This week we have guest Craig Emmerich on the podcast. Craig is the co-founder of Keto Adapted, and co-author of Keto, The Complete Guide to Success on The Ketogenic Diet.
Download a transcript of this episode here (PDF)
Show Notes
1:50 – Summary/Pre-Intro
3:54 – Intro, Craig’s background
7:07 – Noticeable improvements from food
10:30 – Lyme disease and keto
13:17 – Balance between keto for weight loss and keto as therapy
16:57 – Process of working with people and using supplements
18:59 – Protein sparing modified fast
22:04 – Oxidative priority
26:05 – mTOR
34:26 – Satiety of a protein sparing modified fast
35:58 – Things to focus on, autophagy, and sleep, and sun/vitamin-D
41:35 – Keto the book
44:08 – Where to find Craig and Maria
Websites:
keto-adapted.com
mariamindbodyhealth.com
Protein Sparing Modified Fast Cookbook mentioned in the show
Book: Keto: The Complete Guide to Success on The Ketogenic Diet
Don’t forget, Wired to Eat is now available!
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, iBooks
As always, Great episode Robb! Thanks for all the great content!
Not so long ago, Maria Emmerich was promoting fat fasting and fat bombs (=severe protein restriction); now it’s time for sever fat restriction aka protein sparing modified fast, also known for quite a while…
Here’s my point: for proper satiety control we need both fat and protein. They work by different mechanisms. A healthy individual who wants to lean out, e.g. for a competition, may be successful following almost any calorie restriction protocol. A metabolically broken person will fail. Jimmy Moore failed following both approaches. He was quite successful though around 2012-2013 when following a very simple and well balanced prescription for “nutritional ketosis” by Phinney & Volek.
Yes, if you call yourself a keto expert, go and help JM 🙂
Btw. I am going to buy the new book and quite likely the psm-fasting ebook. I also enjoyed the podcast and so did the previous writing by Maria. I’m just skeptical about shortcuts as they will almost always fail for those who really need help…
Martin, thanks for the comment. I would dispute that Maria ever promoted fat fasts. In fact we have always been against them. And when it comes to fat bombs, we only recommend in the first couple weeks of getting keto adapted when energy is an issue. And 10 plus years ago she promoting something she called a “Pure Protein day” before we knew the official term for it (Protein Sparing Modified Fast). 🙂
We do pride ourselves in always studying and learning every day and following results and science based recommendations. In that some of our views (flax, GNG and protein, etc.) have changed and reflect what we learned.
I hope you enjoy the book!
The email from Robb mentions a transcript in a hyperlink. That link sends me to this page but I am not seeing a transcript link anywhere. Help!
If it’s not up, it will be soon!
Still no transcript — 6/9.
I would so prefer to read the transcript, which I thought was available for this podcast with Craig Emmerich. But I am not seeing that option right now. Can you help me find it? I would so appreciate that. Thank you so much. [email protected] (425.432.3288)
I disagree a bit with Craig’s description on the Protein Sparing Modified Fast, so it will be interesting to see what they actually say in their book.
If you set your net carbs at 20g and your protein at 0.8g per lean body mass pound as commonly recommended, and then set your fat intake up to your TDEE or a reasonable deficit, that is perhaps a good starting point. If you have a 2000 calorie TDEE and choose a 1500 calorie ketogenic diet like this, then that is fine. If you instead cut out even more fat and make your caloric deficit even greater, I believe that there is abundant research showing that you need even more protein grams to offset.
I believe that is the case, but a pretty minor tweak.
That is correct. We do about 1.0 times lean mass (instead of 0.8) for PSMF days. 🙂
That is correct. We do 1.0 times lean mass for PSMF days instead of 0.8. 🙂
Great interview Robb! I perked up when Craig shared about Lyme, as I am dealing with it too, although I caught it sooner than later. Another great reason that I am doing the best I can eating Keto. I would like to hear more from Craig about what else he does to heal from Lyme.
Thanks Sandy! I will be sharing more about my Lyme treatment on our blog at mariamindbodyhealth.com soon. 🙂
Great! I will keep an eye out for it.
I read about this many years ago on the “Dukan Diet” . He called it “Pure Protein Days” . It’s the foundation of his diet/lifestyle. I really enjoy doing it for the ease in digestion and giving the intestines a rest along with better sleep and energy the following day.
Does Robb talk anywhere about his thoughts on Protein Sparing Modified Fasts vs what Jason Fung discusses. (Here for example: https://idmprogram.com/fasting-and-muscle-mass-fasting-part-14/)
Hint, his research shows you don’t lose lean body mass when fasting.
I like a lot of Dr. Fungs work, but absent a massive amount of weight to lose, this is just not the case. I’m working on a BIG piece covering all this, mTOR and general effective aging strategies.
Excellent! I know you referred to it in the episode as well, so I’m super glad you’ll be covering all this.
I’m especially interested in the efficacy of autophagy, which in my understanding happens in the absence of protein->mTOR. But if in triggering autophagy we are losing lean body mass…. hmmmmm
REALLY looking forward to it!!
I agree with Robb, I like Dr. Fung but I think for the vast majority of people this just isn’t the case. You lose about 1/3 pound lean mass per day.
Thanks Craig! Good to know.
I’ve water fasted a couple of times and I lose about 1-1.5 lbs a day. So 1/3 lb of muscle a day is certainly higher than I’d like it to be. However, the fat loss speed is hard to pass up. 😀
I just picked up your Keto. book for my kindle and started reading through it.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Have I missed the transcript of this broadcast.? I really can’t bear to listen to something I can read through in a fraction of the time. Also, I can’t “hear it” so well if I can’t see it. Some of us are more visual. Hope to see it soon. Thanks.
Should be coming pretty soon.
Not to be a naysayer but it sounds like you really have to pay close attention to everything you do on a diet like this. To the point that eating becomes a job. I have a friend who’s been doing this for a decade now and he looks great. But every time I talk to him about it he starts getting into the weeds with the info and it turns me off of wanting to try it. Is that just the way this lifestyle/diet works? You have to be hardcore?
It can be, but I would say it doesn’t have to be. For some people it’s as simple as keep carbohydrate intake very low. It can get more complicated if someone is doing a lot of exercise, having problems/issues with keto, etc. Some of the extra info can also be helpful to ensure success, and make some of it easier in some ways.