If you're intrigued by the ketogenic diet, or are currently on the high-fat, low-carb diet, you probably know that this diet is super restrictive, making it one of the most difficult diets to follow. But what exactly happens when you break the ketogenic diet guidelines?
What is ketosis?
First, a quick refresher on how the ketogenic diet works and why it can be effective – the goal of the keto diet is to send your body into a state of ketosis, which is optimal for burning fat.
But what exactly happens during ketosis? Since you are severely limiting carbohydrates, your body's cells cannot use the blood sugar extracted from these carbohydrates as the body's main source of energy. Instead, after burning the carbohydrates your body stores as glycogen, it burns the stored fat for energy, which produces a by-product called ketones. This process is known as ketosis.
During ketosis, most of the body's cells will use ketones to fuel the body with energy until carbohydrates are consumed. Getting into ketosis is not easy.
Most people increase their fat and protein intake while reducing carbohydrates and eliminating sugars almost entirely. On a typical ketogenic diet, only 5 to 10 percent of what you eat will be carbohydrates . That means that if you eat 2,000 calories a day, you will only have 40 grams of carbohydrates a day, that is, less than a regular-size bagel, which contains 55 grams of carbohydrates throughout the day.
It may take more than a week to carefully monitor your meals to reach ketosis.
And, when you have a lapse, maybe having a sugar-filled dessert one night, making a bun to go with your burger, or changing your macros from what's required on the ketogenic diet, you'll snap out of ketosis. When this happens, you can experience some unpleasant side effects.
4 effects of entering and exiting ketosis
Your brain can go from supercharged to slow
Normally, the brain gets its energy from glucose, which comes from carbohydrates. Once you remove carbohydrates from your body, the brain eventually turns to ketones. It may take a while for your body to get used to the new source of energy. That's one of the contributing factors to the " keto flu " or cluster of flu-like symptoms, including mental confusion, that can affect the first time you go on a diet.
Once that transition is over, many people report a sense of mental clarity. You might feel like a total rock star, beating deadlines and crushing your to-do list.
But when you're out of ketosis, those productive, feel-good vibes can get sluggish once again. This is because your body begins to get its energy from glucose again, which creates undeniable ups and downs .
Your hunger will go down and up
One of the reasons many people rely on the ketogenic diet is that it solves one of the biggest problems dieters have: hunger. People in ketosis feel less hungry and have less desire to eat, according to a January 2015 meta-analysis in Obesity Reviews.
But while you may feel less hungry, the transition to keto is not very pleasant. Insulin and blood glucose levels drop , making people feel tired and cranky.
And, once you stop following the diet, hunger will return. After all that deprivation, it can be tempting to reach for restricted foods, like sweets and other forms of simple carbohydrates. Not only will this undo any potential weight loss you've had while on the keto diet, but these types of foods are not very good for your overall health.
The key once hunger returns is to opt for good-for-you carbohydrates like oatmeal, beans, and whole fruits, and avoid sugar bombs. Basically, even if you're not on the keto diet anymore, you want to keep eating healthy foods.
Your stomach could get upset
One effect of drastically cutting carbohydrates is limiting your fiber intake . When it comes to your GI system, that's bad news: fiber helps relieve constipation, and high-fiber foods also often contain prebiotics, which in turn help fuel probiotics, the good bacteria that reside in your intestine.
Eating low-carb, high-fiber options like nuts and avocado can help while in ketosis, but when you go off keto guidelines, you may find yourself eating all kinds of high-fiber foods: whole grains, fruits, vegetables and so on. Although these are healthy and good foods for you, the sudden intake of foods rich in fiber could cause stomach problems (think gas, bloating and cramps ) as your system has become used to not having this nutrient.
To ease symptoms, take it easy when you want to add fiber back to your diet if you're taking a break from the ketogenic diet. A gradual approach with fiber will reduce unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms like gas and diarrhea.
Your weight can fluctuate
Weight loss from this diet is simply not usually sustainable. In fact, many people see rapid weight gain when they return to their normal eating habits again.
When you start the ketogenic diet, you may experience some weight loss due to the weight of the water. This is because the body is consuming those glycogen stores . Glycogen retains a good amount of water, so once carbohydrates are reintroduced, the water weight will return.
And it's not just water weight that people gain after breaking ketogenic diet guidelines. It is quite common for those who have lost weight on a ketogenic diet to regain more than they originally lost.
What about the ketogenic cycle?
Being on and off a ketogenic diet can also be called a " keto cycle ," but only if you follow a specific regimen.
This routine is when someone follows the ketogenic diet for a set number of days and then introduces carbohydrates for a shorter time.
Typically, people who cycle keto have five to six days on the keto diet , followed by a day or two off . The latter are called 'feedback' days because they are meant to replenish the body's glycogen stores, the source of glucose for high intensity exercise.
Athletes often use this practice as a means of improving muscle growth and exercise performance. But for ordinary folks who don't compete nationally or internationally, the ketocycle is an intentional way of working toward metabolic flexibility.
This refers to the ability to cycle complex carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen deficiency without affecting keto. This can only happen once your body is used to burning fat for fuel. It usually takes at least two weeks to get into ketosis.
During those days off from the ketogenic diet, the amount of carbohydrates you eat can vary based on your fitness level and goals, but they should be complex carbohydrates . Rest allows you to eat whole grains and foods rich in fiber and carbohydrates like beans. This is not a time to sneak into candy, simple carbs, or other unhealthy foods.
