Chapter 29:
The ketogenic diet for other goals
Many individuals want to know if the CKD or other ketogenic diets can be used for specific
exercise goals. With the exception of long duration, low intensity aerobic exercise, ketogenic diets
are not optimal performance diets in most cases. In certain situations, they can be used for
individuals involved in high-intensity sports who need to lose bodyfat without sacrificing muscle
mass. However, most individuals will find that their performance is better with a carbohydrate-
based diet.
Section 1: The CKD and Mass gains
For reasons discussed in other chapters, the CKD is not optimal for mass or strength
gains. The lowness of insulin and other anabolic hormones,coupled with depleted liver glycogen
(which affects overall anabolic status) means that growth will be less compared to a
carbohydrate based diet.
Although lifters vary in their individual nutritional requirements, a diet with a moderate
carb intake (40-50%), moderate protein (20-30%, or 1 gram protein/lb of body weight), moderate
fat (20-30%) and above maintenance calories (10-20% above maintenance) will be more
beneficial for gaining mass and strength than a CKD. However, some lifters will choose to use a
CKD for mass gains, usually in an attempt to minimize bodyfat gains. The following guidelines
should be applied.
The lowcarb week
Gain in muscle require that calories be raised above maintenance. This also means that
some fat gain will occur. A good starting point is to raise calories during the lowcarb week to 10-
20% above maintenance. In practice, this yields 18 calories per pound of body weight or more per
day (see chapter 8). Some lifters require even higher calorie intakes, 20+ cal/lb depending on their
metabolic rate.
For some lifters, it can be problematic to consume this much food on a low-carbohydrate
diet, especially if they find that their appetite is blunted. Dividing the day’s total calories into
smaller meals, and using calorically dense foods to raise calories may be useful in this regard.
The carb-up
For maximal anabolism, the carb-up period should be lengthened to a full 48 hours. While
this may cause greater fat deposition, especially if lots of high glycemic index (GI) sugars are