Calculating Macros for Lifting Keto Style

For serious lifters, determining your macros (protein/carbohydrates/fats) is just as important as every single lift session. Typically, lifters have at 60% protein, 30% Carbs and 10% fats this encourages muscle growth and repair for major gains. But what if the macros were switched and the proteins and carbs took a back seat to FAT?! Is that even possible? The answer is YES but its not as simple as switching your percentages.

Carbohydrates
Let's get something straight from the beginning... Carbs are NECESSARY for your body to function properly. In fact one of the most important organs in you body can only process energy from Carbs: the brain! However, the brain can function using ketones (energy from fat) it just takes time for the brain to make the switch. A diet with at least 100 grams of cabs is considered anti-ketogenic, also referred to as a well balanced diet  as it raises insulin and inhibits ketosis(1). Ketogenic dieters therefore restrict their bodies to less than 100g/day(many remaining under 20g/day. In the first couple weeks many new Kato dieters experience the "Kato flu", headaches, oxy aches, low energy. This gets better as your body adjusts to fueling from fats and not carbohydrates.

So how dos a ketogenic lifter maintain in a state of ketosis and still gain muscle mass? The simple answer, carb cycling. The importance to this is knowing that in order for the carbohydrates to be effectively used during a lift session, carbs need the ingested about 45 min-1 hour before (every gram is entered into the bloodstream as 1 gram of glucose). This ensures that it is not stored in the body but is burned and used as energy. To calculate the amount of carbs that should be consumed prior to a lifting session lifers need to know that for every 45 sec set of weight training roughly 15.7 mmol/kg of glycogen is lost. So to gain muscle mass, lifters need to consume enough carbohydrates to compensate for glycogen loss. To get this in carbohydrates divide 15.7 by 5.56 (~2.8 carbs per set of exercise) (2). Here is an example of my calculation

Leg day- 21 sets x 2.8 = 58.8g Carbs in that day

Now remember these Carbs are being used as energy and are not being stored. They will quickly burned. I only consume about 20-25g prior to exercise. That leaves about half to be consumed throughout my daily. So what do I eat prior to lifting? I drink a meal replacement Shakeology which has about 11g of carbohydrates and a rice cake which is about 10g of carbohydrates.

Protein
Determining protein intake requires understanding of nitrogen loss. Roughly 16% of protein is nitrogen. If proper protein intake is not consumed than protein breakdown will occur and if not adjusted is quit serious! To avoid nitrogen loss lifter should multiply their body weight in pounds by 0.9. Example of my protein requirement:

128 x 0.9= 115.2g protein

However, if just beginning a Keto diet it is suggested (and often times your body will toll you) that more protein is needed. Therefore, the first 3 weeks, if your calculated protein intake is lower than 150g you should adjust to consume roughly 150g. This will prevent extreme nitrogen loss. Once you have established ketosis you can lower to your specific calculation.

Fat
The calculation of fat is basically what is left over after carbohydrates and protein are subtracted. What is important for lifters however, is determining the kinds of fats that hold be eaten. Once ketosis is established,  the body will utilize FFA (free fatty acids) as energy. The real importance of fat intake is to keep the caloric intake high which encourages a higher metabolic rate (and we all want that). There is no evidence that keto lifters to should not consume fat prior to working out but studies have shown that consuming healthy fats post workout can slow down digestion of post workout protein (2).

The calculation
I'm going to use my current calculation to demonstrate. Note that if you are just beginning you will need specific requirements for protein.

Step 1- Determine maintenance caloric intake
*There are about 15 calories/lb of body weight
-Multiply body weight in lb by 15
128 x 15 = 1,920

Step 2- Determine goal
*to lose weight-  multiply maintenance calories by 20% deficit then subtract by maintenance
1920 x .20 = 384
1920 - 384 = 1536 calories/day

*to gain weight- multiply maintenance calories by 20% the add to maintenance
1920 x .20 = 384
1920 + 384 = 2304 calories/day

*to remain at the same weight us maintenance calories for steps below

Step 3- Determine Macros
*There are 4 calories/ 1g protein and carb
*There are 9 calories/1g fat

-Protein: body weight (lb) x 0.9 then multiply by 4 to get daily caloric need
128 x 0.9 = 115.2 x 4 = 460.8 cals
- Carbohydrate (will depend on number of sets) #sets x 2.8 then multiply by 4
21 x 2.8 = 58.8g x 4 = 235.2 calls
-Fat: subtract protein calories and carb calories from caloric daily need then divide by 9
1920 - 460.8 - 235.2 = 1224 / 9 = 136g fat



References
1. Phinney, S. (1992). Exercise during and after very-low-caloric diet. American Journal Clinical Nutrition, 56: 190S-194S.

2.McDonald, L. (1998). The Ketogenic Diet: A Complete Guide for the Dieter and Practitioner. Morris Publishing: Kearney, NE.