The ketogenic diet, characterized by its very low carbohydrate, high fat, and moderate protein composition, has garnered attention for its potential health benefits, including improved blood sugar control and reduced hunger. While its effects on athletic performance remain a topic of debate, understanding how to optimize exercise while on keto is crucial. This article explores the best exercises to incorporate into a keto diet, considering the diet's impact on energy levels, muscle growth, and overall performance.
Understanding the Keto Diet and Exercise
The ketogenic diet shifts the body's primary fuel source from carbohydrates to fat, inducing a metabolic state called ketosis. This process can affect workout performance, particularly during the initial adaptation phase.
Potential Benefits
- Improved Endurance: Some studies suggest that the keto diet may enhance endurance by improving the body's ability to use fat as an energy source.
- Boosted Fat Burning: Research indicates that the keto diet may increase fat burning during exercise.
- Speed Muscle Recovery: Several studies have found that the ketogenic diet could help speed up post-workout muscle recovery.
Potential Drawbacks
- Decreased Energy Levels: Restricting carbohydrate intake can negatively affect energy levels, especially during the initial adaptation phase.
- Impaired Muscle Growth: The keto diet's low calorie and potentially low protein content can make it challenging to maximize muscle growth.
Exercise Types and the Keto Diet
Not all workouts pair equally well with keto. You may find more intense exercise can be challenging, especially if you're new to intense exercise or new to keto and going through the adaptation phase. In these instances, it's best to begin with lower intensity workouts and build these up as your body becomes accustomed to keto.
Aerobic Training
One of the best ways to support your weight loss efforts when on a low-carb diet plan is by doing aerobic exercises. Aerobic and resistance exercises are two popular types of training to control body weight and improve body composition and are widely used in weight-loss programs.
Moderate-Intensity Continuous Aerobic Training (AT-KD):
- Moderate running, cycling, or brisk walking are great for tapping into fat stores and work well with keto.
- The AT-KD group performed moderate-intensity continuous aerobic training by following the KD plan over six weeks and three sessions per week with at least 1 day of rest between sessions.
- The intensity of training was in the range of 60-70% of the maximum heart rate (MHR = 220 minus ages).
- The aerobic exercise program started with running at 60% of MHR over the first 2 weeks, after which, training intensity was increased by 5% of MHR biweekly.
Resistance Training
Building muscle is still achievable on keto. Focus on lower reps and heavier weights to maximise gains without getting too exhausted. Resistance training during KD (RT-KD) effectively altered appetite-regulating hormones and suppressed appetite sensation. Resistance training has a more pronounced effect on maintaining lean body mass.
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Circuit Strength Training:
- The RT-KD group performed circuit strength training in three sessions per week for 6 weeks with at least 1 day of rest between sessions by following the KD plan.
- Two short circuits of strength exercises were performed in each session.
- The first circuit exercises included knee flexion, bench press, and ankle extension, while the second circuit included the lat pull-down, squat, and elbow flexions.
- Both circuits were done for 3-5 series with 35 s of rest between exercises.
- A 5-min rest period between the circuits was determined for active rest and warm-up by doing similar exercises in the following circuit.
- The resistance training program started with three series in the first 2 weeks, with the addition of one series biweekly.
- Participants performed all exercises with 100% of 6RM (i.e. the participant selected the heaviest weight that could be lifted for only six consecutive repetitions).
Flexibility and Stability Exercises
Flexibility exercises such as yoga help to reduce post-workout pain by maintaining healthy joints and muscles while decreasing stress levels. One final group of exercises that can be done on a keto diet are those which target stability. These types of exercise, such as Pilates or balance training, prevent injury and increase your coordination. Low-intensity options like yoga are perfect for recovery days, improving flexibility, and building core strength.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
While more challenging on keto, HIIT can be done if you're fat-adapted or incorporate targeted carbs. Once you have mastered the ketogenic diet and feel comfortable working out, it’s time to indulge in some high-intensity workouts.
Endurance Sports
Activities like long-distance cycling or marathon training align well with the keto lifestyle once your body is accustomed to burning fat.
Adapting to Exercise on Keto
Adapting to keto while maintaining an active lifestyle requires patience and planning. Here's how to ease the transition:
- Start Slow: Don't go all-out with your workouts right away. During the first few weeks, reduce your exercise intensity and focus on light activities. Give your body time to get used to the new diet before pushing yourself harder.
- Hydration is Key: Keto causes increased water loss, so drink more water than usual. Add electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium to prevent dehydration, dizziness and muscle cramps.
- Stay Consistent: Fat adaptation takes time - usually around two to four weeks. Stick with your diet and workouts, and trust the process. Be patient, it will get easier!
- Fuel Smart: Choose workouts that match how much energy you have. Gradually increase intensity as your body becomes more efficient at burning fat.
Keto Workout Plan
This workout plan is designed to work perfectly with the way your body gets energy on a keto diet. Since keto uses fat instead of carbs for fuel, the plan focuses on workouts that match that energy system. The rest and recovery days are there to let your body recharge, so you don’t burn out or feel too sore. It’s balanced, simple to follow, and helps you get stronger, fitter, and healthier while sticking to keto. Plus, it mixes things up so you don’t get bored!
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Example Weekly Keto Workout Plan
- Monday: Strength Training (lower reps, heavier weights)
- Tuesday: Steady-State Cardio (moderate running, cycling, or brisk walking)
- Wednesday: Rest or Active Recovery (yoga, Pilates)
- Thursday: Strength Training (lower reps, heavier weights)
- Friday: HIIT (if fat-adapted or incorporating targeted carbs)
- Saturday: Endurance Sports (long-distance cycling or marathon training if accustomed to burning fat)
- Sunday: Rest
Fueling Your Body on Keto
Fuelling your body properly is essential for optimising performance and recovery. On keto, the focus shifts from carbs to fats and protein. While carbs are typically the go-to fuel source for energy, you can still give yourself (and your workouts) a boost while staying in ketosis.
Pre-Workout
Opt for a small snack rich in fats and moderate in protein to fuel your muscles. A handful of nuts, a slice of avocado, or a boiled egg are great options. If you're planning a high-intensity session, you can include a small portion of fast-digesting carbs like berries to give you a quick energy boost. About an hour before your workout drink a low glycemic index (GI) carb-rich drink such as coconut water, grape juice or flavored sparkling water.
During Your Workout
One hour after drinking a low GI beverage during your workout make sure to include targeted carbs in your snack or meal.
Post-Workout
Recovery is all about protein and fats. A whey protein shake, fish with roasted vegetables or grilled chicken with olive oil is ideal. It’s best to avoid eating a lot of carbs following a workout because this can cause blood sugar fluctuations which may slow recovery time and impede weight loss results later on down the line. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and they’re essential for building muscle tissue. Don’t forget about fat when it comes to your keto workout meal plan! Dietary fats are essential for producing testosterone and boosting overall energy levels to help you perform better in the gym. They also aid in maintaining healthy skin and hair while promoting longevity in general.
Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)
A targeted ketogenic diet (TKD) is one that provides between 20 and 50 grams of carbohydrates an hour before or after a workout session. Your body can then utilize that fast glucose to enhance your workouts, allowing you to burn even more fat. A TKD approach works best for those who have a specific exercise routine that they want to boost. The most important factor in your TKD plan is timing. You plan your carb intake so that your body can use that energy to have a more productive workout. A targeted ketogenic diet allows you to eat carbs around workouts while still achieving ketosis with a strict low-carb lifestyle.
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Common Challenges and Solutions
Combining keto with workouts isn't without its hurdles. Here are the most common challenges and practical solutions:
Lack of energy for intense workouts:
- Cause: When you start a keto diet, your body is adjusting to using fat for energy instead of carbs. This can make you feel tired and less energetic during workouts.
- Solution: Be patient during the adaptation phase. For intense days, try a small dose of carbs before your workout.
Muscle cramps:
- Cause: The keto diet can lead to losing more water and important minerals (electrolytes) like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which can cause muscle cramps.
- Solution: Boost your intake of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) through keto-friendly foods like spinach, salmon, and nuts or supplements. Replacing electrolytes like sodium is especially important for those who engage in high-intensity workouts which result in a lot of sweating. If you are trying to stay away from processed foods, you’ll get most of your sodium from the salt you add to your food, plus small amounts that are naturally present in many foods. Magnesium is one of the electrolytes you’re likely to lose through sweat and urine. One thing that can happen when you’re on a ketogenic diet plan is that your kidneys excrete more potassium than usual. That loss can lead to fatigue and cramps during workouts.
Dehydration:
- Cause: The keto diet makes you lose more water, especially in the beginning. This can lead to dehydration, especially if you sweat a lot during workouts.
- Solution: Drink more water than usual. Aim for at least 3 liters daily. Sufficient fluid intake and vitamin supplementation were recommended following the KD.
Slower recovery times:
- Cause: On keto, you might have less glycogen (stored energy) in your muscles, which can slow down recovery after workouts.
- Solution: Prioritize post-workout nutrition with high-quality protein and fats. Collagen and bone broth can also help with recovery.
Performance plateaus:
- Cause: As your body gets used to burning fat for energy, you might hit a performance plateau, especially in high-intensity workouts that usually rely on quick energy from carbs.
- Solution: Reevaluate your workout intensity and consider incorporating carb cycling (strategic high-carb days) if your progress stalls. By adjusting your macronutrients around workouts you can maximize performance while still achieving weight loss results.