You may have started your keto diet journey, but somehow, you’re becoming impatient with the results or feeling a bit frustrated because of the slow progress.
Achieving your fitness goals or your ideal body type may take some time; however, don’t feel discouraged.
Different diets may have varying effects on different people. Your body may respond differently to the keto diet—maybe not as fast as the other person you know that is on it—but there are different ways to increase fat burning while on a keto diet. Steps such as exercise and taking different keto supplements, like Exogenous Ketone Supplement, can take you one step closer to your fitness goals, and another notch higher on health and wellness.
Before you learn how to increase your fat burning levels, here is some information you can review to make sure you’re on the right track.
The Keto (Ketogenic) Diet
To some, eating food with fat to burn fat may sound preposterous, but this is what makes the ketogenic diet so unique. Not only does it help you lose weight, but it also helps you feel laser-sharp and energized while at the same time being able to eat delicious, satisfying meals.
The ketogenic diet, more commonly known as the keto diet, is an eating plan that restricts the intake of carbohydrates. It’s a low carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet that aims to use more calories from proteins and fats, and less from carbohydrates.
While under the keto diet, your body shifts into an optimal fat-burning process called ketosis.
Ketosis
A significant reduction in carbohydrate consumption puts your body in a state of ketosis. It’s a metabolic state where your body burns fat instead of carbs for fuel.
Certain signs can indicate when your body has shifted into ketosis. These signs include suppressed appetite, dry mouth, and increased thirst which eventually leads to frequent urination.
When this happens, your body produces ketones—the byproducts of the breakdown of fats for fuel. This results in fewer cravings, more brainpower, and lasting energy; all of which aids in weight loss and enhances cognitive and physical performance. But there are more ways you can increase fat burning while on a keto diet.
Why Am I Not Seeing Results
You may find that your efforts show little to no progress. And there may be several reasons why you’re not losing weight while on keto.
In a nutshell, the keto diet requires you to adhere to strict parameters when it comes to your food intake. Each keto meal should have the proper percentage of carbs, protein, and fats.
This may not be an easy task, but you can find keto meal preparation tips online that can help you get the ideal keto nutrition. Another option is by having your dietician plan your meals for you.
Furthermore, you should be more aware of the kinds of food and drinks that you should avoid while on keto as well as the keto-friendly foods that won’t hinder your fitness goals.
Increase Fat Burning
The keto diet promotes fat burning because it puts your body in a state of ketosis which then produces ketones.
Your body can also produce ketones during periods of caloric restriction such as carbohydrate-restricted dieting and intermittent fasting, doing high-intensity exercises, or taking keto food supplements.
To clarify, here is more information about the factors that increase fat burning while on a keto diet:
1. Keto Supplements
Keto supplements support your body during ketosis by fueling it with ketones. They also help combat keto-adaptation symptoms and act as an appetite suppressant and stimulant.
These drugs can help increase your chances of losing weight, by supporting ketosis and giving you more energy for physical activities such as exercise. It’s said that taking this medication may help you finally shed unwanted fats on certain parts of your body such as your arms, legs, and the like.
2. Exercise
Exercise can maximize weight loss while on a keto diet, especially during ketosis when the body is already burning fat. The good news is that you’ll only need to do 30-minute to one-hour sessions daily to produce optimum results. Exercising for longer periods may only slow down fat burning due to an increase in cortisol production.
Cardio exercises are believed to be the most ideal kind of exercise for weight loss mixed with a bit of bodyweight training. Below is a list of some common exercises you can perform in short periods of time:
- 15 reps of squats;
- 20 reps of alternate lunges;
- 15 reps of toe touches;
- 20 reps of knee raise;
- 3 sets of 15 reps of declined, inclined, and flat or military push-ups; or,
- 30-minute burpees instead of doing all the exercises mentioned above (do as many as you can within that time frame).
While on a keto diet, you may feel a decrease in performance at first. This is because your body is still adjusting to using ketones for energy instead of carbs. However, the keto diet doesn’t affect your strength nor hinder muscle growth during weight training based on a study published in 2017 by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
3. Carb Intake
While on a keto diet, you should be mindful of your carb intake. It’s highly recommended that you eat high fiber carbohydrates when you’re trying to burn fat. Not only will it aid digestion, but it can also make you feel full for longer periods, therefore minimizing your cravings.
Before your scheduled workout, it’s ideal to switch to medium or high carb intake. This will allow your body to burn carbs efficiently, thus, consuming all the carbs during exercise. Your body will then rely on burning fat as your energy source for the rest of the day. This is a variation of the keto diet called the targeted ketogenic diet (TKD), which is often used by athletes and bodybuilders.
Other alternative forms of the diet include cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD), standard ketogenic diet (SKD), and high protein ketogenic diet.
Summary
The keto diet is a unique eating plan that contains low carb, moderate protein, and high fat. It aids in weight loss and enhances cognitive and physical functions while using fat as your body’s fuel instead of carbs.
To increase fat burning while on a keto diet, you can take keto supplements, exercise, and be mindful about your carb intake.