Common Mistakes Most Keto Or Carnivore Dieters Make

Author: Erica Harris | | Categories: Exercise , Fat Loss , Fitness Coach , Fitness Trainer , Kinesiologist , Kinesiology , Nutrition , Online Coaching , Online Fitness Training , Online Personal Fitness Trainer , Personal Fitness Trainer , Personal Fitness Training , Personal Training Programs , Strength Training , Weight Loss

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A keto or carnivore diet mainly focuses on consuming high-protein and high-fat meals. Therefore, being a restrictive diet, you need to incorporate proper food and exercise to obtain the desired results. However, you might make mistakes while being uncertain, especially if you’re a rookie at designing a diet plan.

For this reason, it’s essential to do thorough research as you might find this method very challenging and might fall for possible wrongdoings, making your goal even harder to achieve. To help you avoid such circumstances, I have arranged for you some of the most common mistakes most keto or carnivore dieters make while trying to lose fat and how to avoid them.

1. Overtraining
Overtraining, specifically overdoing weight training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training). Weight training, HIIT cardio, sprints, Tabata, CrossFit, spin cycle classes, boxing classes, etc. are ALL glycolytic activities. This means that they burn through muscle glycogen at a high rate. They also burn through lots of body fat, but with a cost. Overperforming these glycolytic activities begin to upregulate appetite, increase stress in the body, increase water retention due to cortisol, which can become increasingly difficult to recover from. In combination with fasting, low carbs, and low calories, your body begins to upregulate appetite and down-regulate your metabolism as your thyroid begins to take a hit from all of the combined stressors. 

The solution is to minimize glycolytic activities like HIIT cardio and incorporate more walking. Keep weight training three to four times a week and HIIT cardio style activities (HIIT, sprints, spin cycle, boxing classes) to once a week. If you refuse to minimize glycolytic activities, then consider incorporating some timed carb intake for your activities, for example, having one cup of white rice after your high-intensity exercise. Other options include sweet potatoes, yams, or some fruit.

2. Insufficient hydration
Specifically, not consuming enough salt. Sure, salting your meals to taste is great, but that may not be enough if you’re drinking coffee in the morning, fasting, exercising, sweating, etc. You simply may not be replenishing the electrolytes and minerals you’ve lost throughout the day, and this may lead to effects on the thyroid, fasting difficulties, weakness, lightheadedness, or overall fatigue.

The solution is to take a quarter to a half teaspoon of high-quality salt (pink salt, Redmond’s Real Salt or Celtic sea salt) in the morning with a glass or two of water upon rising. Consider adding an electrolyte supplement to your morning hydration routine. Throughout the day, I sip on water mixed with Redmond’s Real Salt for extra hydration. I’ve noticed that it’s improved my workouts and allowed me to increase my water intake. Aim for a quarter teaspoon of good quality salt per bottle of water.

3. Sleep deprivation

Chronic sleep deprivation is like living in a storm every day. The weather is always gloomy and thundering. You’re constantly fatigued and exhausted, the most manageable tasks feel like a chore, you’re more irritable and antisocial, and all you want to do is get a good night’s sleep. If your goal is to achieve and maintain a lean body, then seven to eight hours a night must be a priority. Stop trying to convince yourself and others that you’re the exception to the rule and that you can “thrive on just five to six hours a night” (I’m sure I’ve said those words before).

The solution is to get better at managing your time and being more productive with the time you ARE awake rather than trying to eke out an extra one to two hours every day. Set a wake-up time, bedtime, and then work backward from there to plan your day’s activities.

4. Not eating enough protein
Eating a high amount of protein is extremely satiating and crowds out excess energy calories (carbs and fats). Eating a high protein diet to lose fat doesn’t need to be extreme.

The solution is rather than immediately having tons of tuna, chicken, and lean beef, consider adding a bit of extra protein on top of what you’re already eating. Baby steps, maybe have an extra steak or add a can of sardines to your daily diet or maybe one more egg than usual. This extra protein will support your lean mass (muscles) while satiating you and making it easier for you to maintain lower calorie intake.

5. Not getting extra sunshine! 
If you’re able to get out in the sun, try to expose large areas of skin to the sun. If this is impossible or impractical for you, consider supplementing with a Vitamin D3 supplement. This will assist with the fat loss process.

6. Only focusing on losing fat
Getting stronger by losing fat is one thing, but what will your fat loss reveal underneath? Focus on gaining strength to not only improve your body composition and hormonal profile but also to have a great looking frame underneath!

To help you avoid these and other mistakes, don’t hesitate to reach out to
me. With fourteen years of experience as a fat loss expert and kinesiologist, I offer one-on-one personal or semi-private training, and also online training that specializes in strength, hypertrophy, and fat loss. I serve clients locally across greater Vancouver as well as internationally all over the world.

For more information about the services I offer, please click here. If you have any questions about weight loss and strength training or want to schedule a free consultation, I would love to hear from you. Please contact me here.

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