The Role Of Exercise In A Ketogenic Diet
The Role Of Exercise In A Ketogenic Diet
Without a doubt, exercise is extremely important,
whether you are following a low carb, ketogenic lifestyle or not. However,
exercise is able to act more efficiently when following a ketogenic diet.
Let’s face it- the primary reason you are exercising
is to look good, period. Sure, health benefits are a nice secondary benefit,
but if we are brutally honest, it’s because looks matter to almost all people.
Mere diet can never help you achieve the body you
want, even though diet is essential in supplying the building blocks, and
setting the stage for your desired outcome.
Interested to know exactly how exercise can help you
while on the ketogenic diet? Read on and find out!
Exercise Improves Insulin Sensitivity
In many people, insulin sensitivity decreases with
age, along with the level of physical activity. Sedentary persons are much more
likely to have elevated levels of blood glucose, record a higher level of
insulin secretion over the course of the day, retain excess body fat and may
likely pave the way to pre-diabetes.
Exercise, especially weight-bearing, anaerobic the activity has been shown to improve the efficiency of insulin in response to
blood glucose, or amino acid levels, and promotes the absorption of nutrients.
When following the ketogenic diet, blood glucose
levels are lowered, along with muscle glycogen stores, making the body more
efficient at handling small bursts of glucose either ingested or produced via
Krebs cycle.
Fat Burning Is Amplified
One of the most sought after benefits of low carb
diets, but more specifically the ketogenic diet, is its marked effect on fat
metabolism. In the absence of carbohydrates, insulin’s activity is markedly
decreased, paving the way for significantly increased levels of lipolysis.
Under the influence of insulin, fat burning is
stalled, in addition to the storage of more fat being promoted. This is a terrible
scenario if you are trying to lose weight, since at this time if you exercise
your body will be utilizing strictly carbohydrates for energy.
Not following a strict ketogenic diet?
That’s fine. In fact, there are many variations of the
ketogenic diet that are not as strict, but which still reap many of the
benefits associated with it. For example, exercising first thing in the morning
on an empty stomach places the body in a position to be able to burn fat for
energy, as glucose levels are depleted following 8 hours of fasting. This is
the preferred time many athletes perform cardiovascular exercise, as it
amplifies fat metabolism.
Exercise Promotes Muscle Gain
Well, this depends largely on the type of exercise you
perform; weight-bearing, anaerobic types providing significantly more onus for
muscle growth that steady-state aerobic varieties. Why is muscle growth
important?
Muscle is where the “powerhouse” in our bodies is
located. These powerhouses, better known as the mitochondria, is what’s
responsible for the literal burning and oxidation of ATP. The more muscle we
have, either the more of these power units we have or the larger they are.
The result?
Greater caloric burn while doing absolutely nothing,
including enhanced fat burning. It is also important for you to keep
exercising, as the old adage, “use it or lose it” is very much true.
Tweaking Keto
There are keto adaptions for bodybuilders, athletes
and others who perform an intense exercise where carb intake revolves around
exercise.
·
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet - This
plan is widely used by athletes, bodybuilders, weight lifters and anyone
participating in high-intensity exercise and features short periods of high
carb intake. Typically 5 keto days followed by 2 high carb intake days.
·
Targeted Ketogenic Diet - This plan
is also used by bodybuilders, athletes and those who work out regularly to fuel
intense workouts and features high load carb intake based around workouts.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to extract maximum benefit from the
ketogenic lifestyle, exercise is a mandatory addition. Your health will
significantly improve; including glucose and lipid profile, but so will your
overall body composition.
If you truly want to look your best, you will not
attain it unless you incorporate sessions of both aerobic (cardio) and
anaerobic (weight-bearing) sessions.
Exercise may seem difficult during the first two weeks
or so of adapting to the ketogenic lifestyle, but once your body efficiently
begins producing ketones, fat loss, strength, and muscle gains will ensue.
Comments
Post a Comment