Why Does the Keto Diet Harm Your Climbing?

The keto diet is an excellent strategy to put an end to your climbing ambitions. Though you go on this diet bandwagon, your shaky fingers will slip right off those slopers, as if covered in the bacon grease that attaches your diet. Why?

To begin, it's important to understand what the keto (or ketogenic) diet is. Ketosis is the metabolic state that your body enters when you eat a very low carbohydrate diet (approximately 20 to 50 grams per day). This is typically 60 to 80 percent fat with 10 to 30 percent protein. A medium apple has roughly 25 grams of carbohydrate, which is about half a day's supply. This is a very minimal carbohydrate consumption, especially for a climber who is active.

When your diet is low in carbohydrates, your body seeks for additional ways to metabolize substrates in order to meet your daily needs. Ketosis sets in at this point. Ketones are essentially a fuel substrate that your body uses instead of glucose. Ketosis is a challenging metabolic adaption that occurs when there isn't enough glucose in the body.

Ketosis is not a smart idea when it comes to climbing. Carbohydrate is the preferred food source for your brain and skeletal muscles. Limiting it to just 20 to 50 grams per day will leave you exhausted.

Your body uses both fats and carbohydrates as fuel at lower intensities. Your body consumes glucose when you exert more than 60% of your maximal effort. Climbing is frequently characterized by intensity shifts, such as a long trad route with a violent crux or a boulder issue with a dyno. Carbohydrate is required for these high-intensity exercises. It is difficult or impossible to be powerful if your body is gaining fat and protein with very few carbs. Forget about it if you're a speed climber.

In addition, a low-carb diet lowers training adaptations. Carbohydrates are necessary for refueling and sustaining activity during exercise. In decades of research, there hasn't been a single study that suggests the keto diet boosts sports performance.

A low-carb diet also reduces training adaptations. Carbohydrates are essential for feeding recovery and powering activities during exercise.There hasn't been a single study that shows the keto diet improves sports performance in decades of research.

According to research,

• Same performance but increased rate of perceived exertion
• Decreased performance
• Reduced power
• Increased time to fatigue

The keto diet also has significant disadvantages, such as limiting meal options. Many grains, beans, lentils, fruits, and vegetables are left out. This can result in:

• digestive issues
• Heart problems and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease
• Diet satisfaction and adherence are low.
• Eating disorders
• On the road, limited food options, free fuel, van living, or backcountry experiences

It is true that the keto diet can help you lose weight. However, losing weight is more involved and nuanced than simply "going keto." As your body uses its glycogen stores to fuel your everyday activities, you lose weight at first, which is essentially water weight. When glycogen (the sugar storage form in your muscles and liver) is depleted, the water is released. Magic! (Not at all.) Within a few days, you shed two to five pounds of water weight.

The keto diet can certainly help you lose weight. But losing weight is more complicated and sophisticated than simply "going keto." Your body uses its glycogen stores to fuel your everyday activities, resulting in initial weight reduction, which is merely water weight. Water is shed when glycogen (the sugar storage form in your muscles and liver) is depleted. Magic! (This isn't true.) Within a few days, you will have lost two to five pounds of water weight.