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

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

It can be hard to follow a keto diet because you are allowed very few foods containing carbohydrates. Some people cope with the challenge by keto cycling, i.e., having some days off in which they eat more carbohydrates before returning to a complete keto plan.

“If you feel better off eating carbs occasionally and it doesn't seem to interfere with your weight, keto cycling may be a good fit for you. On the other hand, many people do seem to benefit from staying consistently keto or alternating keto with low carb (around 30-60 grams of net carbs per day),” she explains.

Though it's possible to consume enough fiber on a standard keto diet, transitioning to a cyclical ketogenic diet can make it much easier. During refeeding days, high-fiber carbs, such as oats, sweet potatoes, beans and quinoa, are allowed.

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.

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. It's not clear what kind of possible long-term health risks a low-carb diet may pose.

Eating more than 50 grams of carbs may disrupt ketosis.

Some people can eat more and still stay in ketosis, whereas others may need to restrict their carb intake more in order to stay in ketosis.

Keto Net Carb Diet. On the ketogenic diet, the "net carb" is the amount of carbs in a food minus the fiber and sugar alcohol. Fiber and sugar alcohol are subtracted because the body does not fully absorb them. The keto net carb diet limits daily carbohydrate consumption to 20-50 grams to induce ketosis.

Keto cycling doesn't have a 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.

On the keto diet, you are allowed to have no more than 50 grams of net carbs per day – and the fewer, the better! But by focusing on “net” rather than “total” carbs, you won't be denying your body the essential fiber it needs for proper function.

How can I intensify my ketosis? ›

Foods you can eat on the keto diet include fish and seafood, meat and poultry, non-starchy vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and zucchini, avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, eggs, high-fat dairy products, olive oil and other oils, and high-cocoa chocolate.

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.

To maximize weight loss on a ketogenic diet, get adequate sleep, reduce stress, be more active and consume whole, nutritious, low-carb foods whenever possible.

Because keto cycling isn't a branded or trademarked term, there are no exact guidelines for you to follow. Some websites describe following a strict keto diet for six days a week followed by one "cheat day" or "high-carb day." Others encourage switching it up more frequently.

In theory, carb cycling may help you maintain physical performance while encouraging your body to burn fat for energy. As with any diet, the main mechanism behind weight loss is a calorie deficit, meaning that you eat less than your body burns over a prolonged period ( 15 ).

If you're wondering if Keto Cycle actually works, you'll be happy to know that there's evidence it does: A retrospective analysis of Keto Cycle user data that was published in May 2022 in the journal BMC Nutrition suggests that when it comes to weight loss, this diet delivers.

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.