The Keto Diet – Gaining Popularity for Professional Athletes
You may have heard of the ketogenic diet but don’t know what all the fuss is about. The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that is gaining popularity among professionals. This type of diet forces the body to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This process is called ketosis. When your body enters ketosis, it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy.
How the Keto Diet Works
The keto diet works by drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.
The Keto Diet and Athletic Performance
Athletes are always looking for an edge over their competition. Many athletes have turned to the keto diet in order to gain that edge. The keto diet has been shown to improve athletic performance by increasing endurance and decreasing recovery time. Endurance athletes such as marathon runners and cyclists have especially found success with the keto diet.
Cyclist Dave Zabriskie set a world record while following a ketogenic diet. He rode 4,526 miles in 11 days, 7 hours, and 49 minutes, smashing the previous world record by more than 2 days! However, it’s not just endurance athletes who can benefit from the keto diet – strength athletes can too. A study published in Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that following a 12-week ketogenic diet improved body composition and muscular endurance in resistance-trained men.
Keto Diet Benefits go Beyond Athletic Performance
In addition to increased athletic performance, there are other potential benefits of following a ketogenic diet such as weight loss, decreased inflammation, and improved brain function. If you’re looking to lose weight, the keto diet can be very effective because it helps you burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. A study published in Obesity Reviews found that participants who followed aketogenic diet lost more weight than those who followed a low-fat diet .
Improve your athletic performance
If you’re looking for an edge over your competition or want to improve your athletic performance, the keto diet may be right for you! In addition to increasing endurance and decreasing recovery time, the keto diet has also been shown to improve body composition and help with weight loss. Give it a try and see how it works for you!