There’s plenty of information on the web and throughout the various categories on the Ketogenic Forums about getting started on Keto and the dreaded carb withdrawal, or “Keto Flu” that accompanies the first few days of making the change to this way of eating. Harder to find is information on what to expect if you take a break from Keto.
We all have difficult moments throughout life where our best intentions can go by the wayside. An extended holiday, a broken heart, a stressful period at work, etc., can lead to relaxing key elements of Keto…a slippery slope, indeed!
So, long story short, I made the decision to take a break from Keto about 6 weeks ago. Now, don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a hard and fast decision, rather I took what I thought was going to be a quick trip along a well worn and known path, and instead turned into a more casual meandering down memory lane. Let me explain.
I had a busy period at work comprising 16 hour days, 7 days a week for a few weeks. For the most part I stuck to Keto with the exception of the odd meal here and there when I was tired and couldn’t be bothered prepping, cooking or finding Keto friendly food. I reintroduced some old favourites into my diet, like the occasional piece of bread or some hot chips and was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t taste nearly as good as I remembered them tasting so there was no risk of old habits becoming new again, right? After all, work would settle down soon and I’d be back on track again. Right? Right!
That busy period of work was then followed by a visit from dear friends who came to stay with us; it was their first trip to Australia and we filled it with koala and fairy penguin encounters, time at the beach soaking up the sun from a wonderful extended summer and of course, obligatory sampling of Melbourne’s café culture delights. A few more old faves danced over my tongue during this time; chocolate, biscuits, ice cream, etc. Again, I was pleasantly surprised that they didn’t taste nearly as good as I remembered them tasting so there was no risk of old habits becoming new again, right? After all, our visitors would go home soon and I’d be back on track again. Right? Ummm…sure.
So back to work I go; our household that had so recently been packed with 4 adults, 3 teenagers and a dog was back to being a sanctuary for this quiet couple and their beloved pet. Thankfully I was also greeted by a quiet week in the office which gave me time to decompress and recover from a crazy few weeks. I was tired, not just from the recent frenzy of activity, though that was certainly a significant contributor. I didn’t really enjoy eating food that wasn’t Keto. Nothing I ate during that time tasted as good as the memory or feeling it invoked. So there was no risk of old habits becoming new again, right? Wrong.
My original intention was to take a more relaxed approach to Keto for a period of two weeks; for the time I knew was going to be busy and sources of food unpredictable. So what actually happened? I woke up this past weekend and realised that two weeks had actually turned into six, that’s what happened…and that wasn’t the only realisation that dawned on me. Here’s a few more:
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I was tired. Bone tired. I felt tired in a way that I hadn’t felt tired for over six months.
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I ached. My joints ached, my back, knees and feet hurt and this, combined with a flare up of plantar fasciitis and hip bursitis, had me rolling out of bed each morning like a 90 year old. I ached in a way that I hadn’t ached for over six months.
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I felt ill. I was bloated and puffy, reflux was keeping me up at night, skin tags were starting to reappear along with dark circles under my eyes, my bowel was irritable and, quite frankly, so was I. I felt ill in a way that I hadn’t felt ill for over six months.
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I over ate. My appetite increased, slowly at first, but then quite rapidly the more I reintroduced non-Keto foods. I over ate in a way that I hadn’t over eaten for over six months.
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I missed Keto. Eating nutrient rich food that fills both tummy and soul. Not having to take medication on a daily basis to keep the symptoms of metabolic disease at bay. Feeling in control of my appetite, my health, my life. I missed Keto and all the accompanying benefits I had experienced over the previous six months.
Upon reflection, everything I discussed above really doesn’t come as a great surprise, perhaps with the exception of just how easy it was to fall back into old eating patterns. What was surprising though was that throughout my six week break, I craved all things Keto. I craved steak in a way that was far greater than any craving I ever had for sugar and carbs during my initial two weeks of adjusting to a Ketogenic diet.
Don’t worry, I’m not about to go on to lecture everyone about following a strict Ketogenic diet. Nor am I going to club you all over the head with the wonders of a Ketogenic lifestyle. After all, you’re all here on the Ketogenic Forums because you’ve come to that realisation on your own.
I am simply sharing this experience to demonstrate how easily a little nibble on carbage here and there combined with a little break in the keto mind set now and again can snowball from a snack, to a meal, to a day, to a week and so on.
So what can you do if you find yourself in a similar situation? First and foremost, I’d suggest you find a way to continue with Keto. If however, like me, you learn this lesson the hard way, then go back to the basics:
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Eat less than 20 grams (net) carbohydrates; approximately 1-1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass and fat to satiety each day
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Drink plenty of water and allow yourself to sleep as your body recovers
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Donate any remaining non-Keto foods to a local food bank or homeless shelter, hide it or throw it away
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Prep Keto snacks and meals in advance so you don’t have to think about where your next meal is coming from
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If you’ve been absent, re-engage with the Ketogenic Forums and the wonderfully supportive community here
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And most importantly? Keep calm and Keto on!
