Cyclical keto diet

#14

I do a Hybrid of TKD and CKD. Started with TKD and the preworkout carbs make a huge difference. Switched to CKD and that definitely helps with muscle endurance all day long. With CKD, you reload when you need it, doesn’t have to be once a week, assuming you’re lifting, one carb load won’t make it a week. You gotta feel it out. For me, the Hybrid of the two does the job.

For reloads the starchy stuff is great, if you do anything preworkout you want the super fast high glycemic stuff so you’ll burn through it during workouts. Overall it brought my gym performace way up again, had zero effect on my ability to lose fat, I’ve actually got my bodyfat lower than it was on 4yrs of strict keto. I was in the high teens when I switched off standard keto, and my last DEXA had me back in the 10’s. So all benefits, no downsides, as long as you do it right.

#15

I have read about cyclical keto a few times and it has high-carb low-fat days. As I am totally unable to eat low-fat even for a single day (and it’s just my ability, not my willingness) and the carb days are SUPER carby, I wouldn’t ever attempt it.

Just going a bit (or sometimes more) higher-carb occasionally while keeping the fat at least as high as normal? I have been doing it since several years. Not ideal but I can’t resist. I don’t PLAN those carby days (usually) and I only consider them useful for my joy and sanity but it’s actually better for me to stay quite low-carb, at least physically. Not like I am unwell on occasional carbs but it’s still not as good. And I can go overboard very easily even now.

The only time when I deliberately eat a lot of carbs is when I REALLY want to do OMAD. As carbs make that ridiculously easy. But I can do it on carnivore nowadays, thankfully.

It would be very safely keto for me (now, after lots of carni days in the last years. I easily could go high-carb with paleo vegs alone in the past)… Many of us have a higher ketosis carb limit, not 20g net or total.

And what is the ideal carb intake, from what sources and if the occasional higher-carb is useful, it’s highly individual. You should try and figure out what works best for you if you are interested in such experiments or knowledge.

@coopdawg: Oh, I keep forgetting that liver soaking milk is a thing!!! Thank you, I may try that with the liver defrosting in my fridge… Fried liver can get a bit old (not very much though, it’s too nutritious so I very rarely am supposed to eat it) and chicken liver is very strong flavored, after all… Though I have some duck fat now (I rendered it today :D) so I suppose my liver will be nice anyway. But some milk can’t hurt.

#16

Ehm, I forgot to say, I also cook with creams too.

They can be very low carb and give you your fat requirement for energy.
Great for sauces…but even soured cream, creme fraiche or cream cheese like Mascarpone are great on a handfull of blueberries or raspberries.

I have some Mascarpone bought today, and some berries- I’ll post under jumpin’ Jack later on.

(Jenna Ericson) #17

I might do something like that with a small amount of oatmeal with coconut oil or something before workouts. I’ve heard ketones can be a good replacement for glucose (as opposed to fatty acids) for higher intensity exercise. I felt the best on a diet with a lot of long chain saturated fat, with limited carbs from berries and root vegetables. This made it so that my blood sugar stayed relatively high, which gave me a lot more energy.

I’m from Boston also. Do you know of Boston Underground Strength Training?

#18

You are a dawg’s mom! Lol. Just getting that now!

You’d give the meister a run for his one liners.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #19
#20

Yes at times. Do you exercise? What are your goals? If just starting this Keto journey I would be very strict and not do cyclical keto. I exercise a lot and I am also fat-adapted. I started keto over 10+ years ago. I do consume a lot of carbs at times (100+ grams) when it is appropriate to do so. For the first 3 months, I ate nothing white or could be white. My only conscious carb was blueberries (15 grams) on my salad.
I have seen some women lose more weight when they increase their carb intake to about 50 grams per day. I do not know if this is the norm.

(Allie) #21

I do this whenever I feel like it, but have been doing this for a lot of years and have no issues with carb / sugar addiction. It does make me a bit “fluffy” but easy to fix when I tighten things up again. Whether it’ll work for you is very much an individual thing.

(David Cooke) #22

I was 100% Keto for two years (<20gm), then decided to try carbs before and during a 21 K race. It worked! However the slippery slope was waiting for me and the cravings returned. Still not back yet So I’d think about it before you break the oath!

(Robin) #23

As per usual… some of us can go that route and some can’t. I’ll be curious as to your results if you try it.

(Joey) #24

@0cac544b99285298bde6 Wonderful question for this crowd!

First, putting aside the potential for renewed cravings and unraveling otherwise hard-gained healthy eating habits, I would be inclined to reply as follows:

Eating carbs one day a week is far better than eating carbs seven days a week. Assuming it doesn’t produce an unhealthy outcome and/or undermine your longer term goals, then go for it!

But … the practical challenge for many folks comes with the difficulty in keeping the taste buds in check. And having carbs in the house and re-triggering those carb cravings (under stress, lack of sleep, feeling crappy, etc.) can undermine the practicality of trying to restrain carbs to 1 day/weekly.

YMMV. :vulcan_salute:

(Eve) #25

Thanks everyone for your comments - as usual, very individual and informative.
In answer to some of your questions/ comments - I do not need to lose weight so that would not be an issue as to when / whether, l tried a bit more carb. My partner does not eat keto so there are always biscuits, bread,.pasta, etc , in the house, and l have never had any trouble resisting them becuase l have never had a sweet tooth or carb addiction . So if l ate some more starchy veg l don’t think it would be a slippery slope for me.
The reason l am contemplating it is to help my gut biome and mental health, both of which would benefit from a few more carbs, and a greater variety of plants, albeit in very small quantities. I haven’t decided yet, but may inch forward a wee bit every now and again with some prebiotic veg, and see what happens …

(Joey) #26

For gut biome, real fermented veggies (kraut, pickles, kimchi) are ideal. But generally speaking, other carbs invite proliferation of aerobic bacteria, not the anaerobic kind (e.g., lactobacillus) which are believed to promote good digestive health.

As for mental health, that’s about as individual as anything could be. If eating carbs somehow makes you feel more stable, uplifted, positive, and relaxed, go for it. They don’t seem to have such effects on most folks around here. :wink:

#27

I’ve heard of it, but never been. A guy I work with sometimes lives in Weston and he goes there, but from West Roxbury it’d be a hike, although he’s always trying to get me to check it out. According to him at least (not sure how reliable that is) he says it’s like they took a Crossfit, took out all the stupid, and made it about movement and performance but actual (correct) strength training? Sounds kinda cool! Mobility and functional movements is definitely something I always lack with my training.

(Jenna Ericson) #28

That’s awesome, small world! They like to hear feedback so I passed along what you said and the owner says that’s good to hear! They’re great there. I’ve been going on and off for about 3 years now and wouldn’t know anything about strength training if it wasn’t for them.

(Eve) #29

I can’t eat fermented veg at the moment becuase the high histamine and acid is too much for my system. The mental part links into serotonin production.

#30

Maybe just Friday night?

:wink:

(Eve) #31

… along with some fermented grapes :grapes:…:wink:

#32

The Lord commanded, we can only be thankful.

#33

Is there a difference to cheat days? I tried cheat days once a week. Does not work for keeping the weight down for me.