Question about exercise + keto

__Roxy__

So I have started keto a few days ago and am learning the ropes.

I have a question -

I know that if I eat my daily allotment of calories I can exercise to earn a little more. For example, if I go 80 cals over my daily max, I can go for a walk or ride my bike to balance that out and stay in a deficit.

What about carbs?

For example, if I accidentally go 8 carbs over my daily max, can I exercise or do anything to counter balance that? Or is it tough-luck?

KnitOrMiss

Carbs are a flat limit if nutritional ketosis is your goal. However, some people can process a few more carbs if done IMMEDIATELY before some physical exertion. If you burn stored muscle glycogen and your body can grab the available glucose before it's fully processed and stored, you might be able to use some this way.

Be absolutely sure that you are not using this as a binge/purge or restriction/binge/punishment scenario. Neither are healthy. If this is a blip that happens once a month or so, it's probably not a big deal, but every other day is a problem.

And my theory was always that if I went over 8 grams of carbs for broccoli, I'm fine. But if that 8 grams of carbs is me diving head first into a chocolate bar, I'm heading into a trouble zone. Basically, whole foods? Not generally an issue. Keto junk foods? Yeah, not so much.

Also, you'll want to stay around that 20 gram of carbs mark until you're into adaption, but after that, you can slowly increase to find your own personal carb threshold. Unless you have specific metabolic or health issues, that will likely be in the 35-50 grams of carb range. This is a very individual situation.

Also, please be aware that it takes about 12 weeks for your muscles to build new mitochondria to properly use ketones instead of glucose to fuel your muscles, so any exercise attempts may be a struggling in this adaption period.

And getting good and adapted is important for most people. Staying in that zone of in and out of Keto, back and forth, is very hard on most people and can generate or prolong any discomfort with your body adjusting.