Cardio And Keto: Can Too Much Exercise Stall Weight Loss?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been adopted by many people looking to lose weight and improve their health. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, it is not a guarantee, and there are several reasons why someone may not lose weight or may even gain weight while on the keto diet. One of the main reasons is not achieving ketosis, which is a metabolic state where the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. This can be due to consuming too many carbs or too much protein. Other reasons for weight gain on the keto diet include stress, lack of exercise, underlying health issues, and consuming too much alcohol. To maximize weight loss on the keto diet, it is important to get adequate sleep, reduce stress, be more active, and consume whole, nutritious, low-carb foods.

Inconsistent Carb Intake

To understand why this happens, it's important to know how keto works. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to put your body into a state of ketosis. In ketosis, your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, which is derived from carbohydrates.

When you limit your carb intake, you lower your insulin levels, which triggers ketosis and primes your metabolism to break down fats. However, when you consume too many carbs, your insulin levels spike, inhibiting fat burning and promoting fat storage.

Additionally, it can take several days for your body to restart ketosis after a carb-rich meal or cheat day. This can slow down your progress and lead to weight gain.

To stay in ketosis and promote consistent weight loss, it's crucial to limit your net carb intake to no more than 20 to 50 grams per day. This restriction helps keep your insulin levels low and your metabolism primed for burning fat.

However, it's important to note that individual factors, such as stress, metabolism, exercise, and underlying health issues, can also impact your weight status on keto. While keto can be an effective tool for weight loss, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution, and adjustments may be needed based on individual needs.

Lack of Exercise

Exercise is considered an important strategy for keeping fit and healthy, and it can speed up weight loss when in ketosis. However, the keto diet may not be the ideal diet for high-intensity activities, and it can be challenging to build muscle mass. Therefore, a lack of exercise on the keto diet may not produce the desired results for those looking to lose weight or build muscle.

Energy Levels and Athletic Performance

The keto diet involves severely restricting carbohydrate intake, which are the body's main source of energy. This can lead to decreased energy levels, especially when first starting the diet, and impaired athletic performance, particularly in high-intensity activities. Low energy levels and reduced performance can be a concern for those who are unable to exercise or be physically active while on the keto diet.

Weight Loss

Exercising while in ketosis can accelerate weight loss by depleting glycogen stores and preserving lean muscle mass, which increases the resting metabolic rate. A lack of exercise may slow down weight loss, as creating a calorie deficit is still necessary to lose weight on the keto diet. Intermittent fasting can be an alternative way to boost weight loss for those who are unable to exercise.

Muscle Mass

Building muscle mass requires consuming a sufficient amount of protein and calories, which can be challenging on the keto diet, especially when trying to lose weight. A lack of exercise, particularly strength training or resistance training, can make it more difficult to build or maintain muscle mass.

Overall Health

Exercise provides numerous health benefits beyond weight loss and muscle building, including improved memory, better sleep, reduced inflammation, and lower stress and chronic disease risk. A lack of exercise on the keto diet may result in missing out on these health benefits. However, it is important to note that the keto diet itself has been linked to potential health benefits, such as improved blood sugar control and decreased hunger levels.

Alcohol Consumption

While it is possible to drink alcohol and remain in ketosis, it is important to understand how alcohol affects your body when on a ketogenic diet.

How Alcohol Affects Ketosis

Alcohol is not a health food. On the keto diet, your body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. In the absence of carbs, your liver turns fat into energy molecules called ketones. When you drink alcohol, your body prioritises metabolising it, and until all the alcohol is processed, your body will not produce ketones from fat. This slows down the fat-burning process and can slow down your weight loss goals.

Alcohol and Fat Burning

Alcohol has about 7 calories per gram, and while it is sometimes classified as a macronutrient, it is not essential. Alcohol is unique in that it cannot be stored like carbohydrates, protein or fat. When in ketosis, alcohol halts the metabolism of fat to metabolise alcohol. Alcohol is broken down by several enzymes into acetate, which your body uses for energy. When alcohol is consumed during ketosis, your body will convert to using acetate as an energy source rather than fat.

Alcohol Tolerance on Keto

The keto diet lowers alcohol tolerance due to low glycogen levels. Your body stores carbohydrates as glycogen, and during ketosis, there are very low levels of it. Low levels of glycogen mean there are fewer substances in your body to absorb alcohol. Carbohydrates can reduce blood alcohol levels. In ketosis, there is an absence of carbohydrates and other sources of energy, so alcohol reaches your bloodstream quicker and is processed more quickly. This effect reduces your tolerance to alcohol.

Alcohol and Weight Loss

Calories from alcohol count towards your total daily calorie intake. Even when alcohol accounts for some of your daily calories, weight loss can still occur with a caloric deficit. However, alcohol can derail your weight loss efforts over time. Alcohol can suppress fat burning and increase body fat by causing your body to store extra calories as fat tissue.

Alcohol and Willpower

Maintaining a healthy ketogenic lifestyle requires focus and willpower. When you drink, your inhibitions and willpower weaken. This is why it is so easy to reach for fast food or pizza after a night of drinking. So, even if you choose your low-carb alcohol carefully, the choices you make after drinking may end up throwing you out of ketosis.

Keto-Friendly Alcoholic Drinks

• Clear liquors like vodka, gin or tequila
• Some dark liquors like rum, cognac or scotch
• Wine, especially dry wines
• Light beers

Stress

Physical Stress

The keto diet involves a significant reduction in carbohydrate intake, which serves as the body's primary energy source. As a result, individuals may experience decreased energy levels, especially during the initial stages of the diet. This can be further exacerbated by cardio exercise, which demands energy expenditure. If the body does not have sufficient energy from carbohydrates, it may start breaking down muscle protein for fuel, leading to muscle loss. Additionally, intense cardio workouts can increase cortisol levels, a stress hormone that contributes to muscle breakdown and fat retention.

Mental Stress

Adopting a keto diet and engaging in regular cardio exercise can also impact mental stress levels. The keto diet may cause side effects such as "keto flu," which includes symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and irritability. These side effects can be challenging to manage, especially for individuals with busy or demanding schedules. Similarly, cardio exercise, especially high-intensity workouts, can be mentally taxing and contribute to increased stress levels.

Impact on Weight

Managing Stress

To mitigate the impact of stress on weight management while following a keto diet and engaging in cardio exercise, it is essential to adopt stress management strategies. This may include practising mindfulness or meditation, engaging in stress-reducing activities like yoga or pilates, or seeking professional support to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Additionally, ensuring adequate recovery time between cardio workouts and incorporating low-intensity exercises like walking or swimming can help reduce physical stress on the body.

Underlying Health Issues

Thyroid Gland Issues

Individuals with thyroid gland issues often experience unexplained weight gain all over the body, a hallmark of the thyroid body type. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain and make it difficult to lose weight.

Liver Problems

In contrast, people with protruding bellies are more likely to fit the liver body type, typically associated with poor liver function, excessive alcohol consumption, cirrhosis, or fatty liver disease.

Imbalanced Intestinal Microflora

An imbalance or disruption in the composition of gut microflora, also known as dysbiosis, has been linked to weight gain. Dysbiosis can develop due to antibiotic medication, a diet high in refined carbs and sugars, a lack of dietary fiber, and gastrointestinal infections.

Other Health Conditions

Other underlying medical conditions can also contribute to weight gain or prevent weight loss. These include endocrine conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing's syndrome, as well as mental health conditions like depression. Additionally, medication taken for underlying conditions may cause increased appetite as a side effect.

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