Nutrition experts will tell you that even the best diet will not work well for you if you do not combine it with physical exercise. This is the same principle you’ll need to apply when on a ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diets will have an impact on your exercise routine and performance. Free fatty acids can impact on the metabolism and central nervous system leading to fatigue.

For some athletes, the body may take several months before they realize any positive metabolic change. Adverse effects of not letting the body adjust include hypoglycemia, impaired performance and a reduction in muscle glycogen. However, once the body adjusts well the benefits become immediately apparent because energy from ketones is more efficient than energy from glucose.

How can you improve your exercise regime when on the ketogenic diet?

Have a Proper Meal Plan

The tendency for most people when exercising is to eat more food because the body uses up a lot of energy. The keto diet is there for good because you consume fewer carbohydrates, meaning your body reduces the energy breakdown making you less hungry. Practice planning meals in advance and ensure that your meals are well prepared and balanced.

Be careful about undereating because this is a tendency most people on the keto diet have. Even if you are not hungry, a side effect of the keto diet, make sure you eat because your body will require the energy.

Consider Consuming Carbohydrates When You Need To

The keto diet works because you reduce your carbohydrate intake. However, you may need to break the diet occasionally if you are doing high-intensity workouts. Try carbohydrates cycling so that you replace the glycogen you lose from your muscles. You can, for instance, change your schedule to eat some carbohydrates immediately after exercising. Try and keep it below 40 grams, so you do not throw yourself off the diet completely.

Check the Nutrient Amount

When you exercise, you will crave carbohydrates because your body is more demanding for energy. However, to maintain the ketone levels, stick to the recommended foods.  Consider keeping a calorie counter and stay away from sugary drinks, alcohol, and certain fruits which could increase the carbohydrate levels in your body.

Ensure That You Eat a Balanced Diet

To maintain a healthy body, you need to have the right micronutrients. Eat enough fats, proteins, and vitamins, which you can get from leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, and healthy oils like coconut or canola oil.

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For those in high-intensity sports, try and get in at least 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body mass. Eating protein is important because your body needs it to get enough glucose. You can get protein from fish, meat, high-fat milk, eggs among others. Try protein powder or fish oil supplements to boost the amount of protein in your body.

Plan your exercise routine

Incorporate different exercises for different parts of your body. Whether it is core training or to elevate your heart rate to burn fat, have a good mix so that you exercise optimally.  Do not try out any new workout regime in the initial stages of the keto diet. If you do not stick to one routine, you will not know which exercise works best with the keto diet.

If your body has not gone into ketosis, avoid high-intensity workouts because to get more fuel, your body will turn to the glycogen stores. Moderate your exercises so that you optimize the fat burning potential of your body.

Make sure you hydrate well

One side effect of the keto diet is that you’ll tend to urinate more. The loss of water comes with the loss of electrolytes, which are essential in the body. Electrolytes will help your muscles contract, keep your heart healthy, and regulate the nerve impulses.

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It is important that you always have water at hand, especially when you’re exercising. Drink at least 2 liters of water every day so that you avoid dehydration. Incorporate the use of electrolyte supplements for the proper functioning of your body.

Get sufficient rest

Exercising places a strain on the body and you need to rejuvenate by resting well. Catch up on your sleep and try to get a minimum of six to eight hours rest every night. Resting well will help you achieve recovery and maintain your good health.

Boost Your Diet with Supplements

We cannot underscore the benefits of keto supplements.  Because you cut out some foods from your diet, you may need to use supplements so that you get the nutrients you need. Their supplements are also important for giving you respite from the keto flu as well as enhancing your performance when exercising.

Some of the supplements you should incorporating a keto diet include magnesium, MCT oil, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, digestive enzymes, exogenous ketones, electrolyte supplements, and performance-boosting supplements such as Vivarin, to name a few.

Use Taurin as a stimulant. Taurine acid will make you more active, boost your energy levels, and help to prevent fatigue.  A dose of about 50mg per kg of the total body weight per day should do the trick.

The use of creatine will also give your muscles direct energy and boost the speed and strength of your muscles.

Final thoughts

With the keto diet, you will get quick results if you have a proper meal plan because it is also quite easy to follow. If you combine the diet with exercise, you will be very pleased with the results. Be smart about your exercise goals, take into consideration the right kinds of exercise, pay attention to what your body is telling you so that you can discard what is not working, and eat enough food.

Most importantly take time to adjust before you try any high-intensity workout. Consider Incorporating supplements into your diet so that you can replace any nutrients you are not getting. Take note, by eating the wrong food and doing the wrong exercises, you will not see the benefits of the keto diet.