What Is Keto Cycling, and Can It Help You Stick With the Ketogenic Diet? (2024)

How Does Keto Cycling Work Exactly?

Keto cycling doesn't havea strict definition. Some people choose to have five or six days on keto followed by a day or two off. Others will do keto for 10 to 12 days followed by three to four days off.

Devine typically doesn’t recommend taking more than two days off keto. “Several higher carb days in a row almost always lead to ‘falling off the wagon’ and the return of intense carb and sugar cravings for most people,” she says. She says to start with just one day so you can see how your body responds and how quickly you return to ketosis afterward.

“If you have too many carbohydrates, you’re going to build up your glycogen stores, and it’s going to be very hard for you to get back into ketosis,” she says. She says to think about your glycogen stores, which are your body’s supply of stored carbohydrates, as a gas tank. “As long as we don’t let that tank dip over, we can deplete it pretty quickly again and get back into ketosis,” she says. “But as soon as we go beyond that three or four days [off keto], our tanks flood and you start to store some of that glucose as fat, and it becomes very difficult to deplete that tank again and get back into ketosis.”

On those higher-carb days, Devine recommends sticking towhole foodswith low amounts of sugar rather than going on a full-blown carb binge. Foods like fruit, sweet potatoes, and whole grains — all considered complex carbs — rather than white bread and sweets will make it easier for the body to re-adapt to ketosis. Consider what time of day you’re eating these carbs, too. It’s best to eat carbs (again, opt for those complex choices) in the daytime when you're most active (if that's true for you) as opposed nighttime, Devine says.

Devine says not to jump right into keto cycling. “I would definitely not try keto cycling until you’re about two to three months into your keto diet,” she says. “That's because you need to make sure your body is fat adapted so that it can get back into ketosis easily.” In her practice, Devine has noticed that if the body is used to being in ketosis, it’ll snap back more quickly after eating a carb-heavy meal than if a person is new to keto, though there’s not enough research to confirm that this is always the case. She doesn’t encourage keto cycling unless the individual has been following a clean keto diet, which calls for sourcing the healthiest version of keto-approved foods, such as grass-fed meat and whole foods, for at least three months and has a regular and rigorous exercise plan. This should allow them to eat higher carbs without seeing weight gain or intense cravings.

Devine says to follow up a high-carb day with vigorous exercise the next morning. The idea is to force the body to burn the glycogen you took in so it can get back to working on fat burn.

FAQs

What Is Keto Cycling, and Can It Help You Stick With the Ketogenic Diet? ›

That's where keto cycling comes in: Touted as a less restrictive, more sustainable way to get the benefits of a ketogenic lifestyle, keto cycling involves following a ketogenic diet for a few days in a row, then taking a break and eating high (or at least average) levels of carbohydrates for a day.

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Is keto cycling effective? ›

Some anecdotal evidence suggests that people are more likely to stick with keto if they incorporate cycling. You could also end up losing more weight if you stick with the diet for a longer period than you otherwise would have.

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What is the most effective keto diet? ›

Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils ( 6 ). It's also important to moderate your protein consumption.

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What is the best way to carb cycle on keto? ›

Carb Cycling Meal Plan

Follow a strict keto diet on your low-carb days, stocking up on healthy fats, green leafy veggies, and a moderate amount of protein. On your high-carb days, your plate might include a serving of brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes.

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How do I stick to keto and not cheat? ›

Starting with healthy low-carb or keto dishes reduces your appetite for the bad stuff so you will cheat less. Additionally, eating protein and fat first slows down the absorption of glucose into your blood and reduces the intensity of your blood sugar spike.

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What happens if I eat no carbs for a month? ›

Severe carb limits can cause your body to break down fat into ketones for energy. This is called ketosis. Ketosis can cause side effects such as bad breath, headache, fatigue and weakness.

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How many carbs will break ketosis? ›

Most ketogenic diet guidelines recommend limiting your total carbohydrate intake to 15-30 grams or 5%-10% of your total calorie intake a day. Eating more than 50 grams of carbs may disrupt ketosis.

Can you eat fruit on keto? ›

Keto fruits by definition are low in carbohydrates. You still need to exercise portion control with most keto-friendly fruits to be within the limits of a keto diet. Keto-friendly fruits include avocados, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, tomatoes, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, star fruit, and blackberries.

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How do I know if I'm in ketosis? ›

Having ketones in the blood is probably the most definitive sign that someone is in ketosis. Doctors may also use urine and breath tests to check for ketone levels, but these are less reliable than blood samples. A special home testing kit allows people to measure their own blood ketone levels.

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Will a slice of cake ruin keto? ›

It Could Take You Out of Ketosis

For example, if you enjoy a slice of birthday cake at a friend's celebration, be sure to stock up on plenty of leafy greens and high-quality protein throughout the day. It's a good idea to test your ketone levels to know if you've been kicked out of ketosis.

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Can you eat popcorn on keto? ›

Net carbs are calculated by taking the total grams of carbohydrate in a food and subtracting the amount of fiber. In this case, popcorn contains 6 grams of carbs per 1 cup serving and 1.2 grams of fiber, bringing the net carbs per serving to 4.8 grams. Yes friends, popcorn is indeed a keto food.

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Will one slice of pizza take you out of ketosis? ›

Regular Crust

This type of pizza crust can have up to 33g of carbs without any added sauce or cheese. If you're limiting your carbs to 20-50 grams per day, one slice of this type of crust will likely kick you out of ketosis.

How often should you do a keto cycle? ›

Typically, each week is divided between 4–6 days of lower carb intake and 1–3 days of higher intake. While the method is the same, carb cycling doesn't reduce overall carb intake drastically enough to reach ketosis.

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Does carb cycling work for fat loss? ›

Taking short breaks to cycle carbs can give your body a chance to burn fat instead of carbs and muscle tissues. But it's important to remember that if you aren't doing plenty of exercise or intense training while carb cycling, high-carb days might make you gain weight.

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How much weight can I lose in a month on keto? ›

How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month on Keto? Individuals on a keto diet can lose an average of 10-12 pounds in their first month if they stay consistent with the diet and maintain a calorie deficit. However, weight loss can vary depending on starting weight, age, and activity level.

Does carb cycling make you lose muscle? ›

Ultimately, carb cycling is one of the most flexible diet approaches out there to help you gain muscle and burn fat at the same time. As long as you stay strict on which day is high-carb (low-fat) or low-carb (high-fat) AND you hit your carb numbers, you'll see some great results.

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