(fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest)
nervous systems. Also, try to avoid consuming any coffee
after 2 p.m. so as not to interfere with sleep. Once a month,
it may even be beneficial to switch to decaf for a week as a
means to reset caffeine tolerance. You likely won’t even
notice the difference—never underestimate the unconscious
power of classical conditioning!
Days 15+: Strategically Reintegrate
Carbohydrates
At this point, you’ve been on an ultra-low-carbohydrate,
high-fiber diet for two weeks. You have likely become
metabolically adapted to burning fat for fuel. Here is when
you can begin adding in a higher-carb, lower-fat “refeed”
meals a few days per week (see the Custom Carb Pyramid,
page, for details). Carbs and insulin are not evil—they are
just overabundant and misused today. Strategically
integrating them will serve two purposes: refilling muscles
with stored glycogen (sugar), as well as upregulating
hormones that can become lowered by extended low-carb
dieting, including leptin, the master metabolic regulator.
HOW (AND WHEN) TO DO A CARB REFEED
Not everybody may need to reintegrate starches after two
weeks. If you are overweight or insulin resistant, it may be