The Velocity Diet is a form of a ketogenic diet.  This type of diet is high fat, high protein and low carb.  They use it in epileptic children to control seizures.  So what is a ketogenic diet?

Normally the body generates glucose as fuel.  When you restrict your carbs to a very low level (in this case about 5%) your liver will convert the fat into fatty acids and ketones.  The ketones go through to the brain for energy there.

When on a ketogenic diet, not only are carbs limited, starchy veggetables are also eliminated.  The idea is to force your body to use the fat for fuel.  The ketones go to your brain for energy and the fatty acids are used by your body for energy.  Some say it is possible to actually teach your body to use the fat for fuel long term.

There have been several books written that talk about keto diets.  One very popular in the body building world is Better Than Steroids by Dr. Warren Willey.  Dr. Willey discusses a very strict keto diet and recommends limiting its use to a 2 week period every so often.  Dr. Willey states that a keto diet is quite efficient in taking fat off.  The concern is in keeping off the fat.  The Anabolic Diet by Dr. Mauro G. DiPasquale also touts a keto diet, but goes much further with the program.  Dr. DiPasquale recommends this as a way of life.  The Anabolic Diet is a modified version of a keto diet in that it permits a carb up period every 5 days.  The concept is to spend the weekdays low carb and then to eat whatever you want on the weekends.  The amazing claim with The Anabolic Diet is that your body becomes a fat burning machine, extremely adept at using fat for fuel, so the extra fat intake (while is needs to be reasonable) isn't a huge problem–the body handles it.

Both books (Better Than Steroids and The Anabolic Diet) make the case that food can cause the same physical responses as anabolic steroids can, but without the dangers.  The increase in fat will also cause an increase in testosterone and GH production within your body. This is obviously good for muscle building.  It is important to note that we are not talking about getting massive, we are merely talking about adding some nice muscle to your frame.

Now beware, the Adtkins Diet was also a keto diet, but it emphasized heavy proteins and fat.  This is the downfall of that diet.  It can be the cause of some very severe health issues as a result.

Better Than Steroids and The Anabolic Diet present some solutions that avoid the problems of Adtkins.  The main issue is that both BTS and TAD recommend using lean proteins, getting your fats from EFAs (including nuts) with just a small amount of animal fat, and keeping your carbs very low.  TAD recommends carbing up on weekends.  Both BTS and TAD recommend high calories to gain muscle, but TAD claims your body can actually burn fat and build muscle at the same time if you train it properly.

I wanted to share this research with you because it is all part of what I am doing right now.  I am really into the nutritional research.  I want to understand why something works.  It isn't enough for an expert to recommend something to me anymore.  I want to understand what I am doing to my body. 

This mindset comes from my interview with Marc David.  During our chat afterwards he made the point that he likes to teach people about what exercises work what area of the body because it enables them to go it on their own at the gym.  If they are supposed to do squats today and the squat rack is being dominated by some knucklehead doing curls, they can walk over and do leg presses because they understand the two exercises work the same area of the body. 

I wanted to share some thoughts about process vs. goals.  We are always told how important it is to set goals and then achieve them.  I've been guilty of it myself.  At this point, after some discussions with others and some journaling and thinking on my own, I have come to a slightly different conclusion overall.

I believe it is extremely important to have goals.  However, I don't believe it is our job to chase the goals.  Instead, I think we need to consider how we approach the entire process.  What the heck do I mean, right?

Well, the goal is your desired end result.  It needs to be clearly identified by you before you start.  You then need to determine how you must prepare yourself to reach this desired result.  What thinking must change?  What approaches must change?  Next you need to determine how to bring the end result to yourself.  This is alot like the powerful reason why in that it is the very thing that is going to bring the end result you desire to you.  What actions must you take to bring the end result to you?  Is there something specific you need to do for that to happen?  The next thing you focus on is avoiding undoing what you just did.  If you workout in the morning, avoid undoing that hard work by eating bad things–always eat healthy.  As you do all these things (the process) the end result will draw nearer and nearer to you.

There is something about the pain that comes from hitting 8 reps on an exercise, muscles on fire, and managing 7 more reps that really gets me going.  It isn't even about the challenge, it is about the conquest.  I enjoy competing with myself. 

At the same time, I have discovered something that is amazing.  I can put my body into an anabolic (muscle-building state) and a fat burning state while avoid catabolism (muscle destruction) all through how I eat.  The idea is that you force your body to approximate through the use of food what can happen when you use anabolic steroids.  The difference is that eating the right foods will help your body naturally boost testosterone and GH, causing muscle growth and fat burning while using anabolic steroids will achieve the same effect, but will also cause the body to stop naturally producing those necessary hormones.  This is a huge risk to take and one I personally would never risk.

The example given is that of a candy factory.  If everyone in town buys their candy from your factory, you will produce more and more candy.  However, if everyone suddenly buys their candy from an outside factory, having it imported into town, your factory will eventually shut down.  The body reacts the same way.  If you eat right, you encourage your body to produce testosterone and GH.  It will produce more and more the better you eat.  However, if you were to use steroids to accomplish the same effect, your body would eventually stop producing the necessary hormones on its own.  This is the cause of shrinking testicles in men who take steroids–their body has stopped producing testosterone.

A1  Squats  205 x 15 x 3 sets
A2  Stiff Legged Dead Lifts  135 x 15 x 3 sets (full stretch)

When I was done I immediately broke out the Quad Blaster.  Holding a 10 pound dumbbell, I managed 10 x 15 on the first set.  My legs were quivering so badly that I had a hard time getting out of the Blaster.  On the second set I managed 10 x 14 before literally collapsing to the floor.  My legs were shaking and quivering.  On the third set I maanged 10 x 12 which was complete failure for my legs.  I got up from the floor and I was shaking.  The rest of the workout was extremely intense.

I could literally see my muscles change size from pump I was getting.  My calves were pulsing as the blood flowed to the muscles.  My quads looked huge as I completed other exercises.  All of this from the pump I got from today's workout.

It has made me think about people who ask “Should I bulk or cut first?”  I think if they have to ask that question the answer is obvious–BULK!  Carlos De Jesus calls it The Larger Engine Concept. It just makes sense. We all hear about how muscle burns fat and cutting reduces muscle mass, yet we immediately think that every single person trying to hit a weight loss goal is supposed to cut. Have you ever thought that it isn't about weight loss at all, but more about body recomposition? Yes, there are severely obese people who need to cut, but even they need muscle to assist with that.