Mandrik on Nostr: I've been working with a trainer since the end of June, with the goal of reducing ...

I've been working with a trainer since the end of June, with the goal of reducing body fat, and I've been doing exactly what he wants me to do. I've cut calories, introduced 60g of carbs pre-workout, and stick to a regular workout routine. I had plateaued on training myself a long ago, so I was willing to listen to a pro. Nothing to lose!

For the first couple months the only carbs I ate were in the form of fruit & yogurt, pre-workout. As time went on I started feeling tired. My days were basically workout, walk 20k steps, eat my meals, and sleep. It felt like a full time job, and I constantly felt tired and irritable. It was frustrating after 5+ years of feeling fantastic on the carnivore diet while eating at a maintenance level. But hey, you're going to feel crappy on a cut! That's what I told myself.

I was making great progress, but I realized I wasn't getting enough fat to sustain my energy levels. It's just not possible while cutting calories and eating *some* carbs. So I admitted it was time to up the carbs and further reduce my fat intake. I see this as a temporary thing, of course. The goal is to get my body fat down to the 10-12% range, and then build upon that.

A couple weeks ago I added more carbs pre-workout, and introduced carbs after workout. There was a big adjustment period afterwards, with body weight going up from glycogen & water retention. But over time, I started feeling MUCH better. Daily tasks felt easier, working out felt really good. I could feel myself getting stronger. Today it's a huge difference. I'm currently eating 1895 calories per day, 160g of that as carbs, walking 20-25k steps per day (I like to walk!), and I feel fantastic.

I've demonized carbs in the past, mostly due to my own addiction. Obesity plagued my life through my teens and twenties. Switching to low carb in my early 30s was exactly what I needed. With time I've developed incredible eating habits and strong willpower.

What I've been learning about myself is that I'm completely in control of what I eat, and more importantly, how much I eat. Not once during this entire training journey have I had a cheat day or gone over on calories. Even on vacations! If you've ever struggled with eating, then you'll understand how powerful this is.

All that said, I miss the carnivore diet. The simplicity of it. Eating fatty meats, butter, eggs, etc. A huge part of me wants to go back to carnivore at some point, but I can't really think about that yet. I still have goals to reach, and I'll continue to do what my body tells me is working.

Right now, that means eating a lot of carbs!