Opinions on year-round Ketosis!

[lightshift]

I am thinking that I would really like to lean out and get that hard, defined vascular look. I am looking rather 'soft' in the muscles and I am probably around 15% bf right now. I'm thinking of going keto and utilize my fat for fuel, as a result of this my body won't be holding onto fat for storage. My question is whether it would be viable to keep in this state, and slowly increase my net calories over time and keep growing muscle without adding pounds of fat and losing definition and staying lean all year round. I'm tired of bulking up for 6 months or more a year and looking and feeling like shit and then cutting down to look my best for just a few months a year. What I am wondering is whether there is a difference in the amount of lean muscle gained through both dietary methods. There are no studies that I know of that answers this but I do know that with ketosis HGH is extremely high and you are always anabolic, whereas through an average diet with lots of carbs, you are catabolic if you do not eat regularly. I believe that the need for carb cycling is a myth and that it could be possible to adapt your body to run all year round on ketones. I know that this is quite a controversial topic within the bodybuilding community, but I thought I would ask to see opinions and for anyone with knowledge or experience of a Keto diet to provide any input. Cheers guys.

 

[ironwill1951]

all that fat on a keto diet has to be hard on your cholesterol levels ,
so for a yr round diet I would not think its a good idea ,

 

[Maven3]

I believe it can be done. I just think its a lot harder.

I went 2 years in ketosis at one point. Super lean, vascular as fuck and lots of energy. Know why I went back to carbs? I wanted to gain more muscle. As soon as I added carbs in my gains improved dramatically.

If you just want to cut, I say its fine. However just realize its not necessary. What it will do is regulate your hunger hormones and make it easier to eat at a caloric deficit.

Another option that works well is intermittent fasting. Again theres no magic to it, its just a dietary strategy that makes it easier to eat at a deficit.

 

[DaGooner]

I believe it can be done. I just think its a lot harder.

I went 2 years in ketosis at one point. Super lean, vascular as fuck and lots of energy. Know why I went back to carbs? I wanted to gain more muscle. As soon as I added carbs in my gains improved dramatically.

If you just want to cut, I say its fine. However just realize its not necessary. What it will do is regulate your hunger hormones and make it easier to eat at a caloric deficit.

Another option that works well is intermittent fasting. Again theres no magic to it, its just a dietary strategy that makes it easier to eat at a deficit.

I found intermittent fasting to be more sustainable then keto. I could never imagine 2 yrs of Keto that made it a lifestyle. I could see adopting IM as a lifestyle though. Work it right around your sleep levels you can possibly manipulate an extra Gh spike that keeps body out of starvation and burning fat. I would look into both if you are looking for a long term cut and see what is easier for your lifestyle and personal references for me it is IM. What I like about both is you can run maintenance calories or more (keto a bit more difficult no carbs calories, broccoli is not very caloric and adding calories through protein can be taxing). You can slowly add lean mass with either one. Discipline for sure.

 

[Demondosage]

I think if you wanna look like Tom Hanks did in the movie " Cast away" then go for it!!!

 

[RodgerThat]

a keto diet does utilize your fat for energy but to gain muscle you need to be in a calorie surplus and that adds fat even in keto its just a different style of eating and what works for your body. You will look leaner as you don't hold the same amount of water weight as when you do with carbs. The other thing with keto is it makes long steady state cardio quite a bit easier on your body and you can take large breaks between eating because you don't get catabolic nearly as quickly as you have plenty of fuel (fat) always on hand.