Nutritional Ketosis: Do Calories Matter?

Posted on by BJJ Caveman

CaloriesOne of the main questions I had regarding nutritional ketosis is regarding the potential for weight gain despite rigid adherence to the high fat, low carb, and moderate protein model recommended by Volek and Phinney.  In my reading of both of their books, they write frequently of how nutritional ketosis promotes fat burning and subsequently weight loss and body recomposition, and the benefits of ketoadaptation for athletes.

But they never really satisfactorily answer the question of whether or not you can actually gain weight from nutritional ketosis and exactly how important overall caloric intake is in weight loss vs weight gain.… Read More

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Day 33 – Nutritional Ketosis

Posted on by BJJ Caveman

Day 33aWeight: 181.8
AM Ketones: 0.5
AM Blood Glucose: 87
Hours of Sleep: 7:54
Energy Level: Excellent
Physical Activity: Basketball

I could tell my ketones were going to be pretty low the moment I saw my glucose numbers.  I do both tests at the same time, but since the ketone test takes a full 10 seconds and the blood glucose test takes 2-3 seconds, I always see the glucose results first.  I’ve noticed that when my sugars are greater than 85, I can expect a low ketone number.… Read More

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Day 32 – Nutritional Ketosis

Posted on by BJJ Caveman

Day 32aWeight: 182
AM Ketones: 0.8
AM Blood Glucose: 80
Hours of Sleep: 6:39
Energy Level: Good
Physical Activity: None

We are currently traveling for 2 weeks, with the first couple days spent attending a professional conference.  As predicted my AM ketones suffered a drop and my weight a slight gain, after my Chinese food last night.  The weight change doesn’t bother me since I’ve converted to using a travel scale for this trip. Yes, I went out and bought a travel scale that I can bring around with me in order to continue tracking my numbers.  … Read More

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Day 31 – Nutritional Ketosis

Posted on by BJJ Caveman

Day 31aWeight: 180.4
AM Ketones: 1.6
AM Blood Glucose: 77
Hours of Sleep: 6:52
Energy Level: Good
Physical Activity: None

Further progress with the ketones corresponding to lower fasting sugars.  All good news.

The bad news is that I ate at a Chinese restaurant for a family dinner.  Chinese food is notoriously non-paleo and non-ketosis friendly so I’m a little worried as to what will happen tomorrow.  I guess that’s what happens when you eat out… you subject yourself to the unknown and most likely unhealthy.

I did my best by eating a spinach dish and a stir-fried beef dish and avoiding all rice and visible starches and sugars… however all the non-visible stuff couldn’t be avoided.  … Read More

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How does exercise affect my blood ketone levels?

Posted on by BJJ Caveman

Day 18After 2 weeks of diligently measuring my AM fasting blood ketones and despite being in nutritional ketosis (blood ketones between 0.5 mmol – 3.0 mmol) I didn’t notice any weight loss. While I was confident that I was ketoadapted (the state in which your body preferentially metabolizes fat for fuel instead of carbs), I was a frustrated because I couldn’t quite figure out a pattern to my ketone measurements.

For example, one morning it measured 0.2 mmol, followed by 1.1 mmol the next morning, only to fall back to 0.4 mmol the morning after.… Read More

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High Guard Sequence

Posted on by BJJ Caveman

Dave BoehmeGood to get back on the mats after taking 3 days off.  Worked with Dave again today on a sequence involving the high guard, and using it to set up an attack with the pendulum sweep to mount, armbar or triangle.

1. Start with my partner in my closed guard
2. Use my left hand to establish a cross collar grip on this left collar to threaten the choke and to break his posture.  The part I always forget and that it was good to review, is that when threatening this grip, to exaggerate the supination of my hand so that the blade of my radius is against his carotid….… Read More

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