Milly Gaines
The ketogenic diet (keto) is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that causes weight loss and provides several health benefits. While it can be effective for weight loss, it is not a long-term solution, and many people regain at least half of the weight they lost after stopping the diet. When stopping keto, it is essential to do it safely and effectively to avoid negative physical effects. This includes blood sugar spikes, weight gain, and nutritional deficiencies. To mitigate these effects, it is recommended to gradually reintroduce healthy, whole carbs and lean proteins while increasing carb intake by about 10% each day.
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What You'll Learn
How to transition off the keto diet
Quitting the keto diet can bring health benefits if done correctly. However, there are some physical effects—both positive and negative—that you should be aware of. For example, you may experience blood sugar fluctuations, which can cause jitteriness, mood changes, hyperactivity, and fatigue.
To transition off the keto diet, it is recommended to do the opposite of what you did when starting the diet: educate yourself and plan. You should also be mindful that it will take time, just like it did when you first started the diet. The transition should take a few weeks. About 14 days is a reasonable amount of time for your body to adjust to the change.
During the transition, you can increase your carb intake each day by about 10%. Focus on healthy, whole carbs that won't cause spikes in your blood sugar. For example, you can eat antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, and squash, as well as more fiber from whole grains, beans, lentils, fruits, and starchy vegetables.
You can also gradually replace the high-fat proteins you've been consuming with lean proteins. This will help you gain muscle mass, which is especially beneficial if you're over 30 years old, as muscle synthesis begins to decrease with age.
Remember, weight fluctuation is always a possibility when transitioning off the keto diet. To maintain healthy weight loss, seek the advice of a local registered dietitian.
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The benefits of stopping keto
Stopping a ketogenic diet can bring several health benefits, but it is important to do it the right way.
Firstly, getting off keto can improve your gut health. The keto diet restricts many high-fibre foods, such as whole grains, legumes, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies, particularly in fibre. When you stop keto, you can reintroduce these fibre-rich foods, improving your gut health and overall nutrition.
Secondly, you may experience better energy levels. While keto is advertised as providing "turbo-charged energy", this may only be true for short workouts. For longer, more intense workouts, muscles need carbohydrates. By stopping keto and reintroducing carbs, you may find you have more energy for longer, more challenging workouts.
Thirdly, you can gain more muscle. Most keto dieters focus mainly on fat, and the diet restricts protein sources like legumes and beans. As proteins are the building blocks of muscle, getting off keto and increasing your protein intake may lead to gains in muscle mass, especially important as you age and muscle synthesis decreases.
Finally, stopping keto can improve your cholesterol levels. The keto diet is high in saturated fat from meat and low in fibre-rich fruits, which may negatively impact your cholesterol levels. By slowly decreasing fat intake and increasing fibre-rich carbs, you can improve your cholesterol levels and overall heart health.
It is important to note that there may be some negative consequences to stopping keto, such as blood sugar spikes and weight fluctuation. Therefore, it is recommended to transition off keto slowly and seek advice from a registered dietitian to maintain a healthy weight and overall diet.
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Weight gain and weight stability
Quitting the ketogenic diet can lead to weight gain and fluctuations. This is a common occurrence, as the body is readjusting to the reintroduction of carbohydrates. The key to maintaining weight stability is to make a plan and transition gradually. It is recommended that transitioning off the keto diet should take a few weeks, with a reasonable timeframe of 14 days for the body to adjust to the change. This can be done by increasing carb intake by about 10% each day or aiming for two extra servings of carbs per day.
During this transition, it is important to focus on healthy, whole carbs that won't cause spikes in blood sugar. It is essential to avoid processed carbs and sugary foods, such as donuts, cookies, and pizza, as they can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, leading to jitteriness, mood changes, hyperactivity, and fatigue. Instead, opt for nutrient-rich whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which provide complex carbohydrates and essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fibres.
Additionally, it is crucial to monitor portion sizes and serving amounts to prevent overeating. Staying hydrated is also important, as dehydration can cause irritability and mistaken hunger cues. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management, is equally vital in supporting weight stability.
While weight gain is a possibility when stopping the keto diet, it is not inevitable. By gradually increasing carb intake, choosing healthy carbs, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle, individuals can minimize weight fluctuations and promote overall health.
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Blood sugar fluctuations
Quitting the ketogenic diet can cause blood sugar fluctuations. Edwina Clark, R.D., C.S.S.D., head of nutrition and wellness at Yummly, says, "It's hard to predict how someone will react to coming off the keto diet. Some may experience minimal effects, while others may find that their blood sugar spikes and then crashes after their first carb-moderate meal."
Blood sugar spikes can cause jitteriness, mood changes, hyperactivity, and fatigue. This is because the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that causes the body to use fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. When you stop the keto diet, your body has to adjust to using carbohydrates for energy again, which can cause blood sugar spikes.
To avoid blood sugar spikes when stopping the keto diet, it is important to gradually add carbohydrates back into your diet. This allows your body to adjust to using carbohydrates for energy again. Adding carbohydrates back into your diet too quickly can cause blood sugar spikes and other negative side effects.
It is also important to note that the keto diet is not suitable for everyone. For example, people with type 1 diabetes or those taking insulin may not be good candidates for long-term keto dieting. Additionally, the keto diet can be hard to maintain because it is very restrictive.
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What to eat after keto
Quitting the keto diet can have various physical effects, both positive and negative. You may experience blood sugar fluctuations, weight gain, and better gut health. To avoid shocking your system, it's important to have a plan for what to eat after stopping keto.
When reintroducing carbs, it's best to start with those that are not high in sugar. Cookies, donuts, and other processed foods that are high in sugar can cause your blood sugar to spike, leading to fatigue and increased sugar cravings. Instead, opt for carbs with probiotics, such as whole grains, to combat bloating.
It's recommended to eat most of your carbs right before or after exercise. This helps your body process carbs more efficiently, speeding up your metabolism and aiding digestion. Maintaining a regular exercise regimen will also help you avoid weight gain as you reintroduce carbs.
To combat hunger and promote muscle gain, continue eating healthy fats and lean proteins. Monounsaturated fats should make up 15% to 20% of your diet, while polyunsaturated fats should account for 5% to 10%. Saturated fats should be limited to less than 10% of your daily intake.
You can also increase your fruit and vegetable intake. Eat a rainbow of veggies, including sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, and squash. Additionally, enjoy antioxidant-rich fruits like mangoes, oranges, grapes, and bananas, which were restricted on keto.
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Frequently asked questions
Stopping a ketogenic diet can bring health benefits such as improved gut health, lower cholesterol, and reduced inflammation. You will also be able to eat a wider variety of nutrient-rich foods, including more fruits and vegetables, which provide antioxidants and fiber.
Side effects of stopping a ketogenic diet can include weight gain and blood sugar spikes. However, weight gain is not guaranteed and depends on various factors, such as your body's metabolism and level of physical activity.
It is important to transition gradually when stopping a ketogenic diet. Instead of suddenly increasing your carbohydrate intake, focus on quality carbs that take longer to digest, such as whole grains, beans, and legumes. It is recommended to increase your carb intake gradually over a few weeks to give your body time to adjust.
