Ketosis has many positive effects on your body, and usually, it is easy to get into it, but maintaining consistency is tough.
As ketosis is a process, your body goes and starts to burn stored fat instead of carbohydrates. A ketogenic diet consists of low carbohydrates and more protein, which leads the body to produce ketones.
It then helps your body to burn more fat instead of carbohydrates and gives you energy. Doing exercise only complements the efforts and boosts your metabolism, resulting in fat loss and muscle growth.
Keep reading if you are keen to know all the details about exercise and its benefits during ketosis.
What Does Ketosis Do To Your Body?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the human body undergoes while following a certain diet. The body starts to burn fat instead of glucose and eventually loses fat over time.
As it has various benefits, it will complement your weight loss journey. Ketosis has been gaining popularity recently.
It is beneficial and effective in losing fat. Here are a few positive effects of ketosis on your body that are mentioned below:
Better Cognitive Function
When your body goes into ketosis, it starts to adapt to changes and starts to burn more fat over some time.
Not only that, brain functions and cognitive abilities start to boost as well. Ketosis promotes molecular modulation and contributes to the bioenergy of your brain.
All this plays a critical role in improving cognitive abilities.
Better Muscle Recovery
When a person does exercise, which leads to tears in muscle tissues, ketosis can actually increase the recovery rate of the human body.
Research and studies have shown that following a ketogenic diet for a week can significantly increase muscle growth and recovery rate. Athletes and bodybuilders also prefer ketosis before their performance.
Increased Stamina And Energy
If you are wondering if eating less carbohydrates and glucose will make you tired, you are right. However, it happens due to a sudden change in the energy supply in your body.
Your body starts to adapt to these changes quickly, and you will feel a surge of energy after a couple of days.
Make sure you are prioritizing your water intake, sleep, and proper nutrition, as these are essential for stamina. Ketosis is proven to enhance stamina and energy levels over time.
Faster Metabolism
Metabolism is the most important part of your weight loss journey. Speeding up your metabolic rate will lead your body to burn fat faster and help you lose weight.
Due to the limited source of glucose or carbohydrates in your body, it starts to use body fat as its main fuel source, which makes you hungrier.
Cravings can occur, but overcoming temptations will help you lose fat faster.
Beneficial Exercises During Ketosis
Doing exercise is always beneficial no matter the diet you follow or the lifestyle you choose. It is the intensity of exercise that matters; choose exercises that are less harsh on your body and complement the shape of your muscles.
During ketosis, your regular source of energy is depleted, and your body uses fat as its primary source of energy.
Turning to intense workouts for longer periods can lead to injuries. Make sure you are following these mentioned workout regimes to help enhance your weight loss:
Low-Intensity Workouts
Low-intensity workouts may seem a little easy to you and might hurt your ego a little, but it truly benefits you more than anything during ketosis.
Low intensity helps you preserve your energy and forces your metabolism to work faster and more effectively.
Cycling, rowing, swimming, or rollerblading are the best options for your lower-intensity workouts during ketosis.
Make sure you are hydrating yourself properly, as dehydration will be the last thing you want while being in ketosis.
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) For Saving Energy
This type of exercise works when you are already in a fat-adapted state. A fat-adapted state is when your body gets completely adapted to burning fats for energy instead of glucose.
After a couple of days of starting ketosis, it happens, and you can start your HIIT workouts. High-intensity interval training is a regime that is done by following intense exercise for low amounts of time and longer intervals of slow activities like walking.
Focus on doing only a few rounds of intense workouts in a day, and you are good to go.
Moderate Strength Training
Strength training sessions are most common for people whose aim is to build muscle mass. However, the main thing to focus on during ketosis is muscle tone, not mass.
You can use light weights for shorter repetitions; these sets of lighter weights will maintain your earlier muscle mass, help you lose fat, and save energy at the same time.
Make sure that you are not picking up heavy weights, as due to lack of energy and carbs, you are prone to injury more often.
Is Doing Exercise During Ketosis Beneficial For Weight Loss?
Exercise works in your favor, no matter the condition; you just have to choose the right type to benefit from it. Ketosis does make your metabolic rate faster, but it makes you lose energy for a few starting days.
This lack of energy ends when your body goes into a fat-adaptive state. This state gives you enough energy to perform low-intensity exercise and can help you lose fat much faster than before.
Make sure your nutrition is on point; you just have to lower your carb intake and promote your protein intake to get into ketosis. Losing weight gets easier if you add exercise to your ketosis.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing exercises along with ketosis, It is crucial to go for low-intensity sessions to stay uninjured.
Energy levels deplete for a couple of starting days, but you regain your stamina and strength after a few days into ketosis, so don’t give up easily.
Make sure your water intake is high. Your beverages should only be water and low-sodium ones like coffee, tea, or red wine. Don’t even think about drinking alcohol or smoking during ketosis.
References:
- Choi YJ, Jeon SM, Shin S. Impact of a Ketogenic Diet on Metabolic Parameters in Patients with Obesity or Overweight and with or without Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32640608/). Nutrients. 2020 Jul 6;12(7):2005. Accessed 8/15/2022.
- Ułamek-Kozioł M, Czuczwar SJ, Januszewski S, et al. Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836058/). Nutrients. 2019 Oct 18;11(10):2510. Accessed 8/15/2022.
