You’ve probably heard the buzz phrase; “You’ve got to eat fat to lose fat.” This seems to be generally pushed in the CrossFit portion of the fitness world by coaches/ trainers who don’t have much (if any) education in nutrition. “Keto burns more fat for fuel than a regular (lower fat) diet, therefore, you’ll lose more fat quicker.” --Well, the part of this that is true is that yes, the Keto diet burns more fat for fuel through a process called ketosis, because (when done properly) the diet provides very little carbohydrate which is the preferred source of fuel for exercise. Because your source of nutrition on a daily basis is generally much higher in fat on Keto, of course your body is going to use more fat for fuel (because that’s the majority of what you’re consuming), but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re using stored bodyfat… Stored fat, which is what most are trying to get rid of by exercising, is mostly only used when you’ve surpassed around the 20 minute mark of low intensity, steady exercise like a brisk walk where you’re able and willing to hold a conversation. This is certainly the opposite direction of most CrossFit workouts which are generally done at shorter bursts of higher intensity, and most wouldn’t be holding meaningful conversations…
So, is Keto a ‘good’ diet? The answer to that lies more in the context of it, than whether or not it’s good or bad. For one, it’s a therapeutic diet, NOT a diet that’s going to aid in sports performance, or accelerated fat loss and improving lean body mass. It was designed in the 1920’s as a way to combat epilepsy. If you’re doing the Keto diet for a specific purpose, or you simply like to eat a higher fat, moderate protein and lower carb diet, then sure, it can be good if you can sustain it. But, if you’re doing it because you were told that you’ll burn more fat, or that you’ll improve your workouts, or training performance, you’ve been fooled!