Week #8
Hang in there! You’re sooo close!!!
Following a strict keto diet, you will track everything that goes into your mouth. Focus on consuming whole foods only; no processed foods or treats.
During week 8, you may want to work at consuming all of your calories and macros within an optional 9-hour window (15 hours of fasting). Here is what a typical 9-hour eating window could look like:
See the post entitled: What Is Intermittent Fasting? How To Do It?
Refer to the Recipes – Week 8 post for some great keto-friendly recipes.
This week, the following topics will be addressed:
I’m not a Starbucks fan. As such, I can’t speak to the taste of any of the drinks listed below. But, they do come highly recommended within the keto community.
This visual comes from Brainy Gains.
I copied the screenshot below from Facebook last year. I have searched high and low, but can’t find the reference.
If you happen to know the original source, please let me know so that I can give credit where credit is due.
Carb-up days (sometimes called refeeding days as they are meant to replenish the body’s depleted glucose reserves) can be part of what is referred to as a cyclical ketogenic diet.
While many advocate doing a carb-up one day per week, others say one day every 2-4 weeks is better.
Regardless, until you have been in ketosis for a substantial period of time, you should not attempt carb-up days. (It’s also a good idea to eat your carb-up meal at dinner, as opposed to earlier in the day. This allows the carb rebound to happen when we sleep).
Why would anyone want a carb-up day when the main premise of keto is to reduce carbohydrates??? Some say that carb-up days help to combat weight loss plateaus/stalls. Being in ketosis all the time can cause some people’s metabolism to stall slightly. Intentionally popping in and out of ketosis keeps your metabolism guessing.
Another added benefit of cyclical keto is that our muscles do require glucose. And, keto can cause small muscle mass loss. By replenishing the glucose stores, muscle mass loss may be reduced.
There are no standard rules for cyclical keto or carb-up days. The general rule of thumb is – on carb-up days – to consume more carbs in order to break ketosis. On these refeeding days, the macro ratio is altered:
Carb quality matters. If doing a carb-up day, it may sound incredibly satisfying to eat potato chips, baked goods, and all the other unhealthy foods that you’ve been avoiding. But, the majority of your carbs should be coming from healthy sources that are abundant in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Examples of nutritiously dense complex carbs include things like brown rice, whole wheat or brown pasta, sweet potatoes, oats, beans, quinoa, nuts, and nut butters.
The goal of a carb-up days is to shock the body and kick it out of ketosis.
When your carb-up day is done, it is recommended that you do a 16-hour fast (following strict keto guidelines) and also perform a high intensity workout to achieve ketosis and optimize muscle growth.
Every now and then I come across a website with amazing information. When I first started keto, I did a ‘food swaps’ google search and came across a fabulous website. All of the visuals on the following pages, come from Wholesome Yum and are printable PDFs.
The menu for next week is anything that falls under the strict keto umbrella. You will carefully log and monitor all of your macros and calories. You can follow an optional 9-hour eating window, fasting for 15 hours each day. Remember, fasting is recommended, but optional.
See the post entitled: What Is Intermittent Fasting? How To Do It?
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