Operation 6%

By Danny Vega

There’s always a challenge to overcome. Even when I decide that I’m going to take a break from any type of competing, racing, or whatever other crazy idea I get, I have to have a goal. It’s just how I’m wired.

[wa-wps]

My current goal is to hit 6% bodyfat. I don’t think I’ve ever been this lean. I’ve been blessed to be relatively lean my whole life. Don’t get me wrong, I work extremely hard to look and perform the way I do. But I do acknowledge that I have genetics that allow me to look a certain way without suffering too much.

That being said, your body doesn’t just give in and give you what you want, when you tell it you want to hit single digit body fat. You have to be a lot more intentional and creative in getting there–and there are many ways to get there–but I will be doing it following a strict ketogenic diet.

So, here is how it all works out. According to the DXA scan, I am at 11.4%. And according to the bod pod, I am at 12.7%. This is with fully visible abs and quite a bit of vascularity. I am pretty lucky to have my fat distributed evenly so I look leaner than I am. Another funny thing is I carry a little more fat on my hips and behind than others. So how do I plan on getting to 6%, what’s my strategy and what are my supplements? I do have to mention supplements because I think the one I am using will be my secret weapon when the calories really drop. More on that later.

Current macros:

  • 95g protein
  • 25g net carbs (I am always below that)
  • 225g fat

I will keep it here for a few weeks, at least. I am intermittent fasting every day from 6pm until 11:30am or 12pm the next day, and some days I’ll even go longer. Another strategy I will try for the first time is extended fasts. My first one will be 40 hours but I won’t reveal that until after I do it in case I fail miserably. The longest I’ve gone is 30 hours.

No refeeds for now bc I’m not under 10%, but when I do get lower, my refeeds will still be completely ketogenic.  I will just consume 25-30% calories more than usual.

I test breath ketones several times a week and am usually in the high 40s to low 50s. I am also going to test blood ketones for the first time ever and should have my strips soon. I want to see those really high because that is a great indicator that I am burning fat.

Weekly weigh ins, progress pics and body fat testing every 6 weeks.

I will share some of the tricks I have learned and will be using as the calories drop. Things that will keep me full and other ways to combat hunger, but luckily with keto you’re just not hungry a lot of the time, so the suffering is minimal.

Lastly, I’d like to share my secret weapon (I think). I’m taking exogenous ketones every morning as a pre-workout. My theory is that I can push protein low and keep the fat higher, not only because fat is muscle sparing, but also because the ketones are giving my brain and muscles the fuel they need.  The lower protein I take in will be used more efficiently to rebuild my muscle after workouts.

So, it’s official now. Operation 6% has begun! It can be 3 months, or double that time before I get there (I hope it’s closer to 3 months). Follow my progress and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you can’t wrap your head around the seemingly insane things I just said about how I’m going to get there.

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Danny Vega

Danny Vega is a 220lb raw powerlifter with meet bests of 640 squat in wraps (610 raw), 400 bench, and 700 deadlift. A native of Miami, Florida, Vega received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Columbia University in 2004, where he was a member of the football team and a three-time Dean’s List recipient. Vega earned his masters of science in human performance from the University of Florida, where he worked with the national championship men’s basketball team along with women’s basketball, tennis, and golf programs. He then went on to become the Strength & Conditioning coordinator for VCU basketball. The Rams were 2007 conference champions and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
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