Hyde
Legend
After the reading I’ve done and my own experience, I think continued straight keto is a very poor idea - it should always be cyclic, to maintain insulin sensitivity and the ability to flex fuel. The only people who should stay in extended keto with no insulin exposure really should be true diabetics who have very significant metabolic damage that need to repair their diabetes.
But all iterations of lifestyle and bodybuilding very low carb/keto diets incorporate a cyclic carb exposure, to restore hormonal output, maintain insulin sensitivity, help maintain thyroid, leptin, etc. as well as benefit from the inherent anabolism for muscle maintenance. Whether this be like DiPasquale’s 1-2 day carb up, a high carb day, a cheat meal or partial day, they all utilize a window of heightened insulin & carbohydrate exposure. And the diets themselves being successful are not underpinned on being in actual ketosis; if you come in and out won’t change that a sustained deficit will have you burning fat off over time. But overall satiety and brain function will remain better if carbs stay very low and ketosis can often be achieved. Plus the fats are necessary for hormonal functions the carbs are simply not.
I think the 10-12 day keto startup period as you are doing before your first carb-up the way DiPasquale has always recommended (and everyone else ripped off from him) makes perfect sense. Just helps get you used to using fat more efficiently.
