Keto Transformation: Lose Weight, Gain Muscle?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, and very-low-carb diet. It involves drastically lowering your carb intake and consuming fat instead, which helps your body transition into a metabolic state known as ketosis. In ketosis, the body uses fat as its main fuel source.

The keto diet is popular for weight loss, but can you lose weight and gain muscle on keto?

Well, it is possible to build muscle on a keto diet. However, it may not be the best approach. This is because keto diets tend to suppress your appetite, making it harder to eat enough calories to support muscle growth.

Additionally, keto diets can lead to lower glycogen levels in the muscles, which can affect muscle growth and strength endurance. Glycogen is a molecule that our bodies use as energy, and it is created from the breakdown of carbohydrates.

So, while it is possible to lose weight and gain muscle on a keto diet, other approaches may yield better results.

It is possible to lose weight and gain muscle on a keto diet

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that has been linked to various health benefits, including weight loss. The diet involves drastically lowering your carb intake and consuming fat instead. This helps your body transition into a metabolic state known as ketosis, where your body uses fat to make ketone bodies as an alternative fuel source.

For a long time, many people assumed that it was impossible to build muscle on a keto diet as it restricts carbs, which promote the release of insulin, an anabolic hormone that helps create conditions that drive muscle growth. However, studies show that it is possible to build muscle on a keto diet.

How to lose weight and gain muscle on a keto diet

• Determine your calorie intake– To build muscle, you need to consistently eat more calories than you burn. Calculate your maintenance calories, which are the number of calories you need to consume per day to stay the same weight, and increase your calorie intake by 15% above that.
• Eat plenty of protein– Protein is the building block of muscles, so make sure to consume more protein than your body breaks down. Most studies suggest eating 0.7–0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
• Track your carb intake– To reach and stay in ketosis, most people need to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day. You may find it beneficial to time your carb intake around your workouts, which is known as a targeted keto diet.
• Increase your fat intake– Your body relies primarily on fat for fuel when you are in ketosis, so make sure to get enough healthy fats in your diet.
• Resistance train regularly– While nutrition is important, resistance training is also key to gaining muscle. Incorporate exercises like squats, bench presses, pull-ups, and push-ups into your weekly routine.
• Consider supplements– If you're struggling to meet your daily protein needs, consider using a protein powder supplement such as whey, casein, pea, or hemp protein. You could also try a creatine monohydrate supplement, which has been shown to aid gym performance and lead to more muscle gain.

Other tips for building muscle on a keto diet

• Be patient – If you're new to keto, you may experience a temporary drop in strength and performance as your body adapts to using ketones.
• Prepare for initial side effects – Some people may experience the "keto flu" when starting the diet, which can include symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, irritability, and insomnia.
• Test your ketone levels regularly – Use keto strips or a keto breath test to determine if you're in ketosis and adjust your diet accordingly.
• Get plenty of sleep – Proper sleep is important for muscle gain and exercise performance.

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet. It involves drastically lowering your carbohydrate intake and consuming more fat. This helps your body transition into a metabolic state known as ketosis, where it uses fat instead of glucose as its primary fuel source.

To enter ketosis, people typically need to consume fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, with the rest of their calories coming from high-fat and moderate-protein foods. Generally, it takes 2–4 days to enter ketosis, but this can vary depending on the individual.

The keto diet has become increasingly popular, particularly for weight loss. Research has shown that it can help curb your appetite and lead to weight loss. In addition to weight loss, the keto diet has been linked to various other health benefits, including aiding people with epilepsy, controlling blood sugar levels, and reducing the risk of certain chronic conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

One of the misconceptions about the keto diet is that it hurts exercise performance. However, this is not true. Several studies have shown that a keto diet does not compromise aerobic endurance and can be beneficial for weight-class-based athletes. While there may be an initial adjustment period where strength and endurance may be affected, once the body adapts to using fat as its primary fuel source, performance tends to improve.

Another myth is that you need carbohydrates to build muscle. While carbs can promote insulin release and help restore glycogen in the muscles, leading to quicker mass gain, this mass includes fat. On the other hand, the keto diet can lead to leaner mass gains as it encourages the body to use ketones as fuel instead of glucose. Additionally, the ketogenic diet is high in protein, which is essential for building muscle. Studies have shown that it is possible to build muscle on a keto diet, and it may even be advantageous for overweight individuals as they can build muscle while losing weight.

To build muscle on a keto diet, it is important to consume enough protein, eat a calorie surplus, and engage in resistance or strength training. Determining your calorie intake is crucial, as you need to consistently eat more calories than you burn to build muscle effectively. Eating plenty of protein is also essential as it is the building block of muscles. Finally, incorporating resistance training or strength training is key, as it creates mechanical stress in the skeleton, leading to stronger bones, and has additional benefits for brain health and cognition.

The keto diet suppresses appetite

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is often used for weight loss. It involves drastically lowering your carb intake and consuming fat instead, which helps your body transition into a metabolic state known as ketosis. Ketosis occurs when your body has limited access to glucose or carbs, and instead uses fat to make ketone bodies as an alternative fuel source.

The keto diet has been associated with a suppression of appetite. When individuals are in ketosis, they consistently report feeling less hungry and, at times, fuller after a meal compared to when they are not in a state of ketosis. This appetite suppression is mediated by adaptations in the secretion of appetite-related hormones, specifically by preventing the expected increase in ghrelin secretion that is usually seen with dietary-induced weight loss.

Ketosis also appears to have a positive effect on leptin signals and the brain’s hypothalamus region, which can prevent the slowing of metabolism that is often seen with other diets. Additionally, ketones are beneficial for the brain, heart, and other muscle tissues as they allow these organs to conserve blood sugar while using ketones for energy instead.

The keto diet can be a more sustainable option for weight loss as it helps to suppress hunger and appetite, and prevents the slowing of metabolism that is often seen with other diets.

The keto diet may not be ideal for building muscle

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, and very-low-carb diet. It involves drastically lowering your carb intake and consuming fat instead. This helps your body transition into a metabolic state known as ketosis, where your body uses fat to make ketone bodies as an alternative fuel source.

While the keto diet is a popular way to lose weight, it may not be the best option for building muscle. Here are some reasons why:

Appetite suppression

The keto diet is known for its appetite-suppressing effects, which can make it challenging to consume enough calories to support muscle growth. This is especially true for skinny individuals trying to bulk up, as eating a large number of calories is already difficult without the added challenge of keto.

Reduced glycogen stores

When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose, which is used as fuel for your muscles and liver. However, on the keto diet, there are limited carbs available, so your muscles won't store as much glycogen. This can lead to a decrease in muscle size and strength endurance, which are important for building muscle mass.

Impact on testosterone and cortisol production

Higher-carb diets help manage the stress of weight training by keeping testosterone production higher and cortisol production lower. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can reduce muscle growth, increase fat storage, and suppress the immune system.

Insulin production

While a ketogenic diet can produce enough insulin to support muscle growth, eating more carbs seems to do a better job. Insulin is used to shuttle nutrients toward fat storage or muscle gain, and both protein and carbs stimulate insulin production.

Difficulty in achieving a calorie surplus

Building muscle requires consuming more calories than you burn. However, the restrictive nature of the keto diet can make it challenging to consume enough calories, leading to a deficit. This can result in muscle loss, as your body breaks down muscle tissue to get the fuel it needs.

Suboptimal for bulking

Studies have shown that a conventional bodybuilding diet was more effective for building muscle, gaining strength, and avoiding fat gain than a ketogenic diet. The keto diet may be better suited for cutting or weight loss rather than bulking and building muscle.

While it is possible to build muscle on a ketogenic diet, the evidence suggests that it may not be the ideal approach. The restrictions and challenges posed by keto can make it more difficult to achieve the calorie surplus and nutrient intake necessary for optimal muscle growth.

If your goal is to build muscle effectively, a more balanced diet that includes carbohydrates may be a better option.

A keto diet can be used to aid people with epilepsy and control blood sugar levels

The ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been used to treat people with epilepsy, particularly children whose seizures have not responded to medication. The diet is thought to work by changing how the brain gets energy to function, switching the body's fuel source from glucose to ketones.

The diet is carefully monitored by a physician and a dietitian, and it is usually started in the hospital. It involves drastically lowering carbohydrate intake and consuming more fat, with a typical keto diet consisting of 70% to 80% fats, 20% proteins, and 5% to 10% carbohydrates. The body can work very well on ketones and fats, and higher ketone levels often lead to improved seizure control.

Several studies have shown that the keto diet can reduce or prevent seizures in children with epilepsy. Over half of the children who go on the diet experience at least a 50% reduction in seizures, and some children, usually 10-15%, become seizure-free. The diet has also been shown to be beneficial for certain epilepsy conditions, such as infantile spasms, Rett syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, and Dravet syndrome.

In addition to aiding people with epilepsy, the keto diet can also help control blood sugar levels. This makes it useful for people with diabetes or class III obesity, as it can be easier to follow than other diabetes diet recommendations and can help retrain the body to burn fat.

While the keto diet has proven benefits for epilepsy and blood sugar control, it is not without its risks. Side effects of long-term diet use can include high cholesterol levels, low bone density, slower growth, and sluggishness or tiredness. It is important to note that the keto diet should be closely monitored by healthcare providers and should not be attempted without medical supervision.

Frequently asked questions