reading some studies where endurance cyclist go for the low carb high fat option and say they feel great and full of energy at steady tempo but once they hit a high exertion they feel wasted pretty quickly. So i guess it is horses for courses - but what do i know

sim12

Yeah low carbs is no good when your pushing it, I,ve tried to run longer distances on low carbs at high tempo is just a nightmare,anything up to 4-6 miles I  can just about get away with, 10 mile tempo runs I need a about 60 grams carbs 2 hours before, otherwise there's no hope, I'll do the distance easy anough but not at the speed I want.

StrontiumDog

By all accounts low carb high fat falls down when you get into high intensity/anaerobic zones due to a lack of muscle glycogen. Elite athletes can get a 7% performance increase from eating carbs but that only applies to about 0.001% of the population. For most people that are more interested in fat loss as opposed to winning a comp carbs don't matter.