Cross Training diet - Is There a Difference between Keto and Paleo Diet?


It is almost impossible to talk about Cross Fitness training without mentioning diet. This is mainly because of the key role diets play in the achievement of your CrossFit goals.

Both Keto and Paleo are major parts of CrossFit diet, but they focus on different foods. The real difference between Keto and Paleo are the food restrictions they recommend.  In Paleo, the aim is to eat the way our ancestors ate when their digestive systems were still evolving.

CrossFit diet

This means unprocessed foods and no grains. Paleo prohibits eating products from modern farming because they have evolved faster than our body systems. The protein levels in Paleo make it an ideal diet for anyone looking to build muscle. Additionally, it makes you feel good.

Keto, on the other hand, focuses on ratios: the moderate protein, high fat, and zero carbs. Since CrossFit integrates science into its WODs, it is also in order to put in some science in nutrition. The Paleo diet has the no grains rule and because of this, CrossFitters on this diet consume fewer carbohydrates.

The litmus test for Keto is whether you are really in ketosis. It is often argued that people on Paleo diet find themselves in ketosis without being hyper-focused on it as a goal.

Understanding Ketosis

If you know glycolysis, the normal metabolic pathway through which your body cells convert energy from glucose, then you have a slight idea of what ketosis is. If your CrossFit diet doesn’t give you any more glucose, your body cells will automatically switch to ketosis.

CrossFit diet

This is a rather complex metabolic pathway where your body system gets energy by converting ketones which are essentially byproducts of fat. However, it must be emphasized that the body only undergoes ketosis in the absence of carbohydrates.

The Benefits of Ketosis

One pretty obvious benefit is that if your body burns fat, you are likely to shed off layers of adipose tissue that usually blanket the muscles underneath. Within the body system, Keto just like Paleo fights inflammation.

Some other research studies in CrossFit diet, have found out that the lack of glucose in the body helps in fighting cancer. This is because cancer cells cannot use ketone bodies for energy.

As a CrossFit athlete, you must pay attention to your macronutrient mix because lack of doing so may lead to depletion of energy. If you eat Paleo without considering your macronutrient ratios, you will end up having high protein levels, but low carbs and low fat. Keto, on the other hand, may lead to a depletion of protein.

CrossFit diet

If your beginner CrossFit training plan includes Keto, you need to be careful because your body requires time to adapt. Paleo diet is more on fruit while Keto is inclined towards cheese and some unprocessed foods that contain high fat and low carb.

 


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