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Can you be on a keto diet if you are working out rigorously? Since keto diet is low on carbs, will it provide enough fuel to keep your body running? These can be valid concerns for someone who’s just begun her journey into the world of keto.
Keto - a high fat, low carb diet -- is such a fitness buzzword that most people look at it as a way to lose weight fast. According to a recent study, a ketogenic diet can reduce athletes’ anaerobic performance. The research team found that after following the ketogenic diet, the participants did not perform as well at the exercise tasks.
“In popular discussions, the term ‘ketogenic diet’ often is used as a broader term for low carb diets, including Atkins,” Edward Weiss said. “However, the language is often confused. People often think low carb and high protein. This is related, but different, as protein can only be at normal levels for a true ketogenic diet.
“Right now in the general public, it’s touted for weight loss. Some studies have shown that it is effective for weight loss. I worry, though, that this may be a lot of smoke and mirrors. A typical diet is 60% carbohydrate. So, if you limit carbs, you might find yourself just not eating that much. If you eliminate most food options, you may just be losing weight because you are cutting calories.”
The study has implications both for those, who turn to ketogenic diets for weight loss and for athletes who aim to improve their performance.
So, what does this mean for regular folks like us? While it is common knowledge that body needs some amount of carb as fuel to keep us going through rigorous activities, when following keto you’ll need to tweak your diet to add some more carbs.
Modify your keto diet for workout
- First of all, even if you’re on keto (low carb diet), it’s important to understand that you don’t need too much of carbs in your body. Your body will learn to use the fuel available (fats in this case) for the workout.
- Even if your carb intake is restricted, you’ll be allowed a bit extra than the keto user that isn’t very active to give you the energy boost for your workout. Your body will burn through the carbs without impacting your keto progress.
- You may end up eating more than usual as your body will have an increased metabolic rate. Thus, it is important to ensure that you are putting the right things in your body so as to not hamper your weight loss journey. Thus, it goes without saying that you shouldn’t workout in the first few weeks of starting keto.
- Your performance may suffer for a brief period, till your body adjusts to the fuel intake. But it will get better once your body moves from sugar burner to fat burner state.
- Studies have shown that workouts such as high-intensity exercise, CrossFit can be compromised when on a keto diet. Thus, it is better to stick to moderate intensity workouts when on keto.
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