Protein sparing modified fast

[Phedder]

I've been cutting for 2 weeks now on a low carb diet, happy with my progress, got decent abdominal outline back, actually improved my strength slightly, but i'm impatient and keen to get into a good strength training regime. So I've decided on Sunday to do a PSMF for a week, then 1 more week of my current cutting plan then get into strength training and a clean bulk.

Just curious if anyone has undergone one of these diets? I know I'll be somewhat drained of energy for the week, but a bonus is that it stunts the appetite quite well. Pretty much going to be living off tuna, salmon, chicken, a steak or two, whey shakes with water, cottage cheese, broccoli, spinach and mushrooms. I'll be doing high intensity low volume weights consisting of the big compound lifts every second day to help hold onto the muscle, and I generally walk for an hour a day. After any advice people can offer or even just what your experiences were like on this sort of diet.

[ThePman]

Be ready to feel really crappy and have your workouts suffer. The heavy stuff might be okay, but your endurance is going into the tank.

[Phedder]

I like to think I'm prepared for it but it could be surprising. I've been on between 50-100g carbs the last 2 weeks and haven't noticed any difference workout wise, only direct source I've been eating is a half cup of oats with whey for breakfast on workout days, eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast on non workout days. So at least i'm not going from a high carb diet straight into low/no carbs, but i'm not expecting it to be easy. Workout wise I was thinking 8-10 reps warm up with bar, 5 reps with 3/4ish weight, then 3 reps at 5 rep max? So for example bench would be bar warm up, 5 reps at 70kg, then 3 reps at 85kg.

[Elite121]

One thing I have found helpful is including lots of good fats whilst being on a low carb diet (I hate this phrase), found my energy stays up, very little hunger during the day and workout performance has not decreased but improved.

Otherwise than that all the best with it all.

[ThePman]

Workout wise I was thinking 8-10 reps warm up with bar, 5 reps with 3/4ish weight, then 3 reps at 5 rep max? So for example bench would be bar warm up, 5 reps at 70kg, then 3 reps at 85kg.

I dropped about 8-9kg towards the end of last year doing this. I had to cut my weights back to two real sessions (Sunday and Thursday) and two lighter conditioning sessions (Monday and Friday, mainly just cleans + some time on the bike). Strength hung in there just fine, but I didn't have much stamina when it came to doing lots of sets.

What you've got listed there sounds fine. Just keep it to the minimum basics.

[Phedder]

Already dropped from 89kg on Sat to 86.5kg today, mostly water weight i'm sure but abs do seem slightly more defined.

Still feeling reasonably normal at this stage, only 3 days in though. Appetite has definitely dropped, basically eating a can of tuna, can of salmon,about 50g cottage cheese, celery, 1 protein shake, and some baked chicken, broccoli and mushrooms. That's my daily menu, between 150-200g protein depending on how much chicken I have and bugger all anything else. Haven't been hungry since monday morning, have to think "shit, haven't eaten in 4 hours or so, should probably eat something."

Had my first proper workout today which went really well, only been squatting for 2 months and the last month my ankles been a bit niggly, so haven't taken the weight over 80kg and keeping the reps high, ankle felt decent but not 100% today so upped the weight to 100kg and managed 8 reps for 2 sets, was stoked. Will try 110kg next time to get into the 5 rep range or so. Was in the gym for 40-45mins, all other exercises were no more than 6 reps and was definitely running out of steam by the end. Think I may be a bit lacking for energy next session.