Keto Weight Loss: Does Exercise Matter?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that has gained popularity in recent years due to its ability to induce rapid weight loss and improve health markers like blood sugar and cholesterol. This diet triggers a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy, hence the nickname fat-burning diet. While some people may assume that exercise is necessary for weight loss on keto, others have found success without incorporating physical activity. This has raised the question: is it possible to lose weight on the keto diet without exercise?

Achieving ketosis

Reduce Carbohydrate Intake:

• Carb restriction is crucial for entering ketosis. Aim for 20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day, or even less if possible. This forces your body to use fat as its primary energy source.
• Be mindful of hidden carbs in sauces, dressings, and condiments.
• Track your carb intake using apps or food journals to ensure you stay within the recommended range.

Increase Healthy Fat Consumption:

• Fats should comprise 55-60% of your daily calorie intake on a ketogenic diet.
• Choose healthy fats such as fatty fish (salmon), olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, nut butter, avocados, eggs, and meats.
• Coconut oil is especially beneficial due to its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) content, which can be quickly converted into ketones.

Engage in Physical Activity:

• Exercise helps deplete your body's glycogen stores, encouraging the production of ketones.
• Working out in a fasted state can further increase ketone levels.
• Incorporate 3-4 days of exercise into your weekly routine, including strength training and cardio.

Fast Intermittently:

• Intermittent fasting can accelerate the transition into ketosis by depleting glycogen stores.
• Consider short-term fasts or fat fasting protocols.
• Always consult a healthcare professional before attempting any form of fasting.

Monitor Protein Intake:

• Ensure your protein intake is adequate but not excessive.
• Aim for 0.55-0.77 grams of protein per pound of lean mass, or 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram.
• Excess protein may hinder ketosis as it can be converted into glucose.

Test Ketone Levels:

• Use urine strips, breath meters, or blood ketone meters to measure your ketone levels.
• These tools help confirm that you are in ketosis and allow you to adjust your diet accordingly.

Eating too much protein

While on the keto diet, it is important to monitor your protein intake. Eating too much protein is one of the biggest concerns for people who are just starting the ketogenic diet. The body produces ketones from fat, so it is logical to assume that you should keep protein intake to a minimum. However, this is not necessarily true.

Carbs are the only macronutrient that can seriously interfere with ketosis, which is why it is essential to watch out for hidden carbs and find the carb limit that works for you. On the other hand, eating protein will not affect your ketone levels. You can eat high-fat and high-protein (preferably fatty cuts of grass-fed meat) and stay in ketosis.

Many low-carb, high-fat advocates believe that excess protein can turn into sugar in your bloodstream through a process called gluconeogenesis and knock down your ketone levels. However, this is only a myth. Gluconeogenesis is a real and necessary process that is already happening in your body. It is not the enemy of ketosis but makes it possible in the first place.

Your body takes compounds like lactate, amino acids (protein), and glycerol to manufacture glucose when there are no carbs around. This may seem like a problem when you are trying to run on ketones instead of glucose, but the truth is that gluconeogenesis has an incredibly important purpose and does not harm ketosis.

To clarify, you don't need to eat any high-carb foods to survive, but your body needs glucose and glycogen to keep you healthy (even in ketosis), and it will get this via survival mechanisms like gluconeogenesis.

Why Gluconeogenesis Is Vital

On a keto diet, your body uses gluconeogenesis for three primary purposes:

• Preventing hypoglycemia: Your glucose levels can never drop to zero, even in ketosis. Gluconeogenesis keeps your blood sugar in a healthy range so that it doesn't fall to dangerous levels (aka hypoglycemia).
• Fuelling tissues that can't use ketones: There are a handful of cells in your body that can only use glucose to survive, including red blood cells, the inner part of the kidney, testicles, and some portions of your brain. Ketones can cover up to 70% of your brain's energy needs, while the glucose from gluconeogenesis covers the rest. The other organs can't metabolise ketones at all. This is why gluconeogenesis provides them with enough glucose to remain healthy.
• Resupplying glycogen stores: You can replenish muscle glycogen through the gluconeogenesis that happens during ketosis—at least if you're not a professional athlete or participating in competitions. Glycogen is crucial for muscle recovery after workouts.

If gluconeogenesis didn't make enough glucose to cover these functions, your body could never make the switch to using ketones for energy because some cells (like red blood cells) would die, and your blood sugar would drop too low.

Gluconeogenesis is an extremely stable process. It's not easy to increase it even with extra protein. Gluconeogenesis doesn't work at the same rate as carbohydrate metabolism (making glucose from carbs). When you eat chocolate cake, your blood glucose quickly spikes in response to that sugar. When you eat extra protein, your blood glucose doesn't spike in the same way. Studies have shown that gluconeogenesis production doesn't increase even with extra amino acids.

The High-Protein Myth

There's a widely circulated claim that excess protein is detrimental to ketosis because it causes gluconeogenesis. This myth has since been disproven. However, there are plenty of articles published online stating this false claim, so it is important to understand how gluconeogenesis works on ketosis.

The amount of protein you should eat on keto depends on your activity level. If you're sedentary, consume 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass at a minimum. If you're an athlete or looking to build muscle, consume 1-1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Protein consumption will typically cause both insulin and glucagon to increase. As a result, insulin levels may elevate to the point that you are "kicked" out of ketosis. The likelihood of this happening depends on specific aspects of your health and how much protein you consume.

Studies indicate that type 2 diabetics are much more likely to experience a significant increase in insulin levels after protein intake, while healthy individuals may not experience any insulin increase at all. This means that people who are struggling to keep their blood sugar levels under control may end up impairing their ketone production or preventing their bodies from entering ketosis by eating too much protein. On the other hand, healthier individuals, especially if they are active, will be able to consume much more protein without it kicking them out of ketosis.

Two Signs Your Meals Are Too High in Protein for Keto

Although the quickest way to establish your optimal protein intake is with blood-ketone testing, you'll also know if you've gone too far when you experience one of the following two symptoms:

• Your breath starts smelling like acetone or nail polish remover.
• Your breath starts to smell like ammonia. This compound is a natural by-product of protein metabolism that is typically released in your urine. However, when protein intake exceeds what your body can handle, your ammonia levels can build up to the point that you start exhaling it out with each breath (or excreting it in your sweat).

Consuming too many acceptable carbs

Even if you're adhering to the keto diet, it's possible to consume too many acceptable carbs, which can hinder your weight loss goals. On the keto diet, several types of carbohydrates are considered acceptable, such as nuts and dairy products. While these foods are typically high in fat and nutrient-dense, they still contain carbohydrates. Overconsuming these acceptable carbs can prevent you from achieving and maintaining ketosis, which is crucial for burning fat and losing weight.

To understand why this happens, let's take a step back and explain what ketosis is. Ketosis is a metabolic state that your body enters when you drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. In this state, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat and using it for energy instead of glucose (sugar). This is why the keto diet is popular for weight loss. However, if you consume too many acceptable carbs, your body may still have enough glucose to use for energy, reducing the rate of fat burned.

So, how many carbs are too many? On the keto diet, it is recommended to reduce your carb intake to 30-50 grams per day, with carbohydrates making up only 5-10% of your total calories. This is a significant reduction from the standard dietary recommendation of 45-65% of calories from carbs. It can be challenging to stick to such a low carb intake, especially when there are many acceptable carb options available.

To avoid consuming too many acceptable carbs, it's essential to track your macronutrients carefully. Consider using an app like MyFitnessPal to monitor your carb intake and ensure you're staying within the recommended range. Additionally, be mindful of hidden carbs in some foods, such as sugar alcohols. Even if a food is marketed as keto-friendly, it's important to check the nutrition label to understand its carb content fully.

In conclusion, while the keto diet allows for some acceptable carbs, overconsuming these can hinder your weight loss efforts by preventing you from achieving and maintaining ketosis. To maximize your weight loss on the keto diet, it's crucial to be mindful of your total carb intake and make sure it aligns with the strict requirements of the diet.

Calorie counting

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that promotes nutritional ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. This shift in energy source is what makes the keto diet an effective weight-loss strategy. However, it is important to understand that calories still matter, even on a keto diet.

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. This can be achieved by either reducing your calorie intake or increasing your physical activity. The keto diet is effective because it naturally reduces your calorie intake, as you are eating foods that are more satiating and keep you feeling fuller for longer. However, it is still possible to consume too many calories on a keto diet, especially if you are not careful with your portion sizes or are snacking on high-calorie foods throughout the day.

Therefore, if you are not seeing weight loss results on the keto diet, it may be helpful to start counting calories to ensure you are not consuming too many. This can be done by using a food scale, a keto-friendly tracking app, and a keto calculator to personalize your meals and macro targets. By tracking your calorie intake, you can identify areas where you may be consuming too much and make adjustments to create a calorie deficit.

In addition to calorie counting, it is important to make sure you are consuming nutritious, whole foods on the keto diet. Relying on processed foods, even if they are keto-friendly, can hinder your weight loss efforts due to their high-calorie content. Stick to unprocessed, whole foods like full-fat dairy, eggs, fish, meat, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables to optimize your nutrient intake while losing weight.

While calorie counting can be a useful tool, it is not necessary for everyone on the keto diet. Some people may find it restrictive and stressful. Instead, focus on eating highly satiating foods that keep you satisfied as you lose weight. By eating a diet high in protein and fat and low in carbs, you will naturally reduce your calorie intake and create the deficit needed for weight loss.

Stress and sleep

Stress

• A high-stress lifestyle can hinder weight loss efforts, even when following a keto diet.
• Psychological stress can lead to changes in hormone levels, including increased levels of cortisol, also known as the "stress hormone."
• Elevated cortisol levels have been linked to weight gain, particularly in the belly area, as it encourages the body to store fat.
• Chronic stress may also lead to cravings for comfort foods, which can add extra calories to your diet.
• To reduce stress, consider trying relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga, and limit screen time before bed.

Sleep

• Lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss.
• Sleep deprivation is linked to increased appetite due to its effect on hunger-regulating hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin.
• "Keto insomnia" is a term used to describe sleep disturbances experienced by some individuals when starting a keto diet.
• Keto insomnia may be caused by the low-carbohydrate nature of the diet, which can disrupt sleep-regulating chemicals and hormones, such as serotonin and melatonin.
• To improve sleep, focus on establishing a consistent sleep schedule, limiting caffeine intake close to bedtime, and avoiding the use of electronic devices before bed.
• Exercise can also help improve sleep quality and duration.

Remember that stress and sleep are interconnected, and addressing one can often positively impact the other. By managing stress and prioritizing healthy sleep habits, you can optimize your weight loss efforts, especially when combined with a well-implemented keto diet.

Frequently asked questions