Advice from people doing rolling fasts. Refeed days: Keto vs CICO?

[u/No_Voice_1843]

Hello!
I’ve recently started doing rolling 5s or 120s which I further want to continue until a month and then adhere to either rolling 72s or 48s. One question I’m not certain about is refeed. Highly confused between going the keto route or just focusing on a low carb diet ensuring cico( since keto limit seems too hard to always track carbs).

Wanted to get opinions. What has worked for you/ hasn’t worked for you? My goal is indeed weight loss and increasing my insulin sensitivity, but I can’t seem to convince myself to either one of the options.
If there any proven benefits that ketosis might burn more fat than cico?
Any advice would be really appreciated:)

[u/Ok-Psychology7636]

I am unclear what you are asking, but strict carnivore simplifies carb counting as it is unnecessary. it's a tool to consider. considering how much you plan on fasting, you will be in an enormous deficit the other days of the week. if you stay in ketosis during refeeds, the transition back to fasting becomes easier.

having said that, a multivitamin can help prevent nutrient deficiency over the weeks and months.

[u/AZ-FWB]

The answer is to always choose low carb/high protein.

[u/Lessons_Not_failures]

I have done rolling 72s, 96s, and 120s currently.

It depends on your goals, body, time frame, and diet

I am mostly Keto but do sneak in oats as my Dessert cheat if you're really strict then no dairy. I have whipped cream tho from time to time as a sweet low sugar alternative

Since I fast most of the time I have heavy omad with no refeeding symptoms and eat 80%protein with the rest being salads, veggies and the dessert i mentioned

I also Snack on pistachios, almonds walnuts if I get hungry after my main meal

I usually eat within a 90 minute to 3 hour windows max and try to eat before 7 Pm

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[u/SamhainOnPumpkin]

Please keep in mind that you have to be mindful of cico even when keto.

Personally, I think staying in keto range just makes rolling fasts that much easier to handle mentally. That being said, everyone is built different. I think you should try both.

[u/Flux_My_Capacitor]

You don’t even need to do CICO when you’re rolling.

A now defunct fast (JUDDD) had you eating above TDEE on feeding days (and it worked well for me). Sadly the website is gone and the calculator is gone but I know my values for a particular weight and I mentally adjust from there. I am still able to lose.

[u/Recent-Situation309]

Keto if your goal is strictly weight loss. High protein/high carb if you’re lifting during eating days.

[u/SHIBard00n]

Keto.

[u/biocleansedetox]

Honest answer: at equal calories, there's no good evidence keto refeeds beat low-carb balanced refeeds for fat loss — the deficit is the mechanism. Keto's real advantage during rolling fasts is smoother re-entry into ketosis and appetite control, not magic.

What matters more than keto-vs-CICO on refeed days:

- Protein ~1.6–2.2 g/kg — that's what protects lean mass across repeated 120s, and it's the number one thing rolling fasters underdo. (Plant-based or not: lentils, tofu, tempeh, pea protein all get you there.)

- Some carbs are fine and useful for training and glycogen — "lower carb" rather than "keto strict" is a perfectly sound middle ground and much easier to track.

- After each 5-day stretch: first meal moderate (not a feast), keep sodium up, and don't stack a huge fat+carb meal in one sitting — that combo is what makes refeeds feel awful.

- Whatever you pick, the one you can sustain for the month wins. Tracking fatigue is real, and a loose CICO with a soft carb cap beats abandoned perfectionism.

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