Eating rules for the OFF day

• The main goal of the OFF day is to take in about 1500-2000 mg of sodium and 2000 mg of potassium, during the day, while taking in NO MORE THAN 300 (non-protein) calories (400 calories if you are exercising).
• You also need to take in 32 oz (1000 mL) of water. This is very important.
• You also should take in about 40 (in smaller women) to 60 (in men and larger women) grams of high-biologic-value protein powder to control hunger and keep up your muscle mass. You may need to take in a bit more if you feel hungry for protein, or a bit less if you are female. Best to take this in small amounts 4 times during the day. You don't count these protein powder calories. After averaging this with your protein intake during your ON day, your average protein intake should be well above the minimum recommended amount of 0.8 g/kg/day.
• You also need 8 g of fiber supplement (maybe more) to keep your bowels working on a regular basis.
• The three magic foods that help do this are tomato juice (or vegetable juice, such as V8™), orange juice, and drinkable yogurt (or lactose-reduced, low-fat milk).
• A glass of tomato juice (8 oz) has about 800 mg of sodium and 500 mg of potassium, and 50 calories. Orange juice has the same amount of potassium, almost no sodium, and 100 calories.
• Drinkable yogurt or milk has some potassium, not too much sodium, and also 100 calories (low fat or fat-free).
• Take in two 8-oz glasses of tomato juice (50 cal per 8 -oz). One in the early afternoon, and one in the early evening. If you don't like tomato juice, eat two servings of potassium-rich vegetables and get your sodium from salt or soy sauce.
• Take 4 oz of orange juice (50 cal) at any time if you feel a need for carbs.
• This leaves about 150 calories for supper; see our recipes for some food choice ideas.
• Make sure that you take in at least 500 mg of sodium after 6 PM. You need BOTH sodium and potassium, so tomato juice is best.
• Calcium supplements (about 600 mg calcium during the OFF day as calcium citrate) are recommended; if these constipate you, you can probably get enough calcium from 2 servings of milk/day (lactose-reduced milk if you have problems digesting milk). It is also important to take multivitamins, including 400 IU of vitamin D per day (unless you get a lot of sun).
• New: Magnesium supplements (about 200 mg during the OFF day as magnesium lactate or other hydroxyacids - see the Forum for product recommendations) will ensure that you get adequate magnesium. Magnesium is contained in spinach and nuts, but many veggies contain only modest amounts of magnesium - so eating veggies during the OFF day is not enough to ensure an adequate intake. Not a bad idea to take magnesium supplements every day, both ON and OFF days. Avoid if kidneys aren't working well. Magnesium may cause slow heart rate (bradycardia). Magnesium should help in terms of calcium-induced constipation, but may cause diarrhea at high doses (not usually a problem even up to 400 mg/day). Magnesium is a vasodilator. If you stand a lot, or have large, varicose veins, it may tend to make these worse.
• If you are careful to keep up your mineral intake during the OFF day, and also take your protein supplements, you will not feel weak or washed out. A bit of orange juice will take care of any ketosis “yuckies”, although the amount of carbs you're taking in should minimize ketosis.