Keto Fat Burning: New Record (Video)

The fat burning record with Keto/LCHF diets also uncovered a strange performance find.

The ketogenic diet resulted in the highest fat burning rates ever recorded, but no one anticipated this strange effect on performance.

"On an innocent trip, how can one ruin so much A belief in a soul, in a beauty, or in a touch It's like a three-legged dog in search of a crutch Dissecting in past all the motives of such"

-Sloan, People of the Sky

Summary:* In spite of having 1) a record setting level of fat burning and 2) the same level of aerobic capacity improvements as Carb diet groups, Keto diets made training more difficult and destroyed the adaptive response to training (aka “gains”) in elite athletes.

*The opinions expressed are those of the awesome contributor, and do not necessarily reflect those of Anthony Almada or AlmadaAlerts. This means that you should send all of your hate mail to David@VitargoS2.com

Practical Application: From this study, elite athletes on a traditional high carb diet outperformed those on a ketogenic diet. It looks as though we're stuck with high carb diets for peak aerobic performance, but I'm still holding out hope for keto to shine in ultra endurance--at least in some athletes.

First Frenzied (Keto) Feeding

Due to the impact of this study –in part due to the Heavy Weight researchers behind it- we’ll need to publish a few articles on its contents to extract all of the (keto-approved) meat. This is the first piece, and should be considered a quick colloquial overview/appetizer.

5 Keys to This Landmark Keto Performance Study

1. 3 Week keto adaptation.

This could only be accomplished through rigorous control of every aspect of an athlete’s life. This was conducted at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is potentially the most rigorous/comprehensive athlete development programs on the planet.

2. Fat Burning Record.

Sure blood ketones were measured, but they also found the highest fat oxidation on record! [Some keto athletes peaked at >1.9g/min] This is exciting scientifically, but keep in mind that the fuel source isn’t coming from dreaded “belly fat”, and it’s not going to directly translate in the loss of adipose tissue (i.e. you won’t look visibly leaner due to fat burning during exercise). In fact, much of the fat it is likely coming from muscle stores (i.e. Intramuscular Triglyceride; IMTG). We discuss this further in the free eBook "Keto One" and in an upcoming -more scientifically rigorous- article. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that this extreme burning didn’t help performance.

3. Strange Keto Result.

Although all diet groups improved the physiological measure of aerobic performance (called VO2 Peak), there was a disconnect between this adaptation and actual performance in the keto diet group. Although athletic performance improved in the carb groups, this performance improvement was abolished in the keto diet group-in spite of the improved aerobic capacity. This may have been due, in part, to the fact that keto diet athletes found training to be far more difficult "...often experiencing substantial hardship...".

4. Body Comp Changes.

All groups lost an average of 1.4kg (~3lbs) body fat. It was only a 3-week intervention, so this result may not be too surprising. Note: This will likely be discussed in more detail in an upcoming study, but for now it’s enough to point out this interesting find.

5. Advancing the Keto Conversation.

This study--and more importantly, the researchers-- address many of the concerns regarding the common misunderstandings of keto diets, including issues with both lay reporting and scientific. This is what makes the research paper so impactful, and why we need a multi-stage deep dive into the results.

3 Reasons We 'Hate' Keto

In anticipation of the FAQ of “Hey bra, why you hatin’ on keto?”, I’d like to offer that while we’re excited by this study, and always fascinated by the science behind this incredible metabolic shift, there’s no emotional reaction to an actual diet (the very thought of an emotional reaction to a diet or outcome of a study should be absurd).

With this in mind, here are 3 reasons why we think the study is awesome:

1) The Heavy Weight researchers.

2) The elite athletes and level of control.

3) The addressing of common issues in the Keto world (including lay reporting).

FAQ: Race Walking? Are you effing kidding me? I could [sic] care less about that!

Answer: I don’t think that anyone is immune to this gut reaction. But as a former 5-pin bowler (a sport that was created because 10-pin was just “too rigorous”) and former strength coach, I’ve dispensed with my own knee-jerk reactions and have come to appreciate these athletes for the performance machines that they are. And although I probably won’t be glued to the TV for a race walk anytime soon, the athletes are pretty legit. This ain’t your grandma’s mall walk!

FAQ: Only 3 weeks of a keto diet?! That’s clearly not enough time to become fat adapted!

Answer: Recall that the lchf athletes showed the highest fat oxidation rates ever reported. The authors use this to specifically address this FAQ/criticism and its invalidity.

Concluding thoughts: This 3 week adaptation was achieved through a rigorously controlled diet plan and implementation. It is an incredible feat for which the staff should be commended, but should also come with the caveat of “Results not typical” (or likely even possible for most people).

Thanks to AlmadaAlerts.com for the inspiration.

To get your FREE keto diet and Performance eBook, check out ThinkSportsNutrition.com

About the Author: David Barr, CSCS, CISSN, RSCC, is a performance optimization strategist who combines elements of systems engineering, adaptation physiology, and nutritional biochemistry, resulting in unprecedented levels of confusion. His research experience includes work for NASA at the Johnson Space Center, as well as clinical research on the effect of amino acid intake on muscle growth and recovery. David has authorship in 6 textbook chapters, 4 books, and more than 50 articles on applied training and supplement science. In a transparent act of overcompensation, he has acquired an excess of performance-related certifications, ranging from Tactical Strength and Conditioning to the legal handling of radioactive poison (which is a thing, apparently). He is revered throughout the world for his self-indulgent hyperbole. Contact: David@VitargoS2.com

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Vitargo Global Sciences, Inc. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.