Navigating Keto: What happens when you fall off the keto wagon?

How do you successfully cycle the ketogenic diet ?

Following a ketogenic diet isn't always smooth sailing. There can be many reasons why we fall of the keto wagon: whether it be social events, accidentally eating something that you thought was keto OR deliberately cycling the ketogenic diet. 

We believe it's healthy to cycle the ketogenic diet and occasionally incorporate whole food sources of carbohydrates, such as seasonal fruits and vegetables into your diet. This is to replenish your glycogenic stores and to help you achieve metabolic flexibility: when you can derive energy from both sugars and fats and easily get back into ketosis. 

Summer is the best time to experiment with incorporating carbs, as fruits are in season and our bodies are far more primed for metabolising fructose than at any other time of the year. 

However, the last thing you want to do is end up with a sugar hangover and get kicked out of ketosis for too long. Here are our top hacks for getting back into ketosis: 

1. Apple Cider Vinegar, Cinnamon, Berberine, Bitter Melon Extract: All of these slow down the release of sugar into your blood stream, often  enabling you to stay in ketosis even while consuming small amounts of carbohydrates. They also inhibit your production of insulin which can help you lose weight (since insulin is a fat storing hormone). 

2. Fast: Follow your carb refuelling day with a 16-18 hour fasting window. We've personally found that you can eat carbohydrates at lunchtime and be back in ketosis by the next morning following an intermittent fast. 

3. HIIT: Do high intensity exercise before, during or after your carb refuel. This way your body will shuttle the sugar source to replenish the glycogen stores in your muscles-making you look more swole-and preventing the sugar from sitting in your blood stream and potentially causing inflammation. 

4. BHB Salts: Take exogenous ketones the next day and get back into ketosis within 60 minutes. 

And there you have it, ketosis and carb cycling hacked! Do you have any other methods that you use? We'd love to know!