Cyclical keto diet: Try variation of keto diet

The modification in the keto diet can also help to increase your athletic performance. Moreover, the cyclical diet can help to reduce the nasty side-effects of the keto diet like keto flu, nausea, fatigue, headaches, constipation, weakness, difficulty in sleeping and irritability.

01/ The trendiest diet

Unless you've been living under a rock, you would be well aware of the high-fat, moderate protein and low-carb ketogenic diet that has taken the world by storm. It wouldn't be incorrect to say that a majority of you have either already tried it or keep getting tempted to give it a go, owing to its popularity. You have to starve your body of carbs and increase your fat intake, to reach a phase of ketosis, where the body starts to depend on fat deposition for creating energy instead of carbs.

Keto is considered tough and often inflexible, but there are different variations of the keto diet that can be comparatively easier to follow like the cyclical ketogenic diet.

02/ ​What is the cyclical ketogenic diet?

The keto diet is an extremely low carb diet, where you have to restrict your carb consumption to 50 grams per day. The drastic reduction in carb intake forces your body to use fat deposited in the cells for energy. But having a low-carb diet regularly often causes troubles like constipation. The cyclical ketogenic diet is a modification of the traditional diet, making it easier to stick to the diet for a longer period of time.

03/ The Cyclical diet

This diet involves following the standard ketogenic diet for 5–6 days per week, followed by 1–2 days of higher carb consumption diet. There is no standard way to follow this diet, you just have to increase your carb intake 1-2 days in a week. The high carb days are called “refeeding days,” because on these days you replenish your body's depleted glucose reserves.

04/ ​Cyclical ketogenic diet nutrient intake

During the standard keto diet days, 75 per cent of your daily calorie consumption should come from healthy fats that include eggs, coconut oil, ghee, avocado, low-carb nuts, seeds and fatty meat. Protein should make 15 to 20 per cent of your diet and remaining 10 to 5 per cent should from carbs.

On refeeding days, carbs should comprise 60 to 70 per cent of your total calorie count. 15 to 20 per cent should come from protein and the remaining 5 to 10 per cent calories from fat. Include healthy and complex carbs like sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, quinoa and whole-wheat in your diet.

It is recommended to follow intermittent fasting for 16 hours after refeeding days and before returning to the standard keto diet.

05/ ​Benefits of a cyclical ketogenic diet

Cyclical diet is considered better than the standard ketogenic diet when trying to build muscle and strength. Studies suggest that following a low carb diet for a long time can suppress muscle-building hormones. Breaking the low-carb cycle can increase the level of hormone in the body and promote muscle growth.