Can high intensity athletes benefit and thrive on a ketogenic diet? That’s what we’re trying to figure out in today’s conversation with Rachel Gregory, a Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist, Athletic Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist who completed the first ever human clinical trial looking at the effects of the Ketogenic Diet in CrossFit athletes, published in the International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine. She has worked with a variety of athletes including Division I collegiate athletes, WNBA stars, and some of the top bodybuilders in the world. Ashleigh and Rachel chat about when and why it might be beneficial to incorporate a keto diet in training; when it may not be beneficial; the biggest mistakes athletes make when attempting a keto diet; how to incorporate carb or protein cycling; and Ashleigh (a carb fan) attempts to play devil’s advocate, posing the question: maybe athletes can be keto, but should we? All that and more in today’s episode. 

Rachel Gregory is a Board–Certified Nutrition Specialist, Athletic Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Author of the best–selling book, 21-Day Ketogenic Diet Weight Loss Challenge. She received her Master’s Degree in Nutrition & Exercise Physiology from James Madison University and Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Miami. Rachel has a vast knowledge on the science and application of the Ketogenic Diet for weight loss, performance, and overall health. She completed the first ever human clinical trial looking at the effects of the Ketogenic Diet in CrossFit athletes, which is published in the  International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine. Rachel is a former Collegiate Triathlete with a background in Functional Strength Training and CrossFit. She has worked with a variety of individuals throughout her career that include Division I collegiate athletes, WNBA stars, and some of the top bodybuilders in the world. She has a passion for educating those interested in optimizing their physical and mental well–being while improving long–term health and fitness goals.

MinuteBreakdown:

4-14 Intro to Rachel, her work, and her academic research in the effects of keto diet on athletes

14 – 29  Mistakes and misconceptions people make trying keto for the first time; how to figure out macros; protein cycling and fasting; how to adjust these things based on what your goals, whether it’s performance, treating disease, cognitive function, or body composition improvement.

29 – 33  What it means to be fat adapted; The benefits of tracking macros and determining what your maintenance calories are

33 – 42  Rachel walks us through her clinical trial on ketogenic diets and CrossFit athletes, including results 

42 – 48 A discussion on the different approaches and key things to pay attention to regarding female athletes and the ketogenic diet 

48 – 54 Why Rachel thinks everyone should at least try keto; what you can learn about yourself and your needs through a trial experiment

54 – 58 why salt and electrolytes are key on a ketogenic diet

58 – Even if we can do keto and train intensely, should we? A look at the other benefits of a keto diet besides physical performance 

Learn more about Rachel and her programs at killinitketo.com and @killinitketo.

Please Support Our Sponsor:

Learn more about how Beekeeper’s Naturals can support immunity, energy, and health for active people – check out www.beekeepersnaturals.com/musclemaven to see some of Ashleigh’s favorite products and use the code musclemaven for a 15 percent discount on anything you buy!

Subscribe to  Butcher Box  and get grass-fed and free range meat delivered directly to your door each month – choose from one of their boxes or customize your own, and because you’re cutting out the middle-man (the grocery stores) you get super high quality meat at a lower price. For our listeners, you get 20$ off your first box plus a FREE pack of grassfed and finished burgers! Just head to butcherbox.com and use the code MAVEN at checkout