This may be a silly question, but can protein shakes be warmed up like hot chocolate? I found a really tasty chocolate whey iso, that should be good hot. I just didn’t know if the protein would break up into amino acids if I put it in the microwave. Thanks all!

A consistent steady consumption of protein is best for muscle protein synthesis but i find it so difficult on mostly meat diet to have the time to eat anything before or even during work.

Typically I'll eat when I get home after the gym and then dinner a few hours later.

Do you meal prep? Do you wake up early to cook? Do you gym in the morning or evening?

I’m sure this has been asked roughly 100 times or more in this sub, but what are some good Keto friendly Pre Workouts, that don’t have caffeine? I’m allergic to caffeine so I have to stay away from that, and the brand I bought today has sucralose in it. Thanks in advance!

Hi there, I don’t know if this makes sense but when I take electrolytes on a regular basis I retain water but then when I don’t for a few weeks I still retain water until I take my electrolytes which then makes me expell all the extra water weight. What gives?

It's been awhile since I've done keto. I never felt better than when I'm in it and using the ketogains workout..

I thought I had read something in here or a similar thread that you don't necessarily have to go crazy counting the amount of fats that you consume while in keto? Did I make that up, or is it true?

I eat cheese and yogurt and creamy soup but I still fall short of my recommended daily fats that it's recommended by the keto calculator. But I feel good and am not struggling in my workouts.

I appreciate any insight.

Hi,

I have started Keto a few weeks ago and have been back in the gym, and looking for Keto-friendly pre workout, I've had a look at C4 power and the energy drinks but with being new to it wanted to ask if these are keto friendly, or for anyone elses recommendations

Thank you,

Hello all, just wanna do a quick update on my journey on this lifestyle.

this was my first post on this sub https://www.reddit.com/r/ketogains/comments/175ev80/am_i_on_the_right_track/

recap started 36yo M at 127ish kg in september 2023, 175 cm, about 35% bf and a couple of other issues (high bp, lymphedema in the evening), i spent a couple months to really find what i need for my nutrition, i was (and am) and get to this macro:

200 gr of pro (mainly meat, egg and a little bit of fish)

100 gr of fat (from fatty meat, extra virgin olive oil and butter)

30 gr of carb (a few veggies or a little low carb fruit)

supplements:

magnesium and potassium citrate (relatively 250 mg and 800 mg)

citrulline malate (5 gr every day, another 5 for workout days)

creatine monohydrate (5 gr every day)

in the last 2 weeks i started taking 500 mg fish oil pills ( 200 EPA 150 DHA) with 25 µg of vitamin D3 and 50 µg of vitamin K2 so i won't say they matter in the bloodwork (i donated 4 days ago)

even on my "cheat day" most of the time i still eat ketogenics but with more food and it will probably happen once every 2 weeks, the other day i was pretty dialed in. if i sensed the need of snack i will probably go for a little deli meat (i am in italy and all of my meat and deli meat (affettati) comes from a real butcher so i found myself lucky) or maybe a little piece of parmigiano reggiano (very sporadically though).

here i am after 14 months i am 104 kg, 24/25% bf feeling so much better in both physical and mentally, more energy, more mental clarity, no more high bp, no more lymphedema (or very very little) my fat keep on decreasing but my muscle seems to get more and more defined and bigger even if i'm not really strict to the diet, i know i was here for the long time but ain't complainin at all.

after this year with a so different nutrition i donated blood and get a simple bloodwork, here are the results(sorry but they are in italian there's a recap at the end):

ELETTROFORESI PROTEICA

Albumina 4,5 gr/dl

Alfa1 ass 0,2 gr/dl

Alfa1% 3,4 %

Alfa2ass 0,7 gr/dl

Alfa2% 9,4 %

Beta1ass 0,4 gr/dl

Beta1% 5,9 %

Gamma ass 0,9 gr/dl

Gamma % 13,0 %

rap 1,7

BETA2% 5,7 %

Beta2ass 0,4 gr/dl

alb % 62,6 %

Creatininemia 1,18 mg/dl ( 0,60 - 1,30)

Azotemia 36 mg/dl (10 - 50)

G.P.T. 29 UI/L (3 - 63)

G.O.T. 33 UI/L (0 - 41)

Glicemia 106 mg/dl (70 - 110)

Trigliceridi 71 mg/dl (0 - 150)

Colesterolo Totale 207 H mg/dl (0 - 200)

HDL 63 mg/dl > a 35

Sideremia 54 L mcg/dl (60 - 160)

Ferritina 249 ng/ml (22 - 322)

24 - 336

24 - 336

Protidemia 7,20 gr/dl (6,00 - 8,00)

Esame emocromocitometrico

WBC 7,85 10^3/uL (4,00 - 10,80)

RBC 5,24 10^6/uL (4,70 - 6,10)

Emoglobina 15,40 g/dl (14,00 - 18,00)

Ematocrito 43,7 % (42,0 - 52,0)

Volume corpuscolare medio 83 fl (80 - 94)

M.C.H. 29 pg (27 - 32)

M.C.H.C. 35 g/dl (32 - 37)

R.D.W. 12 % (12 - 16)

Piastrine 270 10^3/uL (130 - 450)

Volume piastrinico medio 10 fl (7 - 11)

Piastrinocrito 0,28 %

P.D.W. 11 fl

NEUTROFILI # 4,18 10^3/uL 2,00 - 6,40

LINFOCITI # 2,46 10^3/uL 1,10 - 3,60

MONOCITI # 0,7 10^3/uL 0,0 - 1,0

EOSINOFILI # 0,4 10^3/uL 0,0 - 0,7

BASOFILI # 0,1 10^3/uL 0,0 - 0,2

NEUTROFILI % 53 % 43 - 65

LINFOCITI % 31,3 % 20,5 - 52,0

MONOCITI % % 5 - 13

EOSINOFILI % 5 % 1 - 7

BASOFILI % 0,9 % 0,1 - 2,0

RDW-SD 37 fL

P-LCR 26,6 %

the good news are

TOTAL CHO: 207 (on the higher end but i don't think is really something i should feel concerned)

HDL: 63

LDL: 129 (based on calculation TOTAL CHO - HDL - (1/5 of triglycerides))

TRIGLYCERIDES: 71

GLUCOSE: 106 (fasted)

the only thing a little lover is SIDEREMIA or IRONEMIA which is 54 (ideally 60-160) but my FERRITIN is high enough so i don't really know how to read that, other than that every single indicator is right in the optimal range.

so a brief conclusion is this diet works! and is healty and sustainable in the long term! especially if you keep on following the right tips on the FAQ or write a post and the mighty u/darthluiggi we will surely help.

Thank you again to Mr. Luis u/darthluiggi and the staff behind this protocol and this sub. you changed my life for the better and i cannot be more grateful to find people who really love helping other individual.

sorry again for the long post and everything but after all this time i realized had a lot to say.

Hi there,

I believe por meat has the 9 essential amino acids but I rarely see it being mentioned as good source of proteins. How does pork compare to beef, fish and poultry?

And im talking about the more lean cuts instead of bacon. For instance I have sliced pork strips that contain

135kcal / 100gr 20gr protein 5.5 fat 1.3 carb (seasoning)

To me that sounds like very acceptable macros. I know that beef outclasses poultry in terms of minerals (from what I understand, DarthLuigi mentioned) so what about lean pork?

Thanks

I (54f) have been on Keto several times (5'6", SW 148, CW 128), which works very well for losing weight. Inflammation goes down, I have less pain in my body, and I don't usually have trouble staying on track with macros. I use FitnessPal to track everything.

I have never been obese, but I'm not particularly eager to let my weight creep up too far. I have been on Keto for the past 4 months and lost 20 pounds. It's terrific! But I find that I become more anxious and depressed while I am staying under ~20 g of carbs. It is not because I feel deprived - I don't. But I feel happier when I eat more carbs (like this week - Thanksgiving), but I am not in ketosis. I'm hoping there is a solution so that I can stay on Keto for life. I do not want to keep going back and forth in my eating.

I'd like to know if I can eat ~50 carbs and stay in ketosis through lots of exercise. I am not a gym rat, but I enjoy the gym. I could up my cardio to 30 minutes in the gym (not counting additional walking at work) and get more serious about weight training. Has anyone made this change and 1) been able to stay in ketosis and 2) felt better mood-wise?

I have been researching the Anabolic Diet from Dr. Mauro DiPasquale and I'm highly intrigued. I've had experience with keto in the past and dabbled on and off.

Protein is not an issue. Carb refeed is not an issue but consuming 228g of fat per day is a massive hurdle. How? And what?

I understand whole eggs, EVOO, etc., but I always seem to miss the mark and then the dreaded "flu" sets in. Electrolyte intake is high as well.

I know its a foot ball player and they are constantly working out.. but he is my height 6'4 and hes 246. i think i can achieve this build but was just wanting some stepping stones what type of diet and what would i should i prioritize to achieve his build.

I've been following the protocol as closely as I can. Limiting calories based on the calculator recommendations, 1691 on training days, and every day is a training day.

Fat grams daily 75-100
protein daily 200-250

Some days I exceed the recommended calories, eating up to 120 grams of fat.

I'm still losing weight, but my body fat seems to appear (mostly) same. No I don't have a very accurate way to gauge it, have not done any dexa scans, just looking in the mirror. My fancy scale says my BF% is 19%. I appear leaner for certain, I can see some veins in the arms and shoulders, see a some contours in my abs/obliques, lost some of the fat that was on my chest as well.

Overall I've gone 195 > 171 pounds in a couple of months. Happy thus far with my progress, seemingly maintaining strength in the lifts I do.

Question I have is, can I still make progress in losing fat with eating a bit more? I like the level of leanness I have, not sure I want to go any lower, I would like to increase my lean mass. Looking for advice on your experience switching to growth from fat loss. Thanks

Hi Guys,

I am not new to nutrition, deiting, fat loss etc. But also, wise enough to know how little I know in an industry where knowledge is always developing.

I need to lose over 14lbs in 4 weeks. As much fat as possible, and some will be water I know. Is this even achievable? (It doesn't need to be healthy fat loss).

Current diet is junk so bloated. Anyway, what is the maximum fat I could lose in a 4 week window buy going keto asap.

I do not need to preserve muscle, or keep the weight I lose off (I know I will rebound when I follow a healthier more sustainable path).

But is it as simple as. Eating OMAD that is keto based and low intensity cardio for 1.5+ hours per day and resistance training?

Again: I'm not looking for healthy and sustainable. Which I know is not positive or the right way. But I am looking for the quickest and most effective fat loss regimen that I can power through for 4 weeks.

I am 6ft male, 210lbs / 95kg and no muscle.

Have a history of running marathons / cycling and doing cardio so not scared of moving lots.

What diet and type / intensity exercise should I follow for MAXIMUM results?

Should I water fast? And perhaps OMAD in the evening?

Thanks!

I did keto for an entire year. Lost about 25 pounds and put 15 back on, of course. But it was a hell of a summer. I lift 4 to 6 times a week and do LISS cardio, M/43. I’m also on 100mg TRT for the last 20 months. All is in balance. Nothing crazy. Just a low dose.

Today is day two of keto, I’m hitting the gym and losing a rep. I know more fatigue is coming. I’m going to just try to muscle through it, without overdoing it and hurting myself.

I’m not restricting calories this first few weeks and I’m daily supplementing with LMNT and magnesium glycinate 240 mg at night.

I’m just trying to not feel like crap, still got a few good workouts in a week .

My thoughts are just take it slower than usual, obviously not get frustrated and try to hit any kind of PR.

Hopefully there’s a little bit of fat adaptation still in my blood so it doesn’t take the full six weeks but who knows .

Who has any advice?

Ive been doing keto for nine months, with no problems. However with winter and darkness Ive just felt completely depleted and tired so I stopped. However with stopping my body has not felt right. I have more energy, but I feel less healthy. So Ive been thinking about following the ketogains protocol maybe could help find some balance. I do not lift or do sport very much because of lack of time. Is anybody doing it with not much exercise?

New Article!

By Luis Villasenor, BS in Nutrition, Co-Founder of Ketogains and DrinkLMNT

Testosterone is a critical hormone for both men and women. It influences muscle mass, bone density, libido, mood, energy levels, and overall vitality.

Yet, we are seeing an alarming trend in modern society: testosterone levels are declining across the board, and the consequences are becoming harder to ignore.

Several studies have shown that average testosterone levels in men have been decreasing over the last few decades. This isn’t just a minor fluctuation—it’s a profound shift in male health that has widespread implications for both individuals and society.

Keep on reading to understand the causes and what to do about it, HERE

As the title says, I lost 88 lbs in the span of 1.5 years. I now want to be able to have snacks. People have suggested me Schoolyard snacks and Better Than Good as healthy snacking options. I really need something Keto friendly, low carb and low protein and both of these have those snacks. I've heard some amazing views about these for clean eating and delicious at the same time.

If you guys have any other snack suggestions, please feel free to tell me

edit: no pork related suggestions please

I went off keto as a functional medicine dr thought that was the cause of my cortisol not metabolizing and saying it was behind my chronically high shbg on top of stage 1 adrenal fatigue as he called it. Been back on carbs for a year and I hate it. The energy dips and brain fog I definitely want back on keto. I think my body just became very fat adapted and isn't a fan of being back on higher carbohydrates 15-300grams. My question is, I know that benefits and adaptations continue on keto even after a year on it, going back will I be starting from 0 again in terms of gaining those benefits or would I get back in much faster and have kept some progress ? I feel guilty for ever going off!

When I did full body workouts every other day, I used to stack it with alternate day fasting. My theory was, I'd work out early morning Monday, eat the rest of the day for my MPS window, then fast all of Tuesday for all the fasting benefits from Dr. JasonFung, et al (not sure why this sub doesn't allow me to have his last name on its own), and repeat.

I stopped because this study came out which concluded that it's likely sub optimal. Honestly I feel like the jury is still out but gainz are too precious to risk.

Hypothetically though, if I were to return to full body every other day, any tips for optimizing my off days in terms of nutrition for fat loss but preferably without sacrificing muscle? For example I've heard some people recommend the protein sparing modified fast for exactly this sort of routine, where I would basically still do ADF for the most part except for a "mini meal" of like 500 calories in the morning of my off day.

Thanks.

I’ve been on the standard keto diet and IF for over 4 years. I’m in the process of implementing more strength training into my weekly exercise routine. From once a week to 3 times a week. I currently do HIIT 4-5 days a week, which will be reduced when I make these changes to my routine. I only eat one meal a day at 7pm and I like eating this way. My question is how I should structure my eating when I start adding protein shakes prior to exercise? I prefer to work out in the morning in a fasted state, I know that’s not ideal for strength training. Should I reserve the protein shakes Only on strength days? And on HIIT days stick to being in a fasted state and having my one meal in the evening? Is it beneficial or harmful to alternate my protein intake and fasting around what type of exercise I do that day?

I was drinking heavy and doing drugs for a while and It got very out of hand. It's been a year of sobriety, and I even quit nicotine. Since then I lost about 45lbs, I am currently bouncing between 185 and 195lbs. I'm a 5'10" male, and am 25 years old. I feel as If I have a lot of opportunity now to get fit and healthy, and I would love some advice on keto and maybe some easy exercises I can ease myself into. As an addict I have an issue with doing the difficult things that I know I need to do. So I've been easing back into life rather than jumping completely in. I would love y'alls input.

Results from 2nd DEXA after 10 weeks of Keto & Training.

I lost 3.8 KG of fat and gained 2 KG of muscle!!

Extreme skinny-fat so look absolutely identical. No visible changes.

Muscle symmetry has improved in some areas but degraded in others.

Asymmetry of body segments:

• The right arm has 100g more muscle than the left, a 201g increase in symmetry
  • (the difference should be <100g)
• The right leg has 43g more muscle than the left, a 156g swing in favour of the right side
  • (the difference should be <500g)
• The left side of the trunk has 784g (!) more lean mass than the right, a 16g increase in symmetry
  • (the difference should be <700g.)
  • Once this difference is greater than 900g, there is an increase in reported low back pain)

Also Bone Density reduced by 2.5% from calorie deficit?

I usually skip breakfast and stick to water and black coffee, getting hungry around noon, so I end up naturally fasting until then. But I also prefer to get my lift in early. I often worry that I'm wasting my workout if I don’t get protein within 30-45 minutes after lifting. Is the post-lift 'anabolic window' legit, or can I safely go 3-4 hours after lifting without eating and still see muscle gains?

Has anyone here consistently waited 3-4 hours post-lift before eating and still noticed muscle growth over time? Curious if this approach can work without compromising results. Thanks!

Hello I need some help.

I'm currently 262lbs 5'7 and I would like to Body recomp

Im interested in doing Keto.

I would like to lose weight and build muscle

Can this be done using Keto, everyone say I need carbs for muscle

what would be my macos

what workout routine i would need

Day one of this journey and feeling great. Have been addicted to carbs my whole life. with insulin resistance but I don’t eat processed foods, eat plenty of veggies and protein already, take minerals and organ supplements so I am crossing my fingers for continued ease…

What are some good sources of clean/nutritional keto recipes that dont go overboard on fat or processed food?

If I am cooking ground meat/sausage I usually drain the fat (still keeping in my macros I just prefer it from other sources), what is the best maceo tracking app where I can account for drained meat?

By Luis Villaseñor, BS in Nutrition, Co-founder of Ketogains & DrinkLMNT

One of the most common misconceptions about ketogenic diets is the belief that higher blood ketone levels equal greater fat loss.

While it’s true that ketones are a marker of being in a ketogenic state, obsessing over high ketone readings often leads to misunderstanding how fat loss and energy metabolism truly work.

Here’s the reality: over time, your body adapts to ketosis, and optimal fat loss has far more to do with energy balance, metabolic health, and muscle function than chasing high ketone levels.

Let’s explore why - continue reading on the link HERE

About 2-2.5 months ago, I started weight training when I was at around 159lbs, after about 4 months of strict dieting. Of the 40lbs of weight I had lost at the time, about 9lbs was muscle, with the rest being body fat. This would have been about a month after I did my previous InBody scan to measure body composition (I was at 169lbs at the time of this measurement, in August). For the duration I've been weight training, the scale has not budged from 160lbs (unfortunately don't have a baseline body composition scan when I was at 160lbs).

Basic info: 34M, 5'3". Goal weight is 140-145lbs with 12-15% BF.

Today, I went in for a follow-up scan and got the following results:

• Bodyweight: 169.7lbs -> 160.7lbs
• % BF: 33.8% -> 21.6% (!!!!)
• Lean Body Weight: 112.2lbs -> 126.1lbs (!!!!)
• Visceral fat: 11 -> 6 (!!!!)

I did also gain about 10lbs of water weight. This is probably where I could make a bit more progress towards hitting my weight goal of 150lbs at 12-15% BF.

My own scale at home isn't measuring that accurately and the body composition it was spitting out didn't show a whole lot of changes to my body. The InBody scan confirmed that for the last 2-2.5 months, my body has been in re-composition mode, and despite the scale not budging, seeing the results is incredibly validating and motivating. I definitely did not expect that large of a drop in body fat %. I could see this visually in how my body looked (from pictures taken at 160lbs before I started exercising), but damn.

For those who need it - if the scale doesn't budge, don't give in. Your body may still be changing.

Pictures:

172lbs: https://i.imgur.com/NTX4YBJ.jpeg (shortly before previous InBody scan at 169lbs)

160.4lbs / 30-33% BF: https://i.imgur.com/aPckrLX.jpeg (2 months ago)

159.4lbs / 21% BF: https://i.imgur.com/ouMLAYS.jpeg

Hello!

I had to stop lifting almost 4 weeks ago because of a wrist injury.

I have kept track of all macros, abiding by the ketogains calculator.

Is it ok to eat 2.2 kg per kg of LBM, even if I have stopped training?

Thanks!

New Article!

Collagen and Whey: The Science Behind Optimized Protein Blends for Muscle Growth and Recovery

By Luis Villasenor, BS in Nutrition, Co-founder of Ketogains & DrinkLMNT

When it comes to optimizing muscle growth, connective tissue repair, and overall recovery, protein sources play a crucial role. For years, whey protein has been the gold standard for stimulating muscle protein synthesis (MPS) due to its high leucine content and fast absorption. However, recent research, including a fascinating study by Aussieker et al. (2024), highlights the potential of combining whey with collagen to target both muscle and connective tissue synthesis effectively.

Let’s break down the findings and implications of this study, focusing on how this combination can support both performance and recovery.

Continue reading HERE

Hey everyone. Stupid question here. Where do you take measurement for body fat? I’m using a tape measure but I find different guidelines for where these measurements should be taken. For the neck, some sites say at the narrowest part and others say under the Adam’s apple. For the waist, some sites say across the navel and others say above that. I do have calipers also but I always feel like I’m pinching too much or too little fat. For reference, I’m a 33 year old male. I’m 6’ tall and weigh 209 pounds (down 42 from starting Keto in August!). Thanks!