Is there a healthy way to ease yourself out of Keto while on vacation

(Cecil) #1

My husband and I are currently on the Keto Lifestyle. We have been on this route for 2 months now and we have seen some pretty good weight loss(Husband has lost 10 lbs already and I have lost 5 lbs). The overall feeling on keto is very positive, for both me and my husband. We support each other and we’re doing great so far.

We do have an upcoming vacation in Italy and, I know, this place is Carb Heaven, right? Pizza and Gelato are what we are looking forward to feast on.

Is there an easy way of ease ourself into the non-Keto lifestyle and then revert back to Keto once we get back here. We are pretty much sold on the Keto Lifestyle with all the benefits it comes with (healthwise). If we do the Intermittent Fasting while out of Keto during our vacation, would that help at all?

Since on Keto, we are all eating High Fat stuff, is there a risk of heart problems or stroke if we go back to carbs? As I said, would intermittent fasting help? Or should we at least do more exercise while we are on vacation?

Hoping to hear your thoughts on this.

Thanks so much in advance.

(Felix) #2

Try not to… Italians do some amazing things with meat and veg too. Salads. Seafood galore. Save your carbs for a small serving of gelato. If you’re well into keto, you could also end up feeling like crap on vacation after too many carbs. And then there’s coming home, having carb cravings take over, and not even a vacation to look forward to.

Having just been on vacation for 3 weeks… trust me. Every carb you can cut is still a gift to yourself. The few you do decide to consume are a massive treat, but even those aren’t as good as the foods you could enjoy. Really, meat veg and seafood are heavenly where people can actually cook, like Italy.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #3

I do like this little saying of yours!

(karen) #4

Italy was my downfall - specifically, pizza and gelato! I put on 16 pounds in two weeks and got out of low carb dieting for several years. I think my mother in law thought I was some sort of slut because by the time we got to visit her in Spain, all my pants looked like sausage casings.

If we go back again, my advice to myself is to learn more about other Italian specialties and see if I can’t familiarize myself with some glorious traditional meat, seafood and veggie dishes that aren’t so carb heavy. maybe just a little pizza, since it’s the best on earth …

(Troy) #5

Why ease out of KETO🤔

Ease “ in” or continue on KETO while on vacation as well?:grin:

Either way you choose…

Good Luck
Have a safe trip!

#6

I’m going to Italy in 6 weeks so I’ll see if I can follow my own advice: my opinion is that Intermittant Fasting can compensate for higher carb consumption – so, if you skip breakfast, eat low carb for lunch, you can have some carbs for dinner, and you may be back in ketosis when you wake up.

Also, the more fat adapted you are, the more flexible you are in switching between energy sources and getting back into burning fat. Two months is not that long, so I’d suggest trying to be as consistent as you can be before leaving.

Finally, I’ve been on several vacations and do a lot of eating out and entertaining for my job, and I’ve been able to stick with Keto – I think you guys should be able to do it!

(Cecil) #7

Thanks for the replies. I have discussed the options with my husband but I guess we are leaning towards the “breaking the keto” side for this trip. We have booked the trip way back (before we decided on going keto), and we already zoned in on a couple of pizza, pasta and gelato places. At this point, we are already been looking forward to these.

On the return home though, we are pretty disciplined, and for sure we will get back on the keto lifestyle. Besides, the reason why we’re on keto is because of health (hubby has a family with a lot of cholesterol and heart problems, and the keto diet seems to be the best for cardiovascular health). I just didn’t want to deprive him of his trip expectations, so that was the reason for my original question.

Thanks so much Daves_Not_Here as your response is re-assuring. Yes, we do plan on doing intermittent fasting while we’re on vacation. We’ll follow your route of no breakfast, low carb lunch and have the carbs for dinner (also probably have dinner early so that we get more hours of fasting).

I will still have a couple of months before the trip, and so more time to get ourselves keto adapted more. I will keep you all posted of how our experience will be when we get back. Thanks for all the feedback guys. =)

#8

I am in the same situation! It’s just not realistic that I will stay at the same level of carb intake in the land of gelato and pizza.

I’d really like advice on how to avoid or minimize the side effects - like gas, bloating, cramping, diarrhea etc - that can occur when you break keto. For me, even a small carb increase causes cramping and discomfort. I want to be able to enjoy a small gelato without paying for it the next day with discomfort. Is there a way to prepare now or help minimize the side effects of increasing carb intake???

(Jane Hull) #9

Have fun! We are going to Alaska in a few weeks and I am wondering the same thing. Thank goodness they don’t have gelato! That was definitely a downfall in Italy. You will be doing a ton of walking. I went to Italy for 2 weeks a few years ago. I wasn’t Keto then, but lowfat. I figured I would be a mess but I didn’t gain anything because of all the walking we did. You can get lots of seafood and chicken there.

My plan for Alaska is to stay low carb but not necessarily Keto. I don’t think it will be a big problem. I have given up sugar the same way I gave up cigarettes years ago. I can’t have it anymore so I won’t be eating desserts. I might eat some sourdough bread though!!

#10

Enjoy Italy!!! It is heaven and I don’t know about you, but I get there about once every ten years. Unless your trip is longer than three or so weeks, I vote live it up. I just got back myself and ate whatever I wanted and I gained a bit for sure but I have zero regrets. The food is cleaner and just so much more special than where I live (USA). I have been back a few days now and have had no interest in going carb crazy because what is the point? Nothing will be as good as the food in Italy, so I am happily back to veggies, oils and eggs with the wonderful memories of gelato, perfect pizza, and pasta hehe. Have an amazing time!!!