Cheat Day? Ketosis Departure?

(Rob ) #1

Thank you for looking at my post. I am a 55 year old male and just past 6 weeks of doing Keto by the book with great success. Keto WORKS and I am a believer as I have lost 20 lbs. in what I consider a very short period of time. While I understand Keto is a way of life for many of you, I jumped on this journey merely as a tool to lose weight. Yes I have learned a lot and definitely will be changing my habits in regards to carbs, but I have surpassed my weight loss goal and want to ease out of Ketosis. What about a cheat day once a week? I guess I am looking for some suggestions to ease off this and continue to watch my weight without gaining back what I have accomplished. Would love to hear your recommendations.

(Khara) #2

Most likely you’ll have to be your own experiment. I saw a study recently on a Dr Bosworth video where they looked at people who did cyclic keto. I believe they ate carb heavy on the weekends and keto during the week. It took them until Thursday every week to actually get back into ketosis, so they were only keto part of Thursday and Friday before carb loading again for just two days. Something to consider.

Also, in other studies (maybe that one too) it has been found that although non ketoers have lost the same amount of weight, they actually had more body fat and less muscle in the end while the keto group had more muscle mass and more fat loss. Equal looking weight loss isn’t necessarily equal. So if you do add carbs and find you’re able to keep your weight the same, you might be exchanging muscle for fat.

For me, this would be a slippery slope, leading to failure and loss of all my progress. Been there, done that. Now that I’ve seen the science and studies I mentioned above though, they give me some actual data and reason to not try which helps to over ride my emotional desire to be able to have carbs days.

Just some things to keep in mind and pay attention to.

(Scott) #3

I would stay on keto but increase carbs above 20g. I find 50g to be not too restrictive and maintaining is a breeze. I am about 8 pounds away from ideal weight so I am dealing with small tweaks to get rid of a little belly fat now. I think going carb for a day or carb cycling may not be best for your body but there may only be one way to find out.

(Khara) #4

Do you never experience cravings from having increased carbs to 50g? I haven’t tried. I’m kind of an all or nothing personality and so to be really safe I keep around 10g most days. I just assume that there would be a certain carb threshold for me where cravings for more would become an obsession. I also worry about actual hunger pangs coming back, like during adaptation, and so feeling hungry all the time like on an old days restrictive diet. I wonder this about the carbs cyclers, whether they are always feeling those uncomfortable feelings of going through adaptation. Is any of this an issue for you?
Edit: Oh, and are you actually still ketotic with 50g?

(Scott) #5

No craving issues other than a macadamia nut problem I can’t seem to shake. I usually have a bag six feet from my desk at work but its only a large handful at 9:30 am.

I am not really sure. I use to taste ketosis but have not had a strong taste in months but I have a slight taste now. The taste may diminish after fat adaptation because that is when the taste was less noticeable. I still feel great and eat the same way as I did on July 10th 2018 when I started. 50g is because I like to eat some veggies with my dinner. I think that would still be less than 20g. The other 30g would be for my glasses of wine with dinner and a 5g carb beer after. I guess the best way to list it is <50g carb daily.
Edit: I have never measured or metered anything keto related. I only watch my carbs.

(Jody) #6

I have read lots of people start to bring back some carbs into their life as they have healed. If it works, lucky you, if not, you know what your guardrails look like. Figure out what’s best for YOU!

(Rob ) #7

There has to be a successful way to wean back on to carbs!

(Justin ) #8

I agree I am going to do the same. I am around 15 from my ideal weight and when I get there I am going to increase to maybe max 50g and see how it goes. Sugar still none and maybe once a week a carb day.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #9

The way out of ketosis is to eat enough carbohydrate to stimulate your insulin level to cut off ketosis. That is also the point at which your body will start storing fat again, of course, so you will probably have to stop eating to satiety and start eating at a caloric deficit again.

(Scott) #10

The weird thing is I didn’t increase to 50g. <50g is where I have been since I started and lost 25 pounds just fine that way.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #11

You can eat carbohydrate up to the limit of your tolerance, whatever that might be, but if you don’t want to start regaining weight, it’s a good idea not to exceed your carb tolerance. Once your carbohydrate intake reaches the limit, it stimulates enough insulin to inhibit ketone production and promote fat storage. You will probably have to start eating at a caloric deficit again.

There is a case study in the literature of a corporate executive, who lost a lot of weight on the low-carb diet his company physician was promoting, but a single extra apple was enough to start him regaining weight. My understanding is that our carb tolerance has to do with how insulin resistant we are.

(Scott) #12

Well that whole apple a day theory just got shot down.

(Justin ) #13

Hmm, yeah maybe I need to as well. Change it up and see how it goes.

(Maria Ortiz) #14

Well there is something known as refeeding, but it is advanced and should only be used for those long established on keto and who are trying to get very lean and is also often used by bodybuilders. A refeed would be eating a lot of carbs for one meal once a week, then going back on keto afterwards until the next week. This is done to increase depleted leptin levels that are caused by long term low carb eating and exercising. The leaner you get, the more carbs you need to consume to adequately replenish leptin and continue burning fat. I’m not telling you to do refeeds, but I’m telling you that I’ve done refeeds and never gained weight. Granted I did regular exercise and went back on keto immediately after. So eating off plan isn’t going to cause fat gain, you just may gain temporary water weight. But if you plan on eating off plan consistantly, it will do damage. Keep it under control and you should be fine it this is what you really want. But again, refeeding is advanced and you’re likely not going to reap any benefits from it because you haven’t been on keto very long.