Cyclical Keto Calculator (CKD)

CKD runs 5 to 6 standard keto days and 1 to 2 planned carb-up days each week. Keto days are standard keto: 25 g of net carbs, protein set from lean body mass, and fat for the rest. Carb-up days keep the same protein, drop fat to about 20% of calories, and fill the remaining calories with carbohydrate, usually around hard training, to refill muscle glycogen.

CKD suits people who do hard resistance training or high-volume, high-intensity work several days a week and feel their performance suffers on strict keto. If you train once or twice a week, or mostly at low intensity, standard keto is usually simpler and works just as well.

Far more than on keto days, often a few hundred grams depending on body size and calories. This calculator keeps protein the same as on keto days, sets fat at about 20% of calories, and gives the rest to carbohydrate; your carb-up targets show alongside your keto day targets. Easily digested sources such as white rice, potatoes, and fruit are the usual choices, because the aim is to refill muscle glycogen.

Yes, by design. A carb-up day stops ketosis while muscle glycogen is refilled. Getting back into ketosis afterwards usually takes one to a few days, depending on how many carbs you ate and how hard you train. You may spend a meaningful part of the week out of ketosis, which is the trade-off of this approach.

For weight loss alone, there is no clear advantage to CKD; total calories over the week matter most. Standard keto is simpler. CKD is mainly about keeping training performance up for people who need carbohydrate for high-intensity work.

White rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit, and other easily digested carbohydrates, with lean protein such as chicken breast, white fish, or egg whites. Keeping fat low on carb-up days stops total calories from climbing too high when carbohydrate is high.

It helps. Muscles take up glucose readily after hard training, so many people start a carb-up after their hardest session of the week, or place it the day before a demanding session. The exact timing matters less than getting the weekly structure and total intake right.

Usually one to a few days. Hard training and returning straight to your keto day targets help. If you check with a blood ketone meter, nutritional ketosis is 0.5 to 3.0 mmol/L. If it regularly takes much longer, a smaller carb-up or one carb-up day a week instead of two may suit you better.