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Does Exercise Speed Up Weight Loss in Ketosis?

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Whether or not you follow the keto diet, exercise has been considered an important strategy for keeping fit and healthy. But for those who are on this diet plan, we might ask: “Does exercise speed up weight loss in ketosis?”

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Ketosis, by definition, is a natural metabolic state wherein our bodies burn fat for fuel instead of glucose (*). That said, ketosis leads to weight loss as one of its biggest benefits.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re looking to lose more weight on keto by incorporating exercise into your routine.

Does Exercise Affect Ketosis?

Exercise impacts ketosis by making it easier for you to enter this state. Anyone who starts a keto diet will be able to reach ketosis sooner through exercise, which works by depleting glycogen stores.

Glycogen is the storage form of glucose from the carbohydrates you eat.

Once glycogen storage gets depleted your body starts metabolizing fat (*). As a general rule, longer and prolonged physical activity degrades muscle glycogen more quickly than mild exercise.

A 2018 review article mentions that repeated sprinting — a high-intensity activity — quickly lowers glycogen stores despite its short duration. The same thing happens with endurance training, which lasts several hours (*).

While exercise speeds up ketosis, it’s also important to note that a lack of carbohydrates may negatively affect your exercise performance. Having high levels of glycogen is necessary for strenuous workouts to boost your output.

This will explain why exercises that entail bursts of energy can be more difficult for people on a ketogenic diet.

Does Exercise Speed Up Weight Loss in Ketosis?

Exercising while in ketosis accelerates weight loss. This is because glycogen stores run out the longer and harder you work out. Combined with a very low-carb diet, which also reduces glycogen, you’ll take your weight loss to the next level.

Besides that, working out in ketosis leads to greater weight loss by preserving lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate or resting energy expenditure (REE) (*).

What this means is that your body burns more calories even when resting, thanks to your muscle tissue, which is more metabolically active compared to fat tissue. Note that among the different types of workouts, resistance training (or lifting weights) is the most effective for preserving and increasing muscle regardless of age. 

Exercising during an intermittent fast as part of a ketogenic lifestyle will also boost your fat-burning capacity, on top of inducing long-term adaptations that ultimately benefit your performance and health.

What Types of Exercises Should I Do While in Ketosis?

Learning how to speed up weight loss ketosis also requires knowing which physical activities are better suited for you.

Most people who are new to the keto diet find low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio more tolerable than higher-intensity sessions (HIIT). What’s even better is that continuous aerobic exercise doesn’t only reduce total body fat, but also improves fat distribution more effectively than HIIT, according to a study (*).

Another benefit of doing low-intensity workouts in ketosis is that they’re easier to recover from. They’re sustainable for fitness enthusiasts of all levels, beginner or advanced.

Examples of LISS exercises include walking fast, running, cycling, training on the elliptical machine, and swimming.

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For those wanting to build muscle while on keto to improve their metabolism, strength exercises like weightlifting, squats, pushups, and other bodyweight workouts are a great idea.

Besides resistance training, keep in mind other factors that will influence muscle development, such as your protein intake (which you may have to increase on keto), training load (the cumulative amount of exercise you do in a week), calorie intake, and recovery. 

What about intense workouts like burpees, sprints, and mountain climbers? Although they’re challenging for beginners, they can definitely be performed in ketosis.

The key to being able to do HIIT exercise during ketosis is to reach a fat-adapted state. This would mean staying on the keto diet — consistently keeping carbs to 30-50 grams or even lower for weeks — so that your body burns fat more effectively.

types of exercise to do while in ketosis

Should I Eat Carbs If I Exercise While on Ketosis?

Since the keto diet limits carbs to up to 50 grams per day, yes — carbs can be consumed around your exercise session.

For example, you could eat 25 grams of your daily carb allowance 30-60 minutes before the workout and the remaining 25 grams as part of your post-workout recovery. This would look like two regular slices of bread pre-workout and a cup of walnuts and hazelnuts plus a small amount of berries post-workout.

Although up to 50 grams is the standard carb limit on the keto diet, some people, such as professional athletes and very active individuals, can get away with more carbohydrates and still maintain ketosis.

Tip: It would be helpful to check your blood or urine ketone levels using ketone test strips so you’ll know whether you’re still in ketosis.

Other Tips to Speed Up Weight Loss in Ketosis

Exercising while on keto boosts fat burn and weight loss. But what if you’re always short on time or you’re not feeling well? The good news is that you don’t have to force yourself to do a workout every day.

You can increase weight loss through intermittent fasting or by simply minimizing snacking in between meals. In case you feel very hungry, it may be best to choose zero-carbohydrate snacks like boiled eggs, beef jerky, and canned tuna.

Remember that your sleep habits also affect your weight. Missing out on sleep leads to increased appetite, which makes you want to eat more (*). Unfortunately, sugar cravings are worsened by not getting enough sleep.

Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep each night. Besides reducing hunger and cravings, sleeping more may increase your motivation to exercise the next day if you’re someone who exercises regularly. 

The Bottom Line

Working out depletes your glycogen stores and retains muscle mass, which boost weight loss during ketosis.

As for the types of exercises, any exercise is beneficial for you. It could be low-intensity cardio, which most people are comfortable with, or strength training and more intense workouts. Find out what works for you by trying out different options.

Need extra help?

Get our top 3 supplement recommendations for getting (and staying) in ketosis

If you’re unable to have an active lifestyle, remember that there are other ways to maximize weight loss while on keto — for instance, intermittent fasting, reducing snacking or choosing zero-carb snacks instead, and sleeping better at night.

6 References

Dashti H et al. Long-term effects of a ketogenic diet in obese patients. 2004

Hernandez A et al. Metabolic switching is impaired by aging and facilitated by ketosis independent of glycogen. 2020 May 5

Murray B et al. Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. 2018 February 10

Moizé V et al. Protein Nutrition and Status and Bariatric Surgery. 2017

Keating S et al. Continuous Exercise but Not High Intensity Interval Training Improves Fat Distribution in Overweight Adults. 2014 January 16

Sleep Foundation. Sleep and Overeating. 2022 April 19

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54 thoughts on “Does Exercise Speed Up Weight Loss in Ketosis?

  1. Remarkable! Its genuinely awesome article, I have got much clear idea concerning from this paragraph.

    Many folks still don’t eat enough nutrient-rich foods from key groups including whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy product,
    according to federal health statistics.

  2. Basically, our bodies need fuel to figure. once we scale back our carbohydrate intake, particularly to levels that instigate ketosis, our bodies need another fuel supply. Since supermolecule isn’t associate degree economical supply of energy, our bodies swing to fat. Any fat you eat whereas in symptom is employed for vitality, creating it extraordinarily laborious to store fat whereas in ketosis. Pick sound, unsaturated fats as ofttimes as may be expected below the circumstances: nourishments like avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds are excellent.

  3. Do you utilyze fats for energy at all if you are fully keto adapted and take in 20 to 30 grams of carbs before high interval workouts, or just primarily glucose

    1. I can’t say exactly but in general, eating carbohydrate will cause an increase in insulin. Insulin will prevent fatty acids from leaving your cells. So eating carbs will provide carbohydrate energy but deter fat oxidation. Depends on what’s more important to you for that workout: performance or fat loss?

  4. Hi, i am on a keto diet for shear fat and i have 10g or less a day of carbs. I eat high quality turkey/fish/chicken/beef with avocado/olive/coconut oils and eggs/whites. I am consistently in a mild state of ketosis, under 1.0. I noticed that when i do a fasted spin cardio (only cuz no time to eat so early on Sunday AM). I noticed that my ketones dropped. What would cause this, all ketones used up or a pre-catabolic state? I have been ALL over the web and cant find this answer only most peoples ketones go up?

    1. Great great question. a) When exercising your body will be using those ketones in your blood (ie. absorbing them into cells and therefore no longer in your blood or urine). Also exercise causes a rise in blood glucose and insulin. Your blood ketone levels should be back to normal or higher an hour or two post workout. Let us know if this is true for you!

    2. Paula you listed as your meats “turkey/fish/chicken/beef.” 3 of those are very lean meats. That is not what you want on Keto, and may be the reason your ketones dropped. Keto is a *super high fat diet!* If you eat LEAN meats, you have to eat that much more FAT, to compensate for the protein in the lean meat, and that means too many calories overall. If you don’t have the extra fat, the excess protein causes gluco-neogenesis, where your body will turn the exess protein into glycogen, and kick you out of ketosis.

    3. Im no expert but i assume you measure the keytones in urine? I assume that the reason for the drop is due to the keytones coming out in your sweat.

  5. I would like to clarify on this point – “A good rule of thumb is to eat 15-30 grams of fast-acting carbs, such as fruit, within 30 minutes before your workout and within 30 minutes after. This will ensure you provide your muscles with the proper amount of glycogen to perform during the training and also recover. It allows the carbs to be used exactly for this purpose and prevent any risk of leaving ketosis.” Does this 15-30 grams fast acting carbs count in your daily macros? Or is this on top? Thanks.

    1. Great point of clarity – these are included in daily macros. Using targeted carbs may cause one to exceed 30g of carbs per day. Carb intake levels that will still maintain ketosis vary by person.

  6. Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after browsing through
    some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it
    and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!

  7. Hi There!
    Great article! I have been eating KETO (less than 20 carbs) for 3 months now and last month added working out (cardio & lifting weights) and hiking back into my routine. Since I have done this I have been stalled and the scale has not moved in a month! Any suggestions on how to break through and continue with my weight loss? Thank you!

    1. This happened to me too and my best guess is that I’m developing muscles, which weigh more than fat. So i’m losing fat but building muscles so the scale stays the same. This is a good thing.

    2. make sure you include “refeed days” every couple of weeks in your diet.this will also help you with your workout and it will start your stalled weightloss.
      it basically eating 400-600 grams of carbs on refeed days
      for more details google it

  8. FEEDBACK NEEDED
    I am a 26 year old male with 7% body fat, 6’2” and 170. Just a few months ago I started to experience “negative” effects for the first time: easily chilled, brain fog, nausea, and sometimes a lack of coordination. I naturally eat a KETO type diet so what should I do in order to prevent these negative side effects? I also suffer from hypothyroid so that throws a monkey wrench into the equation… please help!

    1. You may need to have thyroid level checked again. My TSH level decreased (thyroid function improved) after only 1 month on keto. I take less thyroid medicine now.

  9. Hello! Do you usee Twitter? I’d like to follow
    you if that would bbe ok. I’m absolutely enjoying yiur blog and
    look forward to new posts.

    1. Hi there! Yes, we have twitter account: @perfectketones.
      You can also follow us on our other social media accounts:

      Facebook: Perfect Keto
      Facebook Group: Perfect Keto Community
      Instagram: perfectketones
      Pinterest: Perfect Keto

  10. Hi, 1) do you recommend a workout routine for maintaining lean muscule/muscle density while in ketosis?

    2) the article I read said I should carb up initially on the 10th day and then once every 7 in the evenings; is there much danger in breaking fat burning cycle if carb intake spills over to a second day? It’s hard to have the ‘cheat’ day and the get strict again.

    1. Hi Kilvin, yes we recommend finding a workout routine that fits your lifestyle and is something that you enjoy doing. Working out should not be a chore and rather something you look forward to doing to optimize your health and well-being while also maintaining/increasing your muscle mass. In terms of “carb ups”..the research is still emerging as it relates to cyclical or targeted ketogenic dieting (these are the terms that are used when discussing “carbing up” on keto). It really depends on your goals and how you feel/perform when implementing these types of protocols.

  11. I am on day 7 of strict keto and I have no cravings for sugary/starchy foods. Does this mean that I am already adapted or are there other side effects that I should look for interview terms of being fat/keto adapted?

    1. Christina, seems like you’re getting well adapted! Keep it up! Sustained mental clarity, reduced appetite and overall increased energy are also signs of adaptation.

  12. Please help!???? I did a keto diet years ago and got down to my goal weight. At that time I was not exercising. Now 5 years later I’m trying to get back to that goal weight (need to lose about 6 pounds, I’m short so that’s enough to make a big difference) and I feel like my eating is right on target! I started about 7 days ago and I haven’t lost one pound! But, I am exercising about 4 days a week only for 30 minutes (sprints and some weights training apps). Could this be why I am not seeing any results? I’m starting to feel frustrated. Also, I’m 47, maybe it’s just going to be tougher now. Thanks for any advice!

    1. Hey Jen, don’t be discouraged! 7 days is still a very short period of time. Stick with it for a few more weeks, make sure you’re tracking your carb intake and maybe incorporate some intermittent fasting to help get you into that fat burning state!

  13. I’ve been on Keto for two solid weeks, and believe I’m fat adapted. No longer craving sweets, rarely hungry, and a thirst that is unstoppable (I end up drinking a gallon plus a day of water due to how thirsty I am).
    I am wanting to lose about 35+ lbs from where I am at (SW: 203 CW: 195 GW: 160-170). I want to add strength training to help tone however I’m afraid to stall weight loss. I understand muscle weighs more but my goal isn’t to be a bulky/muscly woman. I’ve been researching exercise with this WOE and all I find is people going into weight stalls. Any suggestion? I’m not planning on hardcore weightlifting or high intensity and I’ve considered on waiting until I hit 180, yet the process is a bit slow. Not sure if I’m getting ready to experience a “whoosh.” Regardless I am pleased to see what I have so far, just hoping to get guidance.

    1. The weight stall shouldn’t be a concern. As the body gains muscle of course weight will remain the same as fat is burned off. Just look in the mirror – the way your clothes fit will be different. You may weigh the same but your health has changed dramatically. To prevent being a “bulky/muscly woman” ensure that you use light weights at more reps to tone the “long” endurance muscles rather than the “short” strength muscles. The heavier the weights, the more muscle you build. The lighter the weights and extra reps you do, the more endurance you build. Using lighter weights will help you lose weight faster.

    2. I’ve been on Keto since Nov 2018. In Jan ’19 I started working out at the gym. My gym has this great machine that scans your body and tells you all your measurements including lean muscle and body fat %. My weight is going down VERY slowly and occasionally stalls. But my body fat level continues to go down. My theory is that Keto really protects the muscle you already have and helps you build muscle. And don’t worry about becoming some big muscle hulk type women. Really, our bodies are not made for that. Your goal needs to be health, not perfect measurements. Being strong is improving your health.

    1. Sure does! Once you start to see results though, you’re energy will be through the roof and you’ll want to get out and do some exercise!

  14. Right now I’m carb cycling but find that I’m just not sticking with it and cheating here and there which is hurting my progress. I am going to go back to Keto which I was before and had great results…question…I take a spin class 5 days a week..do I carb up even though I’m not fat adapted ?

      1. Thank you so much ..I know the first couple of weeks will be tougher…but totally worth it!

  15. I’ve been on a keto diet for the last 4 weeks and have seen great results in weight loss. I’ve also started running again a couple times a week and my question is what can i use for fast energy while out on long runs?
    Right now I just eat a banana 30min before and nothing during the runs but need a boost half way through. I was looking into GU Energy gels or similar to use during my runs but I’m afraid that the gel will kick me out of ketosis due to the fructose in the gels.

  16. My first keto diet phaze was a fast the whole first day to kickstart ketosis. Then a strict 30g of simple carbs directly after workout for about a month. During that time, i consumed black coffee or caffine pills upon waking up, hit a fasted workout(heavy weights 5 to 6 times a week). Made a berry shake with protein shake because the sugar raises insulin, so you absorb protein better and refill glycogen for next day. After a month i srarted carb back-loading. Which means no carbs till meal after workout, but i would do “bad carbs”. After a month of 73% fats, 23% protein, and 4 % carbs, and the month of carb backloading, I went from 185lbs/12% body fat to 196/ 7% body fat. I was amazed with speed of results. Only do carb back-loading with heavy workouts. But the caffine when you wake up helps you burn more fat due to high stress hormones. So if you can get to gym right away and do workouts fasting, results are stupid fast!

    1. what if i get time to hit the gym in evening. and i noticed you have increased your lean muscle mass
      how much time did it take you to increase 11lbs of muscle mass

    2. Hey sully 2 questions – what was in the protein shake you made, the type of protein powder etc. and second how many carbs in the carb back loading phase

  17. It’s great to see everybody striving to improve their health and this is a great article. A big motivating factor for me is to not focus on the scale and try to hit arbitrary targets. It’s good to have goals but they need to be holistic goals and in regards to scale weight it’s just one parameter of a whole host of others that determine your health.

    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound of muscle is the same as a pound of fat is the same as a pound of pudding is the same as a pound of feathers. A pound is a pound is a pound but muscle is more dense than fat. A pound of fat takes up about 4 times more space than a pound of muscle. So you could lose a pound of fat-gain a pound of muscle-but look trimmer, pants fit better, feel better and still weigh the exact same. Focus on your body and your mind and not on the scale.

  18. So…52 year old male, 6’2″, 320lbs, estimate around 30% bodyfat. I am on the third day of a fast, consuming only water, black coffee, tea (sweetened with stevia) and, every morning, a supplement drink containing 6g of carbs. For safety, I’ve been monitoring my blood sugar and my ketones and I am at “moderate ketones” and my BS this morning on waking was 120. I’m surrounded by nurses telling me this is a good way to begin the Keto Diet so research brought me to you because I don’t want to lose my 200lbs of muscle while losing eighty pounds of fat. I lift heavy but don’t do much cardio. Obviously, that needs to change. I’m considering adding a regimen of sprints and long walks in addition to my jujitsu practice. Does this sound reasonable? You’re the experts and I’d appreciate any contribution you can make. Thanks.

  19. Its a great blog and i have learnt a lot from the previous post. I am on Keto since Febraury… Initially i lost around 8 ponds in 4 weeks and now since 2 weeks the scale hasn’t budged . I started with sustained walking and fasting to accelerate weight loss .. still the same ….. losing inches not at the same speed as before….
    Also; is it possible that one loses fat from some sites preferably over others . For me my thighs are the slowest and probably haven;t budged at all..

  20. I would think that even a 20-30 minute walk every day would start to show results rather quickly, improve muscle tone, and reduce the appearance of cellulite. That is my goal anyway, I’m 57 with knee problems so that’s where I’m starting. Maybe some simple stretches as well to stay loose and flexible.

  21. I am 45, 5’2″, approx. 115 lbs (I don’t weigh myself), and am somewhat muscular with some fat–especially around belly, inner thigh, and bra area. I’ve been doing P90X and Insanity workouts for years with low carb, no sugar (though I’ve cheated in the last 2 years due to stress), and moderate protein. Recently, I’ve had no energy and have been sick more. I want to try Keto, but do not know where to begin. I want to have lean muscle and good bones, and not having dairy is a concern. I’ve also read that doing intense cardio (like Insanity) can take you out of ketosis. I want to know what is the best meal and exercise plan for someone like me.

  22. Should we restrict how much coffee we drink when on keto? I am having cream in my coffee and am guessing having too much, so guessing should have black coffee or coffee with unsalted butter instead? I am starting HiiT / CrossFit but do not want to ‘Carb Up’ so guess am okay to see how I go and just be sensible? I have lost 7kg so far but want to lose the same again, seem to be stalling somewhat hence the slight changes having to be made. I am still enjoying my alcohol but only Gin & slimline now as I believe 0g carbs in that!?

  23. I’ve been in ketosis for a couple of weeks and would like to start weight lifting to tone. I don’t want to do many different ones, rather, a few that compound different body groups. Also, you recommend to increase carbs,is that above of what I eat already or just simply distribute the carbs before and after workingout?

  24. My ketone levels are high and I’m stuck at a weight where I can’t get passed am I doing something wrong my husband has lost twice as much as me and we started the same time

    1. Hi Rachel, there are many benefits of putting the body into a state of ketosis, the most popular being weight loss. The length in time will vary depending upon your activity level, lifestyle, body type and carbohydrate intake. If your body has been burning sugar for fuel your entire life, it will need time to adapt to burning ketones for fuel.

  25. Want to start exercising while I’m following the keto diet and try and tone up all my loose skin that I’ve got to tone up.as I’ve also got to try and lose a real lot of weight.and need to tone up.

  26. I’ve been doing keto for gut health but have seen muscle loss, more inflammation, and weight gain. I eat wild game, Low FODMAP, super clean/organic. Mostly deep leafy greens and wild game foods. Nothing processed, no legumes.
    I do weight training, HIIT, and walking
    What gives?! ????

    1. If you are exercising a lot, especially at a high intensity, you may not be eating enough protein. There have been studies showing muscle loss on keto when exercising and only eating 20% of your calories from protein. You may want to give your protein intake a boost!

    2. Since you are fat-adapted, you may benefit from lowering your fat intake and increasing your protein intake more, especially since you are training hard. You may also be experiencing some bloating and maybe even an inflammatory response from eating so many plants. Might be worth it to consider adding a little more meat in your diet @Shawnda

  27. I see it’s been a while since anyone has posted on here, but I recently started keto and have so many questions. Im doing more of a “ketotarian” plan because I don’t eat much meat, nor do I want to. My macros have been on point for 6-7 weeks between 5-7% clean carb from veggies & nuts/seeds, roughly 70-75% fat and Between 20-25% protein from from eggs, fish, chicken, collagen, bone broth & nuts/seeds. My net carbs are consistently under 25 per day. I consume between 1500-1700 calories a day and eat very cleanly. In the last 6-7 weeks I’ve been checking my blood glucose & ketones periodically w/ good results. For example, Today 90 minutes post workout before lunch my blood glucose was 5 mmol and my ketones 2.0 mmol. I exercise daily, doing a hard 60 minute workout that includes some weights & hiit 2-3 times a week with a low intensity cardio day in between (walking, running, dancing or barre). Usually I take one “no exercise” day a week where I leisurely walk my dog for 2 miles instead. I’m pretty sure I’m
    Fat adapted and feel like I’m doing things right but, I’ve gained 5 lbs and my clothes are super tight. I didn’t go on keto to lose weight per se (I’m managing an autoimmune disease) but I certainly do not want to gain weight! I’m 5’6” and was 125 when I started, now I’m 130! Any advice or guidance is much appreciated!

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