It’s been a year since I released my Keto Meal Plan for Fat Loss and I still receive a number of questions about all things keto. One of the things you receive from the meal plan is a very long and thorough guide. In it, I provide the history of keto along with common FAQs and myth-busters. Needless to say, I put a lot of effort to ensure that the way you did keto on the plan was sound, safe, and evidence-based. Granted, the keto diet isn’t the one diet to rule them all. No such diet even exists. However, it does help many people, myself included.

But I’m not following it 100% of the time. 

Shocking, I know. I like to approach my diet depending on how my body feels. If it’s summer and a ton of seasonal fruits are in season, you bet I’m going to take advantage of it and enjoy what will otherwise take me out of ketosis! Which, by the way, doesn’t mean I’m going to gain any weight. The whole point of keto is to change where your body obtains its main (emphasis on the word main) source of energy. On keto, you’re transitioning from burning mostly glucose (sugar, from carbs) and some fat over to mostly fat, ketones, and minute amounts of glucose. So, by getting off of it, you’re going to be re-working the metabolic switch and going back to using glucose as a primary fuel source.

But here’s the problem- a lot of people don’t know how to transition off of keto. A very common complaint about keto now is that people are either experiencing a rebound in their weight or no longer experience the positive effects of keto. So, what gives? Does that mean they wasted their time on keto? Did the diet actually backfire?
Alright guys, allow me to clear things up and give you my two cents. Although I covered how to transition off of keto in the guide for my meal plan, I understand that not everyone wants to go on it and would rather get some advice. So, without further ado, here’s what I suggest for when you’re looking to step off of the keto train and go back to either a higher or somewhat lower carb diet that will otherwise put you off of nutritional ketosis. Let’s get right into it!

Wise Up on Carbs

If you really want to do this right, then you’re still going to have to be mindful of your carbohydrate consumption. Just like a person reintroduces a food after going on a diet for food intolerances, you’re going to have to go slow and carefully. Don’t just pig out on a ton of carbs meal after meal. Go at it strategically:

• Start off with having one moderate to high carb meal for 1-2 days. Then, do two moderate to high carb meals for 1-2 days. And again, do three meals if you like onward and see how your body responds.
• Pick foods that contain fiber. On keto, even the carbs from vegetables and fruits count. So, feel free to be even more generous with your serving sizes. After that, explore other foods like sweet potatoes, yams, brown or wild rice, quinoa, legumes, and oats, all of which are still high in fiber but have a bit of carbs in them.
• Consider your meal timing. A good way to ensure that your body is really absorbing and using those carbs optimally is through exercise. Make your carb-focused meal either a pre or post workout one. That way, your body is burning up and using some of them to support performance and recovery. This is also the time to start feasting on higher carb fruits like bananas, mango, pineapple, apple, pear, grapes, plums, nectarines, and peaches! (That’s quite a number of options!)
• Beware of simple carbs. I’m talking about candy, desserts, sweets, pastas, cereals… all of them. Especially at the beginning. Continue doing 1-3 for at least two weeks prior to incorporating these simple carbs. Otherwise, the rebound will be horrendous due to the overload of simple sugars and excess calories, which are going to mess with insulin and blood sugar and definitely contribute to added weight. Not because of being on keto but for the simple fact that you’re overeating and taking in way too many calories that your body isn’t going to need and instead store away. So, keep the treats at a minimum, which I recommended for everyone regardless of whatever diet they’re on.

Rearrange Your Macros

On keto, your typical macronutrient ratio is primarily fat, moderate to high protein, and very, very low carb. Going off of keto requires a new arrangement. High fat and high carb is not a good combination, with emerging research suggesting that it’s the combination(rather than the isolation) of refined fats and carbs that leads to overeating. [1] A good strategy, therefore, is to start lowering your fat intake to compensate for the rise in carbs. Don’t sweat it, either. You did the same when transitioning to keto; now it’s simply the opposite. I’m not saying you eliminate fats, either (after all, I don’t even recommend eliminating carbs altogether on keto). Just keep the intake on either the low to moderate side of things. If you’re choosing to stick to a low carb diet (albeit one that gives you more leeway compared to keto), then you’ll be able to get away with having higher amounts of fat. Otherwise, keep an eye on the fats as you increase your carbs. And don’t neglect protein! It may even help to increase your intake for a while, which increases satiety (aka, prevents overeating from keeping you full).

A Note on Water Weight

Expect some degree of either weight gain or shifts in your body composition. Carbohydrates naturally pull in water; the word “hydrate” is in their name, after all. [2] This needn’t be a bad thing, though! In fact, in athletes, the extra carbs will give your muscles a more defined and “fuller” look, really making those abs pop! Even then, water weight is not the same as weight gained from fat or muscle. Soon, your body will adapt to the changes in your metabolism and the water weight effect should go away. That’s why even off of keto you should stay on top of your hydration since this will help your body to flush away all of the excess water. And again, give it time. Don’t reach out for diuretics and make yourself toilet away this problem. Hydrate, consider using a sauna or get your sweat on in the ZGYM if you’d like. But know that this transition is going to take some time and patience! Because there are high carb athletes- not every person wearing a bikini out there is on keto. You’ll be just fine!

Your Plan of Action

Alright, let’s summarize my tips. When it comes to transitioning off of keto, the name of the game is strategy. So, plan your meals ahead of time. Or at least know what your eating schedule is going to be like. Give yourself a few weeks to fully adapt to either a moderate or high carb diet. If you’re on a low carb diet, you can cycle carbs in whenever you like as a treat or around exercise to really optimize your body’s use of carbs to support your exercise goals. And be aware that some fluctuations in weight are likely to occur just due to the fact that you’re increasing the carbs. Over time your body will adjust, and the extra water or bloat will go away. Don’t be tempted by overdoing it on high carb, sugary, processed foods or diuretics. Go slow, respect your body, and pay attention to how it reacts to carbs. You may find that you don’t need as many as you think.

Alright, everyone, I hope this little how-to helps! Let me know how you’ve managed to come off of keto, or whether or not you’re still interested in it. If you’d like me to address any other keto topics in the future, please leave your suggestions in the comments below!

Sources:

[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/combining-fat-carbs-overloads-brain-makes-us-overeat-n883201
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19940093