Followers of the world-known high fat, low-carb keto diet are boasting its effects, which made it a hit among those who want to lose weight. However, since we aren’t living in a world in which all people follow this diet, in some circumstances, the regimen can be challenging to follow. There is an alternative, however. In this new approach, you follow on the keto diet, on and off at specific intervals. Even though this might sound interesting, there are some red flags you might want to consider.
Keto Cycling
The keto diet is created to make you adapt yourself to using fat foods rather than glucose, which is developed by carbohydrates you eat. Even though this process might seem simple, it is extremely challenging at its core. You will indeed lose weight, but water weight, as your body expels the remaining carbs, but numerous reports of those who tried this approach say that the weight returns.
The difficult task keto dieters face it the irrational carb limit, accounted at around 20 grams per day. This is the reason why keto cycling is so appealing to many. Even though it has no official description and there is no science to prove that it works, many people follow the diet for a few days, then switch to a higher carb menu for a couple of days.
Perhaps the most you get with following the keto diet cycling is the apparent addition of fruits, beans, and whole grains, in the days you follow the less rigid regimen, which is rich in healthy substances, such as fiber, usually low on a typical keto menu.
Does it Affect Weight Loss?
Keto cycling might sound more comfortable to follow in theory, but as Molly Devine, RD, owner, and founder of MSD Nutrition Consulting and Eat Your Keto says, the reality is much harsher.
She explains that just a handful of people can go on and off the diet successfully because the main difficulty is intense cravings for carbs and sugar, which comes back as soon as you reintroduce these foods.
What Risks Do You Submit Yourself To?
Besides the intense cravings, there are several other risks you introduce yourself to when cycling on and off the keto diet. Studies have observed the effect of following a rigid keto diet for six days and then off-ing it has on the body.
“We saw a temporary increase in the levels of endothelial microparticles (sometimes called microvesicles) in the blood,” said study co-author and Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia Jonathan P. Little.
Endothelial cells are the individual layer of cells that cover and protect the blood vessels. Microparticles are tiny vesicles that are released from cells when they are inflamed or injured, so discovering an alarming increase in these particles suggests that the blood vessels suffered damage and inflammation when glucose increased.
Aside from the blood vessel inflammation, Dr. Little also warns that the metabolic change your body is subjected to on the keto diet means that you are partly glucose-intolerant, so a menu that is high on carbs might not be the smartest idea.
Is There a Healthier Alternative to Keto Diet Cycling?
Fortunately, there is. Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, Director of Women’s Cardiovascular Prevention, Health and Wellness at Mount Sinai Heart, Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association, as well as spokesperson for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign, said that the Mediterranean diet is a better approach than the keto diet or keto cycling means.
She explains that the Mediterranean diet had been demonstrated to decrease the risk of developing heart diseases by as much as 30 percent. Weight loss and better blood sugar management can be attained by increasing your vegetable consumption and eliminating the overly processed carbs and sweets.
Irrelevant of the approach you go for, keep in mind that the idea is to embrace a healthier diet, not for a few months, but for life, which is the real fundamental way to achieve a healthy and sustainable weight loss.