Combining your crossfit training with a Keto Friendly diet that balances fat, protein, and carbohydrates requires constant maintenance. It’s a careful balance because too much protein could throw you out of ketosis, while too little could result in muscle loss and hunger. Protein is the most satisfying macronutrient and necessary for building muscle, so here are a few ketosis-friendly ways to sneak more protein into your diet.

Protein Types

You may be tempted to browse around on Amazon, find a highly rated protein supplement, buy it and call it a day. But you should know there’s a difference between protein isolate versus protein concentrate. Whey protein concentrate is a byproduct of cheese and yogurt production that is micro-filtered and dehydrated to get a powder that’s about 80% pure protein. According to Nature’s Sunshine, protein isolate is also whey protein, but it has undergone a process called Cross-Flow Microfiltration to separate the fat, cholesterol, and lactose out of the whey, so you have more pure protein powder. In fact, protein isolate is about 90% protein.

Low-Calorie Isolate

Some dieters believe that calorie intake isn’t important if you’re on keto. According to ruled.me, that might not be entirely true. If you’re concerned about adding more calories to your diet, then you should consider protein isolate over protein concentrate. Protein isolate has fewer calories due to the lack of fat and carb contents, so you can boost your protein consumption with fewer calories by using protein isolate versus protein concentrate. Keep in mind that no matter how you cut it, a keto diet requires a lot of calories from fat. That’s just the nature of (becoming) the beast. Focusing too hard on restricting calories will not only make it hard to stay strong with the diet, but you’ll likely feel too lethargic to get the most out of your crossfit experience.

Protein Concentrates

One of the most common complaints from people adding protein powder to their diet is that it has a gritty texture and feels like it coats your whole mouth. That’s not a problem with protein isolate because the removed fat and carbs are responsible for the texture problems. Protein isolate is much smoother and doesn’t have an aftertaste.

False Dichotomy

Depending on your goals with your keto diet, a combination of both whey protein isolate and protein concentrate may be most beneficial to you. Muscle building requires the instant intake of protein after strenuous exercise, so it can be beneficial to take protein isolate immediately after a workout. However, protein concentrate takes around two to three hours to show up in your bloodstream for your body to rebuild your muscles, so it provides a more extended store of protein from which your body can build muscle.

Crossfit and Keto are a powerful combination for visceral fat reduction and total fitness. Both are tough, but if you want results, there’s no better system.