Targeted Ketogenic Diet Tips

A ketogenic diet is a type of low-carb diet that puts your body into the state of ketosis. It is achieved by consuming a maximum of 30 grams of carbohydrates per day, according to Keto.org. The targeted ketogenic diet differs from this because it is often used specifically by weightlifters and involves consuming 25 to 50 grams of extra carbohydrates right before a weightlifting workout to give the body fuel for exercise, according to Keto.org.

Timing

Ketogenic dieters should consume their extra 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrates approximately 30 to 60 minutes before their workout. Because the purpose of the targeted ketogenic diet is to consume these extra carbohydrates specifically to boost training performance without disrupting ketosis, the effect would not be the same if the carbohydrates were consumed at random throughout the day.

Types of Carbohydrates

The types of carbohydrates a ketogenic dieter can eat before a workout are not very restricted, because they will be burned off soon after being eaten. The main concern is eating carbohydrates that will be easy on the stomach while performing a workout. Anabolicminds.com recommends carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index (meaning they have high sugar and will burn quickly) such as cereal bars, bread products or even candy. Liquid carbohydrate sports drinks also work especially well as they are designed to be easy on the stomach while performing exercise.

Postworkout Meal

Some ketogenic dieters may want to split their preworkout carbohydrates in half, eating one half before their workout and one half after. This is a good idea if you are consuming close to 50 grams of carbohydrates and find that it is too hard on the stomach during exercise. The difference is that the postworkout carbohydrates should contain low levels of fructose and sucrose, as the goal is to return the body to a state of ketosis shortly after the workout, according to Anabolicminds.com. In this case, candy and cereal bars would not make a good postworkout meal because of their sugar content.

Cholesterol

Because the targeted ketogenic diet, like any ketogenic diet, involves consuming mainly high-protein and high-fat foods, it is important to get your cholesterol checked before embarking on it. According to Keto.org, you should also get a check-up about 4 to 8 weeks into dieting, as your cholesterol could spike at this time due to the food choices you are making while on the diet.