Maybe you’ve been in ketosis for weeks, but you caved and ate pizza at a party. Maybe you’re new to keto and old habits have tempted you. A carb binge isn’t ideal, but what you do next makes all the difference. The next thing you know, you’ve eaten enough carbs for and you are not on track, and you wonder how you’ll get back into ketosis after a carb binge.
What happens after a carb binge?
You may feel low on energy after a high-carb meal, and the effects are even more intense after a big binge. If you’ve been on a carb binge, it’s normal to experience signs like Fatigue, Brain fog, Nausea, Bloating, Low energy and Feelings of regret and guilt, lack of sleep.
Can you get back to ketosis after a carb binge?
Yes! You can. You will get back into ketosis. As far as how long it will take to get back into ketosis – that depends on numerous factors, that we’ll dive into here. The important thing to remember is, you did not obliterate your goals with one misstep. Especially after you’ve spent some amount of time in ketosis, your body will allow for fluctuations in carb consumption here and there. That’s called metabolic flexibility, which we’ll go into shortly.
Also, The keto flu is most prevalent when you’re transitioning into ketosis, whether it’s your first time or not. Don’t let the thought of the keto flu keep you from getting back into ketosis. Keto-flu symptoms include cramps, dizziness, and stomach pains, and they can occur for a few reasons:
- Your body is going through carb withdrawal
- You need more electrolytes
- You’re dehydrated
- You need more micronutrients
Addressing these issues can help you transition back into ketosis with ease. That means watching your electrolyte intake, staying hydrated, and eating plenty of nutrient-dense foods.
Tips to get back to ketosis after a carb binge
1)Scale back your carbs-
Get yourself to where you were before you found yourself off-track. Monitor and calculate your macros accordingly.
2)Choose high fats snacks –
If at all possible avoid in-between meal snacking because every time you eat, it spikes insulin, But, if you\’re struggling between meals and must have a snack to get you by, choose something high in fat. You can have fat bombs with you to make your feel satiated. The reasoning behind this is simple, carbs have the largest insulin response, followed by protein then fat. Fat creates the least amount of insulin.
3)Intermittent Fasting:
An intermittent fast is an efficient way to get back into ketosis. Intermittent fasting allows your body to use glycogen stores, and this helps your body enter ketosis. Why does this work? When you’re fasting, there isn’t any food – or energy – coming in, which means your body then turns to stored glucose (aka glycogen) for energy.
4)Drink Plenty of Water: Fasting headaches are a normal occurrence but drinking plenty of water can help combat those headaches. Tip: When glycogen depletes, your body is going to use all that water to dump electrolytes, so be sure to make sure you’re getting enough electrolytes too. A sip of warm bone broth can do the trick too!
5)Exercise:
Exercise helps get you back into ketosis by sending glucose store to your muscles. This helps use up your glucose stores quicker, which means you are one step closer to burning ketones for fuel instead of glucose
6)Get Plenty of Sleep:
A lack of sleep can affect your overall health, whether you’re in ketosis or not. Studies show that a lack of sleep (AKA less than eight hours for adults) can increase hunger and cravings for carbs. Also: when you’re sleep-deprived, your body is less effective at using insulin.
7)Take Exogenous Ketones:
Exogenous implies that something comes from outside of your body. Taking exogenous ketones is a way to supplement your body with ketones, which can help blood glucose to decrease significantly.
Following the tips to get back to ketosis after a carb binge will surely help! Getting back to ketosis varies from person to person. Also, It depends on how metabolically flexible you were before you started, how insulin-sensitive you are currently, how many carbs you were accustomed to consuming before you increase your carb intake. There are a lot of factors. Minimum 3-4 days to get back on track. So, Start now, and you’ll get to where you want to be before you know it.
Get yourself started today and Stay tuned for more such keto weight loss journeys, health content, and recipes! Also, don\’t forget to follow us on Instagram for the daily dose of the Keto Lifestyle!
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