So you are into Keto, you have the meal plan down, you’re feeling the burn, and now you have to tackle the workout. The ketogenic diet is made to burn fat and promote healthy weight loss while eating a healthy, controlled diet. The concept is based on putting your body into ‘ketosis’, which is the fat-burning state.
Alongside a low/no-carb meal plan, a good workout can help put your body into fat-burning mode. The keto diet is mostly responsible for fat loss; to counteract that, you need to build muscle with your workouts. This ensures that no muscle is lost alongside the fat.
The routine
The key to triggering fat loss is – ketosis or simply Keto for short. The emphasis is on burning fat through a low/no-carb diet, which puts the body straight into weight loss mode. However, there are some downsides. As you begin your Keto journey, you might not be able to smash straight through a HIIT or CrossFit class. Your body will still be in adjustment mode for weight loss and using fat for energy.
You need a good combo of cardio and strength training that triggers the body’s natural mechanisms to stay strong and fit and burn fat while improving cardiovascular health. Here is a quick resistance band workout to keep you lean and keto strong:
Cardio – Day 1
Cardio doesn’t have to be a boring run around the block, nor does it have to include a loud, fast, and intense spinning session. Try this excellent resistance band cardio work out for a well-rounded, full-body cardio session. (ambien)
Legs and core – Day 2
Aim to do around 3 sets of 12-15 reps of each exercise. If you have just started using resistance bands, start on the lightest and work your way up to where you are comfortable.
Farmers walk
- With your booty resistance band (like the ones at Victorem ) placed around your thighs
- Place a heavy dumbbell in each
- Pulling your shoulders back and chest out
- Walk forward for ten steps, turn around
- Repeat
Back Squats
- Place a booty band around your thighs, place your feet hip-width apart
- With your barbell across your shoulders, lower into a squat
- If your load is too light, add to it once you have done 6 reps comfortably and would like a greater challenge
- Repeat
Fire hydrants
- With a resistance band around your thighs, get onto all fours on a mat
- From this position, ensure your hips are above your knees and at a 90-degree angle
- Raise your right knee out to the side and as high as you can
- Slowly lower your knee down again
- Repeat for 12 – 15 reps on both sides
Arms and core – Day 3
Bicep curl
- Loop your resistance band underneath the arch of your foot
- Holding the band in one arm, curl the arm and bicep up to shoulder height
- Release slowly
- Repeat on both sides
Banded lat pull-apart
- Hold your resistance band in both arms at chest height
- Pull apart the bands until the furthest you can go
- Slowly return to the beginning and repeat
Cuff pivot
- Standing feet apart, wrap your resistance band around your body
- Hold the end of the band level with your rib-cage
- Keeping a tight grip of the band in one hand, pull the band with the other rotate your arm out; it should pivot at the elbow
- Keep your arms bent and do not alter the bend in your arm
- Repeat both sides
Russian Twist
- Sitting on your mat, bend your knees and cross your feet at your ankles
- Raise your legs so they are not touching the floor
- With a weight, dumbbell, or kettlebell at your left hip twist your upper body to the left
- Picking the weight up and transferring it to your right hip, dip it low and twist to the left again
- Repeat for 10 twists on each side, do not dip your feet lower, keep them raised
Rest – Day 4
Take it easy, read a book, catch up on some sunshine. You deserve it.
Cardio – Day 5
Today is the day to put down those bands and do your favorite cardio; this will burn fat, and get your heart pumping!
Full Body – Day 5
Glute Bridge
- With a booty band around your mid-thighs, lie down on your mat
- Place your arms down at your sides
- Bend your knees
- Engage your core, and clench your glutes in and raise your hips to create a 90-degree angle
- Hold for 10 seconds and slowly lower your hips down to the ground
- Raise your hips again and hold for 15 seconds
- Slowly lower them to the ground
- Repeat for 3 more reps of 15-second holds
Bicycle Crunches
- Sitting on your mat, loop a booty band around the arches of your feet
- Bend your knees
- Raise your legs up
- Tilting your body at 45 degrees and raising your arms above to touch your ears
- Twist and raise your knee
- Your left elbow should touch your right knee, while your right elbow should touch your left knee
- Repeat
Clamshells
- Lie on your side on a mat
- Place your booty band right above your knees, and a light resistance band around your ankles
- Stacking your feet above one another
- Bend your knees at 90 degrees
- Support your upper body using your lower arm and engage your core
- Raise your top knee towards the ceiling to the furthest point; imagine your knees are a clamshell opening
- Slowly lower your knee
- Repeat for 10 reps and then repeat on the other side
Day 7 – Rest and recovery
Never skip a rest day. Rest and recovery days are there for your body to catch a breath and breathe in deep. While you might want to push yourself to lose weight or get your fitness levels up, even athletes have rest and recovery days!
Writing allows me to pour my heart out in words. So, that’s what I’ve been doing for the past 6 years. I strive to bring in a change in the world by taking tiny steps of curating the right message that needs to be conveyed.
