10 Great Low-Carb Christmas Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you break keto for Christmas? ›

Taking Breaks from Keto

You can have carbs and re-enter ketosis later. You might, for instance, consider a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) over the holidays. To practice cyclical Keto, simply eat high-carb one to two days per week and stay Keto the other five days. You can also carb cycle daily.

Drinks that contain calories and are high in carbohydrates — like fruit juices and regular soda — not only break the fasting process, but they cause your blood sugar levels to rise fast and kick you out of ketosis.

Cutting your carb intake is the best way to get into ketosis. Other actions, such as consuming MCT oil and exercising in a fasted state, may also help. Quick and easy methods, such as using special urine strips, can let you know whether you're maintaining ketosis or you need to make some adjustments to your diet.

Food and drinks allowed on a no-carb diet include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, oils, water, and plain coffee or tea. If you're less stringent, you can also eat nuts, seeds, non-starchy vegetables, and high fat fruits like avocado and coconut since these foods are low in net carbs.

While some organs can learn to live without carbohydrates, others can't. This means that it is a good idea to include carbohydrates in your diet as they are the easiest way to provide glucose to your body. That being said, you can cut down on or cut out carbs if you are getting enough calories every day.

You don't have to follow a strict low carb diet. Some research suggests that replacing refined carbs with unprocessed starchy carbs may improve metabolic health and reduce belly fat ( 34 , 35 ).

“As you transition off the ketogenic diet, start to slowly decrease your fat intake while upping your intake of lean proteins, vegetables, and wholesome carbohydrates, like fresh fruit, whole grains, and beans,” she says. White refined grains and sugars should still be limited.

As you move away from keto restrictions, steer clear of simple carbs. This includes sugar, soda, candy and other sweets, and highly processed foods. Instead, concentrate on a diet that is rich in lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbs. A good model to follow is the Mediterranean diet.

On those higher-carb days, Devine recommends sticking to whole foods with low amounts of sugar rather than going on a full-blown carb binge. Foods like fruit, sweet potatoes, and whole grains — all considered complex carbs — rather than white bread and sweets will make it easier for the body to re-adapt to ketosis.

How do you break a keto stall? ›

Reducing your intake of carbs or calories, expanding your workout routine, reducing your stress levels, and trying intermittent fasting are all strategies to help break a weight loss plateau on the keto diet.