The Keto Exercise Plan: Ketosis-Friendly Workouts

Posted on February 12, 2021

Work out without burnout 

If you’re starting your journey with the keto diet, you might be wondering how it will affect your exercise plan.

Diet and exercise go hand-in-hand, whether you’re working on weight loss, building muscle, or improving your health and wellness. But since keto requires so much of our body and immune system, should you keep exercising the same way when switching over?

We set out to find the best keto exercise plan for beginners and came away with some stellar solutions for ketosis-friendly workouts.

How ketosis benefits your workout:

Studies have shown that ketosis can help athletes burn fat at twice or three times the rate of those on a more traditional high carb diet. There’s also evidence that keto can increase endurance and recovery speed, even in those who are still overweight.

Some of these studies rely on ketone salt supplements, and almost all focus on participants who have already passed through the adaptation phase. So what about when you’re in the middle of adapting? Well, exercising during those initial couple of weeks can bring its own amazing benefits, even combating some of the effects of “keto flu.”

Good exercise habits, regardless of diet, help improve your blood pressure, oxygen levels, fat-burning processes, and even mood. Keeping your body active can relieve some of the irritability, fatigue, or inflammation common to the early stages of keto. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to replace cravings for carbs or sugar with a healthy, fun habit like hiking!

Before you start exercising in ketosis:

If you’re starting the keto diet and are ready for an adaptation workout plan, the key thing to remember is to take a step back. High-intensity cardio, heavy weight lifting, or any exercises your body isn’t already used to may bring you to quick exhaustion. That’s not good for your body or your motivation.

Experts recommend doing exercises that you’re already familiar and comfortable with, just at low-intensity levels. That means sticking to low-resistance cardio or high-rep low-weight strength training.

Exercises like walking, hiking, swimming, or cycling are perfect for getting your heart rate up without exceeding a comfortable low-intensity rate of 40-50%. Low-weight lifting gives you that sustained calorie burn while building muscle mass without pushing your body too far. Don’t forget isometric and flexibility exercises like yoga, bodyweight holds, or gymnastics to keep your body limber and your mind at rest.

Check out this routine from Perfect Keto if you’re stuck for ideas!

Picking your keto exercise plan:

When picking an exercise routine that’s right for the outset of your keto quest, don’t forget the prep work. Make sure your targeted diet has plenty of healthy fats and proteins, or your body won’t have anything to work with. You should always stretch before a workout, but it’s essential while going through the early stages of ketosis since your muscles will still be adjusting.

Most important, don’t overdo it. Stick to low-intensity exercise for the first few weeks, building or reducing your methods based on how your body feels. Keto is about pushing your body’s limits, so don’t push too far by trying to “speed up” weight loss.