Cycling Keto Diet
Cycling Keto Diet means that you stick to a low carb keto diet five to six days a week and have one or two days when you take higher carbs. This type of keto diet has a big psychological effect, it’s easier to follow a strict keto diet knowing that you have those free days.
Cycling Keto Diet (CKD) is good for athletes.
How to follow Cycling Keto Diet
To follow a CKD you would need to increase carbs intake 1-2 days per week. During those days you break ketosis and fill in glycogen stores.
It does not mean that you should go crazy with carbs on cheat days. Your daily carbs consumption should be around 70% of total daily calories.
It is important to go for healthy carbs, the ones that have nutritional value for the body. Refined carbs from processed foods are not good for body health.
Good healthy carbs for Cheat Days
Try to include these products during your out of keto days:
- Brown rice
- Quinoa
- Sweet potatoes
- Oats
- Beans
- Whole wheat pasta
Above foods have great nutritional value, they are rich in fiber (digestive carb), vitamins and minerals.
Avoid during cheat days these foods:
- Soft drinks (diet soft drinks can be taken in moderation)
- Processed packed sweets and cakes
How to get back to ketosis fast after cheat days
The best way to get back to ketosis is via 16 hours intermittent fasting. You can also add intense workout on the first day of getting back to ketosis in order to make this return process faster.
Carb Cycling and Keto Cycling
Keto cycling and carb cycling are two different diet approaches. Carb cycling is not targeting getting the body back to ketosis. Carb cycling means varying carbs daily intake depending on physical activity. This diet is not focused on high fat consumption, it is high in protein, low in fat, and carbs do vary.
Carb cycling is not as strict as keto cycling. Athletes use this diet often, consuming higher carbs during intense workouts.
If your prime goal is weight loss, you need to stick to a keto diet.
Carb cycling diet helps with blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, but it is less effective for weight loss compared with a keto diet. Low carb days on carb cycling can still exceed the 50 grams benchmark of keto diet. Advantage is no keto flu, so depending on your final goal you should choose the best plan for you.
Pros and Cons of CKD
| Cycling Keto Diet Pros | Cycling Keto Diet Cons |
| Helps with keto flu symptoms | Weight loss slow down |
| Better nutritional balance | Requires strong commitment to get back to ketosis |
| Mood and hormones balance | Hard to stick to healthy carbs only |
| Easier commitment for longer time | Can be hard for the body to rotate two completely different metabolic states |
Patterns of Cycling Keto Diet
Most popular pattern of cycling keto diet is 5-6 days keto and 1-2 days higher in carbs. Some people follow another pattern: 10-12 days keto and 3-4 days higher in carbs.
There is no strict rule which pattern to choose. It depends on your physical activity, days of heavy workouts and how easy you can get back to ketosis.
You can try different patterns and choose the one which suits best for you depending on the goals and lifestyle. If you aim to achieve weight loss fast then it can be better to stick to a strict keto diet for the first few weeks. To maintain a healthy desired weight or gradually decrease those unwanted kilos you can switch to a CKD plan.