Keto And Cardio: Can I Eat More Carbs?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate method of eating that can help with weight loss and improve health. While it is a successful diet, it can be confusing to know how to balance it with exercise. Exercise is important for keeping fit and healthy, and it can help speed up weight loss in ketosis. However, the keto diet restricts carbs, which can limit the ability of muscle cells to access sugar, one of the fastest fuel sources for the body. So, can you eat more carbs if you exercise keto?

The keto diet is a low-carb method of eating

Exercise impacts ketosis by making it easier for you to enter this state. Any form of exercise will be beneficial, whether it is low-intensity cardio or strength training and more intense workouts. However, it is important to note that a lack of carbohydrates may negatively affect your exercise performance, especially for strenuous workouts. This is because high-intensity activities that require near-maximal to all-out effort for 10 seconds to about 120 seconds can only be fuelled by glucose. Fat and ketones cannot stand in for glucose in these cases.

If your exercise performance relies on high-intensity activities, you may require some extra carbs to improve performance. There are a few ways to do this:

• Increase your daily carb limit.
• Implement a targeted ketogenic diet by consuming 25-50 grams of easily digestible carbs 30 minutes prior to exercise.
• Include one or two carb refeeding days every week by following a cyclical ketogenic diet.

It is important to note that these suggestions are not applicable if you mainly do aerobic-based endurance activities like cycling and jogging. These types of exercises are much less likely to be negatively impacted by the ketogenic diet. In fact, after you are keto-adapted, you may find that you can exercise at low to moderate intensities for longer periods without getting tired.

Additionally, when it comes to creating a diet plan for active individuals, health professionals often set protein intake first. Protein improves satiation, stimulates muscle protein synthesis, and has a more significant thermic effect than any other macronutrient. To preserve muscle mass and promote fat loss, it is recommended to consume around 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.

In summary, while the keto diet is a low-carb method of eating, there may be times when you can eat more carbs, especially if you are engaging in high-intensity exercises. By making some adjustments to your diet and choosing the right types of exercises, you can maximise the benefits of the keto diet for your health and fitness goals.

Exercise can help you reach ketosis faster

Exercise can deplete your body's glycogen stores, which are normally replenished when you eat carbohydrates. This is the body's preferred fuel source. When you exercise, you use up some of the body's glucose, or stored carbohydrate energy. With less glycogen available, your body starts metabolising fat, and you reach the ketosis state sooner.

Research has found that participants reached ketosis three and a half hours sooner, on average, when they started their fast with an exercise session. This was an intense workout, with participants running on a treadmill for 40-50 minutes at 70% of their maximum heart rate.

However, it is not clear what type of exercise is best for inducing ketosis, or how long you need to work out to get the best results. It is also important to note that a lack of carbohydrates may negatively affect your exercise performance. Strenuous workouts require high levels of glycogen to boost output.

If you are new to the keto diet, low-intensity exercises such as walking, running, cycling, and swimming are recommended. This is because continuous aerobic exercise not only reduces total body fat but also improves fat distribution more effectively than high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

For those wanting to build muscle while on keto, strength exercises like weightlifting, squats, and pushups are a great idea.

High-intensity exercises may require more carbs

The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate method of eating that can lead to weight loss. While it is a successful way to lose weight, combining it with exercise can be a bit more complicated. Restricting carbs can limit the ability of muscle cells to access sugar, which is one of the fastest fuel sources that the body relies on. This can impair the ability of muscles to function at high intensities.

High-intensity exercises that require near-maximal to all-out effort for 10 seconds to about 120 seconds can only be fuelled by glucose. Fat and ketones cannot stand in for glucose in the glycolytic pathway. Only after around 2 minutes of exercise will your body start to shift to metabolic pathways that can burn ketones and fat.

Therefore, if your exercise performance relies on high-intensity bouts of muscle activity that last longer than 10 seconds, you may require some extra carbs to improve performance. There are three methods to do this:

• Increase your daily carb limit: This involves consuming more carbs throughout the day, which may be suitable for those who are very active.
• Implement a targeted ketogenic diet: This involves consuming 25-50 grams of easily digestible carbs 30 minutes before exercise. This method is best suited for exercise beginners.
• Include carb refeeding days: This method, known as the cyclical ketogenic diet, involves having one day per week where you consume more carbohydrates. This is a good option for athletes and people who exercise at high intensities regularly.

It is important to note that these suggestions are not applicable if you mainly do aerobic-based endurance activities like cycling or jogging. These types of exercises are much less likely to be negatively impacted by the ketogenic diet. In fact, after adapting to the ketogenic diet, you may find that you can exercise at low to moderate intensities for longer periods without getting tired.

Timing of metabolic pathways depends on the person

The timing of metabolic pathways depends on the person and their metabolic state. Ketosis is a metabolic process where the body does not have enough glucose for energy, so it burns stored fats instead, resulting in a buildup of acids called ketones. This metabolic state can be encouraged by following a ketogenic or keto diet, which is very low in carbohydrates.

The timing of when the body enters ketosis depends on the individual and their diet and exercise routine. For those on a keto diet, exercise can speed up the process of entering ketosis by depleting glycogen stores. Glycogen is the storage form of glucose from the carbohydrates you eat. Once glycogen storage gets depleted, the body starts metabolizing fat. The longer and more prolonged the physical activity, the faster muscle glycogen is depleted.

However, the lack of carbohydrates may negatively impact exercise performance as high levels of glycogen are necessary for strenuous workouts. This is why exercises that require bursts of energy can be more challenging for people on a ketogenic diet.

The body has two main energy systems for exercise: the base aerobic system and the high-output aerobic system. The base aerobic system can burn either fat or glucose and is trained through low-intensity exercises over extended periods. The high-output aerobic system, on the other hand, only burns glucose and is utilized during high-intensity workouts.

For athletes on a keto diet, it is recommended to start at keto levels of carbohydrates and evaluate performance. If there is a performance deficit, then a small amount of carbohydrates can be added, and the impact observed.

Ultimately, the timing of metabolic pathways, such as ketosis, is influenced by individual factors such as diet, exercise routine, and the body's unique metabolic processes.

Eating the right amount of fat and protein is important

Protein is particularly important as it improves satiation, stimulates muscle protein synthesis, and has a more significant thermic effect than any other macronutrient. Not eating enough protein can lead to a loss of muscle mass and increased calorie consumption, which can cause a rapid increase in body fat percentage.

For athletes and regular exercisers, the recommended protein intake is 1.4-2 g per kilogram or 0.6-.9 grams per pound of lean body mass. For those trying to lose weight, this can be increased to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass (1 gram of protein per pound).

Fat consumption is also crucial. Eating too much fat will lead to weight gain, while eating too little will cause rapid weight loss and feelings of starvation. The recommended fat consumption on the keto diet is around 70% of daily calories, which can be adjusted depending on your goals. To gain weight, increase your fat intake until you reach a calorie surplus of 250-500 calories. To lose weight, decrease your fat intake to create a calorie deficit of 250-500 calories.

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