Yeah, I agree, I got a problem with Ludwig's statement too. I think your explanation is right on, with just the order I might see differently. The first thing that happens when we cut carbs is excess insulin drops, then excess glycogen is released, then the rest like you said. The rate of either is mutually regulated. I mean, insulin can't just drop like a stone and let all the glycogen go in one big bolus, right?

The thing about insulin is that it inhibits proteolysis, so as long as it's still too high, no protein will be wasted like that. Ima say it would take about a week before insulin gets low enough to allow proteolysis to some degree, but then there's all those other things you said, so pfft. The fear of losing lean tissue comes from long-ish-term fasting experiments, I think. Well, Ludwig's statement ain't about any kind of fasting, it's about low-carb. Even better, if we're really dumb about it, we're just gonna eat tons of very lean meat for induction, cuz you know, fear of fat and stuff. The A-TO-Z experiment showed something like 35% protein for Atkins induction.