Keto experiment: ketones before and after exercise

(Family, Honor, Freedom) #1

I took 5 blood ketone readings today with interesting - though not unexpected - results.

Background
I’ve been keto for 31 days now. I kicked it off with a 6 days water fast where I lost 20 lbs. Up through Thursday, I hadn’t lost more but, staying with a keto woe, I hadn’t gained it back either.

I take blood ketone readings every day - because I’m interested, not because I feel I have to. During my first fast, ketones were 0.1 (before), 0.3 (24 hrs in), then 1.6, 3.0, 3.6, 4.2. Broke the fast at ketones were 4.1, 2.2, 0.9. They mostly averaged about 0.7 on keto after that - without any time or calorie restrictions.

Thursday lunch was my last meal to begin a 3+ day fast. Ketones (taken in the evening) 0.5, 1.8, and we’ll see this evening.

Slept in a little today, Saturday, so I had good sleep. Woke up ready to do my weight training session (plug: Starting Strength Online Coaching, woohoo!) feeling “okay”.

“Okay” wasn’t good enough for me. So I jumped in a cold shower. Nothing better for boosting adrenaline, aggressiveness, and motivation.

Exercise Experiment
Feeling ready to take on the world, I decided to run a little experiment. Took my blood ketone level before starting any exercise: 1.1. I was a little surprised by that, being down from the 1.8 last night, but I guess ketones aren’t needed while we sleep.

Did 3 sets of HIIT on my heavy bag - wish I’d taken my pulse but I know I got it up well into the “intense” range for my age. Could have done 4 or 5 sets but I have the lifting later.

Ketones ten minutes after HIIT: 0.7

Wait an hour, had an espresso, wait another half hour.

Ketones: back up to 1.1

Squats, bench press, deadlifts. Did 40% more deadlifts than I was supposed to (cold showers for the win!).

Ketones ten minutes later: 0.4

Rest for 1.5 hours. Read a little, walk around a little.

Ketones: 1.3

Subjectively, I feel good. I could probably stand to add in some electrolytes. Other than that, I’m energized and feel “lighter”.

(Family, Honor, Freedom) #2

By 4pm (about 4 hours after my workout), ketones had risen to 2.0.

Today, I discovered I’m out of strips! LOL New ones won’t arrive until tomorrow. I can only talk subjectively then: feeling fine - strong, really, and plenty of energy. Slept great last night.

I’m still flip-flopping on whether to break my fast tonight. I really need to be at my peak, mentally, Monday and Tuesday. I’m happy with my mental focus level at the moment - it’s quite good in fact - but, on my previous 6 day fast, I found that energy levels were pretty bad on days 5 & 6. Those were days with lots of mental exertion and very little physical exertion.

I don’t know. What do you think? If the only criteria is being at my best, mentally, tomorrow and Tuesday - especially Tuesday - should I eat tonight or not?

(Family, Honor, Freedom) #3

Well, I broke the fast last night with an a small steak and an egg with cream cheese. Delish. By the way, sous vide cooking - that was good! I’m going to have to try that again.

#4

You can probably come close to the same feeling taking some Alpha GPC with a good pre-workout. Not sure what brand you’re buying, but at the price tag exogenous ketones come with, mine are emergency energy only most of the time. Remember that aside from the feeling, higher ketone levels don’t really do much for you minus some people doing keto for medical reasons.