Curious to athletes here, how the keto diet goes with your sport, and what modifications you may implement for your sport.
Personally, I competed in fighting in my competition days, years ago. I wasn’t doing a ketogenic diet at all, during that time. However, I’ve maintained a very similar training volume and intensity since then, and competed pretty well in races (obstacle races, half marathons). Currently, I’m doing more endurance training than “fight-like training” but still do well with my HIIT workouts. If I was still competing in fighting, my guess is I may implement more carbs, particularly around training. But again, I have not fallen a great fall off in my high intensity workouts, and endurance is certainly very well off.
I was running about thirty miles a week at my peak. After an injury I started back after going keto. My runs sucked and had to walk often. I called it lead legs and contemplated giving up keto. Then one day I was running up a hill and suddenly realized “This doesn’t suck anymore”. It took months to get over that hump.
The “best” training is highly dependent upon just what one is training for. If you’re trying to compete in an endurance sport, train for endurance. If it’s a strength-related sport, build strength.
Volek & Phinney have performed enough science on the topic of endurance to support the notion that keto can work extremely well in endurance activities - once the body is fully adapted.
Personally, I found after decades of running that my cardio condition is every bit as fit by doing 2-3x weekly 10 minute eliptical with three 20" HIIT bursts. Hard to know what to do with all those saved training hours … so I’ve added BFR bicep curls and a rotation of upper, lower and core HIIT workouts, about once each per week.
As for keto, I’m fairly diligent about it. No extraneous carbs beyond what’s in my salad veggies, nuts, etc. Easily <30g daily, if not less.
I’ve never been in better physical shape - and spending a LOT less time working out. Not sure how I’d fare in a high level competition, but my level of fitness has benefited greatly from this changeover - and my aging joints sure appreciate the rest.
I eat 0-10g of carbs and I’m only about 2 months on high fat diet. I drink electrolytes and I add table salt to my water, yet I lost fair bit of strength, I often feel like fainting after a set of deadlifts. I also noticed that I’m sweating a lot more in the gym.
@SomeGuy I have backed off too. I run three days a week 4 miles as a two mile run and a two mile walk. It is not about training at age 59 it’s about health and fitness. I must admit I enjoyed it when the doctor listened to my heart and said I can tell your in shape.
The word ‘athlete’ is a bit off putting. At 71 I decided to restart running (50 years break) and at that time I was strict Keto. I am now doing 18/6 fasting + 24 hours fasts every two weeks.
Whatever the reason, I remember my first struggles down to the main road, heave, wheeze, clutch heart etc, 200 metres. I am now doing 100 miles a month and my performance, both endurance and speed runs, are still improving
One thing I like about running is that any variations, cheating in diet become immediately obvious, so I consider it an important part of low carb / Keto WOL. !5K tomorrow so only one beer at midday, before rest days I may drink two (small ones). I had to learn that the hard way.
Since in ketosis I’m having lots of cramps after, say, about 1h30 of strenuous exercise and they last the rest of the day after I stop. Stomach area, hands and feet. I’ve already had to stop bike rides due to these feet cramps. I’ve never had them before.
I feel weaker and slower than I was before keto.
But I think it’s a small price to pay, because I’m thinking I suffer from some level of insulin resistance and I’m hoping keto will help with that.
You probably need have salt preworkout or add some salt during your workout.
Phinney mentions having salt via bouillon tea 30 minutes (if I recall the time correctly) before a workout. I just toss down about 1/4 tsp of salt 30 minutes before a workout.
You are not correctly counting the carbohydrates that you are consuming. It’s definitely more that 10 gram per day. You need to read the labels of the foods that you are consuming.
As per…
VirginiaEdie
You probably need have salt preworkout or add some salt during your workout.
You haven’t lost actual strength in two months, you’ve lost muscle endurance though from lack of glycogen. I can unfortunately tell you that although you do adapt and it absolutely gets better that my lifts suffered while on strict keto and never matched what they were on more carbs. Especially things like the deads and heavy compound movements. We’re told it should only effect the really glycolitic stuff but I don’t know anybody (in real life) that’s done keto long term and agrees with that from real experience. Many do TKD to get the carbs in around workouts and then burn them off during. Since adding carbs surrounding my workouts I’ve been adding weight almost weekly again for a while. Some stuff is working back to where I was, so stuff I’ve hit PR’s on now. Just gotta do what works for you.
That’s a big assumption to make without knowing what I eat I measure and track everything I put on my plate and since I don’t eat vegetables or any processed foods, most of my carbs come from the raw egg yolks (I eat 10 most days) so thats 5-6g. 2g from double cream but I replaced that with beef dripping nowadays. And yeah I probably eat about a table spoon of salt a day and add some electrolyte powder to my drink before workout.
I know it’s possible to perform well in the gym on keto. I’ve seen a video blog of someone doing heavy lifts in fasted state on zero carb diet while only supplementing with C8 oil. I guess I’m just not as adapted fat burner as him or I’m doing something wrong.
Then provide me with more in depth information rather than a snapshot.
A snapshot doesn’t provide the whole picture.
What you provide amount to going to a doctor and telling them you don’t feel good and want some medication to make you well. It is hard for a doctor to prescribe anything without knowing more.
With that said, providing your daily food intake or a three day recall list provide more of the complete picture.
Now back to…
Carbohydrates
It is unlikely that you are consuming no more than 10 gram of carbohydrate per day. I have that story before.
[quote=“kaarols, post:11, topic:103306”}I probably eat about a table spoon of salt a day and add some electrolyte powder to my drink before workout.[/quote]
Not Enough Sodium
Based on your previous post, it appears that your sodium intake may not be enough, as Edith stated.
Higher Fat, Low Carbohydrates, and Moderate Protein.
High Sodium intake…etc
Not only is the diet turned upside down, a different approach to Strength Training (Maximum Strength, Power, Speed and Hypertrophy Training) is required.
Training In The Right Keto Energy System
The follow is from part of the link posted above.
1) Phosphagen Energy System
This system use adenosine triphosphate, ATP, ATP is produce for up to 30 seconds.
It is primarily employed with Maximum Strength, Power and Speed Training.
Neither Glucose nor Ketones are used when training in the Phosphagen System.
2) Glycolytic Energy System
Exercise that last between 30 second to approximately 2 minutes utilize glucose. Those exercising in this zone usually perform better with a high carbohydrate diet.
So, carbs will go a long way with exercises in this system.
With that said, Rachael Gregory’s research on well Keto Adapted Cross Fitters showed they performed just as well as an individual using carbohydrates for energy.
The verdict is now in question regarding this.
3) Oxidative Energy System
This is the heaviest research area when it come to athletes and the Ketogenic Diet. Keto Adapted Athletes are shown to preform just as well if not better.
Summary
Strength Training on the Ketogenic Diet is optimized by maintaining Repetition in the Phosphaen Energy System: 6 repetition per set or less.
Traditional Hypertrophy/Bodybuilding Training is compromised on the Ketogenic Diet, since it is glucose dependent.
Cluster Hypertrophy Set Training (Research Dr Jonathan Oliver) has demonstrated that this method of performing lower repetition with brief rest periods between set of repetitions employs the Phosphagen Energy System, increases muscle mass.
Practical Experience
It took me a year to understand the nuances of how to write and execute a Ketogenic Diet Strength Training Program.
My three years of Strength Training in the Phosphagen Energy System have demonstrated to me (as well as other that I work with) how effective this method is for Keto Adapted individuals.
With that said, there are some additional caveats that are required for Phosphagen Energy System Training that need to be followed to ensure the greatest training effect is achieved.
I appreciate that but it’s not helpful without direct links, I would like to learn more about that.
I’m following 5/3/1 system (5 days/week) with additional hypertrophy exercises - same lifts and lower weight but 5 x 10 reps instead of 5 reps
There are several threads on the forum discussing salt intake. You may want to read through them.
As in everything else, salt intake is also quite personal and depends upon activity level, too.
When I was keto, I needed to supplement an extra 2 teaspoons of salt a day on top of what was in my food or I would get cramps and muscle aches.
A year ago I switched to a more carnivore diet with just a small serving or berries or veggies a day. My need for salt started going down over time until I was barely supplementing at all. This summer, which has been very hot and humid where I live, my activity level has gone up along with having lots of hot flashes. (Thank you perimenopause!) My salt need has gone back up to about an extra teaspoon a day.
So, you will need to play with things and see how you feel.
No sports here but long-time treadmill and elliptical exerciser. The largest modification for me was waiting, and it seemed like waiting and more waiting. When I was eating keto for the first times, I felt tired. I did not feel bad all the time, like keto flu, but the leg muscles felt different.
I think it the glycogen storage that changed. I often go for one hour or more, burning 800 or maybe 1000 calories. If all glycogen returned by the next day, should not feel so tired. After 4 months keto this was improved. After 6 months I did not feel it very much. Maybe 8 months and then it was perfect. Long time for the body to make the same glycogen?
… so I’ve added BFR bicep curls and a rotation of upper, lower and core HIIT workouts, about once each per week.
I measure and track everything I put on my plate and since I don’t eat vegetables or any processed foods, most of my carbs come from the raw egg yolks (I eat 10 most days) so thats 5-6g. 2g from double cream but I replaced that with beef dripping nowadays. And yeah I probably eat about a table spoon of salt a day and add some electrolyte powder to my drink before workout.
