5 Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of Your Keto Workout
Maximizing your workouts while on a ketogenic diet can be both an exciting and demanding experience. While your body adapts to using fat as a fuel source instead of carbohydrates, fine-tuned exercising helps achieve peak performance and optimal results.
Whether the goal is to increase endurance, improve muscle recovery, or simply feel more energized, there are numerous ways to achieve this while pursuing a ketogenic lifestyle. Here are some tips for maximizing the potential of your keto workout:
- Prioritize Electrolytes
When on a keto diet, your body loses essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium more rapidly. Without adequate electrolytes, you may experience muscle cramps, fatigue, headaches, or dizziness, lowering your performance during or after workout sessions. You can avoid this by making sure you’re replenishing your electrolytes daily with:
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Leafy greens
- Coconut water
- Watermelon
You can also consider electrolyte supplements in more extreme cases of working out. Before using it, however, consult with a healthcare professional to ensure it’s safe and suitable for your needs.
- Consider Including Probiotics in Your Diet
Fermented foods contain probiotics, which are a reason for gut health. They promote sound nutrient absorption and are a part of immune function. It can lead to better digestion, reduce bloating, and make you feel comfortable and energized while exercising.
The valuable bacteria can help balance the inner environment within your body and speed up recovery processes by reducing inflammation, among others. As you introduce probiotics on keto plan, learn how they work together. Start by identifying the top probiotic supplement or probiotic foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut, to add to your regimen.
- Time Your Carbohydrates
Keto can include targeted intake before a workout to help improve performance, particularly for high-intensity activities. Already well-known as “targeted keto,” this gives you a chance at fast-digesting carbs right before feeding your muscles.
Do this effectively by consuming 20 to 50 grams of carbs around 30 minutes before your workout. This can be anything from a small banana to a sweet potato or keto-friendly energy bar. The extra carbs will boost your glycogen stores without tossing you from ketosis and prepare you for the needed energy output of your session.
- Focus on Protein for Recovery
When you work out regularly, your muscles need time to recover and rebuild fully with proper protein intake. Keto is a diet classed as having a moderate protein source, but this would need to be bumped up slightly by those working out.
Consume about 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight if you do regular strength training or endurance. Good examples of keto-friendly sources of protein include chicken, fish, eggs, and whey protein powder. Proper intake of protein will not just help with recovery but also with your muscle’s definition and strength.
- Stay Hydrated
Hydration is always important, but this becomes much more important on a keto diet since your body excrete more water. Poor hydration will adversely impact your workout performance, resulting in fatigue and cramping muscles, which can lead to low strength.
Ensure lots of water intake throughout the day, mainly before and after your workouts. Between eight and 10 glasses of water daily is recommendable. When there is excessive sweating, adding a pinch of salt to your water may be an excellent idea to help replenish the lost electrolytes.
Endnote
A keto workout can be excellent for achieving your fitness goals but requires lots of planning. Think about your diet to ensure you’re taking in the required nutrients and in the right proportions. You need to also focus on the electrolytes to ensure they’re always at the optimal level.
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