Season 1, Episode 7- Diet Variation
After eating low carb and intermittent fasting for about 6 weeks, it is time for diet variation. If you think you are going to find the “perfect diet” and eat that way every day for the rest of your life… you are wrong! Your body will change and you need to change your food choices along with it. Ideally, we all eat as much variety as possible.
People who have been sticking to a strict keto diet for about 6 weeks should seriously consider more diet variation. A good place to start is the 5-1-1 Rule:
5 days per week: Eat the typical keto diet. Low carb, avoid snacks, moderate intermittent fasting. Implement everything that season one has been teaching on these days.
1 day per week: Carb day. Eat some starchier foods like sweet potatoes, peas, berries, beets, squash, fruit. Consider eating 3 meals that day and shorten your intermittent fast to about 12 hours. If you still have blood sugar issues or diabetes, only add in a small amount of carbs (ex. 1/2 cups blueberries only) People who have low body fat and a fasting insulin level between 2-5 can get away with having a few more servings of starchy foods on carb day.
1 day per week: 24 hour water fast. Only consume water for a 24 hour period of time. This is only for people who are ready for it! Do not force fasting, or it becomes too stressful and can kick you out of ketosis. If you struggle, start with a shorter fast, and work your way up to 24 hours over a year or so.
Special Tips:
Don’t put your carb day and 24 hour fast right next to each other. Example, do a carb day on a Saturday, and a 24 hour fast on a Wednesday.
Listen to your body! If something doesn’t feel right, or you are forcing the 5-1-1, then it isn’t right for you. Try your own version of diet variation.
For women with difficult PMS or periods- eat more carbs during the most difficult days of your cycle. Example: if you have terrible PMS, plan to have a serving or two of carbs each night that you normally feel terrible. If your PMS improves, you know that it is working!
Signs you need more diet variation:
Keto worked at first, but now you have plateaued or your results are backsliding.
Your hair is falling out.
You lost your period.
Your sleep is worse.
You have higher anxiety.
All your cravings came back after being gone for a while.
You’ve been eating the same thing for more than 6 weeks.
You feel like you are forcing yourself to eat a certain way.
