Chronicles of Strength

Generalism and minimalism in fitness, business and life

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Amplify Your Fitness With Force Multipliers (Fasting, Ketosis, and Brisk Walking)

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meeeeee

Since going into ketosis I have been able to gain more strength and muscle while staying just as lean. Part of this may have to do with me just not eating as much. Another part is maybe my training got better. But my training has stayed the same, actually. What I think is happening is ketosis has been acting as a force multiplier.

A force multiplier is something you can add in to boost the results of whatever program you’re already on.

What makes something a force multiplier is that it should have a compounding effect. Meaning 1 + 1 = 3. In other words, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. That’s one of those sayings people like to use.

For example, ketosis is a force multiplier, and so is fasting. By adding in either one of these to heavy resistance training you get better results than if you did either on its own. There are a whole bunch of reasons why but mostly it has something to do with geology.

Another example is brisk walking. Walking by itself is great. Strength training by itself is great. But when you combine the two the effects are multiplied, not added.

This is why I often say the best type of exercise program lays in the extreme ends of the intensity spectrum…

Low Intensity + High Intensity > Moderate Intensity.

In other words,

Brisk Walking + Heavy Lifting > Long, Slow Cardio.

fasting and ketosis

yo what up

There is actually a conclusion to be drawn from this.

The best formula for long, term fitness progress is to follow a TOUGH diet plus a REASONABLE training program.

A tough diet (while tough) is sustainable. There is no reason a person can’t follow a low carb or intermittent fasting diet over the long haul. It may be socially inconvenient but it is certainly physiologically sustainable.

A tough training program is not. Nobody can crush their body 6-7x/week and expect to keep on with that. NOBODY.

Most people try to do the opposite and out-exercise either a reasonable eating plan, or no eating plan at all. This is no force multiplier. But the opposite approach is.

The more you buckle down on your eating the better results you get in the gym.

…

Strong ON!

– Pat

PS – You might also enjoy my Inner Circle because Kettlebell Complexes + Intermittent Fasting = Force Multiplier x 9000.

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Comments

  1. I’ve been so focused on getting to the gym and working out that I’ve neglected my eating habits.

    Your Facebook Live and this discussion has really motivated me to refocus on nutrition, and specifically the keto diet for an-almost vegan.

    The first time I looked at the diet, all I kept seeing was, “can’t have this, can’t have that…can’t, can’t, can’t.” But yesterday, I looked at it again, with fresh eyes and and an attitude of what CAN I have.

    So, i hope to report back some positive results in a few weeks and I’m sure I’ll have more questions.

    And…i think kundaluni yoga may be a force multiplier when it comes to meditation…just toying with the idea of force multipliers.

    Thx again Pat. Dig the pants on ur selfie 😉

    • Gym looks like a teenager’s bedroom right now, so thought might as well look like a teenager myself, then. And meditation itself is a FM.

  2. The brisk walking and the strength training is great – I love both of those things and it’s easy to fit into my daily schedule but, I recently tried ketosis and I think I suffered what is referred to as “carb flu” – I basically felt like I was dying, or was suffering the worst hangover in the history of hangovers, only I didn’t get the joys of drinking any beer or gin beforehand, and it didn’t seem to go away. I was also very edgy and grumpy and snapped at a few customers at work. Is this normal? Does it usually pass? Maybe I jumped into it to quickly and should try slowly adjusting my diet next time. I also suddenly gave up coffee at the same time so I guess it could have been a combination of the two?

    • Hey Kelly,

      It does pass but is hard to get through. There are a few things you can do to help. Up calorie intake, consume plenty of MCTs (coconut and red palm fruit oil, for example), and get in some extra electrolytes. Keto can be naturally diuretic at first so up the salt and magnesium.

      I do think it’s worth getting into quickly, but important to know what to expect and how to get through it. Don’t worry about not getting it right at first. I didn’t. Adjust and try again : )

      Strong ON!

      – Pat