Cheat Meals On Keto: Good Or Bad Idea?

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is popular for its weight loss effects. It encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. As the keto diet is very strict, it is natural to be tempted by the occasional high-carb food.

Cheat meals or days are common strategies for strict diets. The idea is that by allowing yourself short periods of indulgence, you are more likely to stick to the diet over the long term. However, cheat meals or days are discouraged on the keto diet because they can easily break ketosis, which is the hallmark of this diet.

If you do decide to have a cheat meal, it is important to be mindful of the consequences. Eating too many carbs can kick your body out of ketosis, and it takes several days to a week to get back into it. In the meantime, your weight loss may be disrupted.

If you do choose to indulge in a cheat meal, there are ways to do so more consciously. For example, opting for keto-approved treats, having cheat meals instead of cheat days, and tracking your daily food intake.

How to recover from a cheat meal

If you've cheated on your keto diet, you're likely out of ketosis. To get back into ketosis, you'll need to strictly follow the keto diet again, which can take several days to a week. Here are some tips to help you recover from a cheat meal and get back into ketosis:

• Intermittent fasting: Combine intermittent fasting with the keto diet to help your body shift its fuel source from carbs to fat.
• Track your carb intake: Take note of your daily carb intake to ensure you don't underestimate it.
• Short-term fat fast: Try a very high-fat, low-carb diet for a brief period to help expedite ketosis.
• Exercise more: Physical activity depletes your glycogen stores, which are your body's stored form of carbs, promoting ketosis.
• Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement: MCTs are a rapidly absorbed fatty acid that's easily converted into ketones.

To know if you've reached ketosis, you can test your ketone levels using tools like ketone breath meters, blood ketone meters, or keto urine strips.

In addition to these techniques, it's important to be mindful of your cravings, plan your meals and snacks, and make your everyday diet enjoyable with a variety of keto-friendly options.

Tips to avoid cheating on keto

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is popular for its weight loss effects. It encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. As the diet is very strict, it is natural to be tempted by the occasional high-carb food.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness involves paying attention to your body, which may help you resist cravings and emotional eating.

Plan your meals and snacks

A solid dietary plan makes it less likely that you’ll get hungry during the day.

Make your everyday diet enjoyable

Try incorporating different keto-friendly meals to vary up your diet and make it enjoyable.

Keep tempting foods out of the house

Keeping treats and other tempting, high-carb foods out of sight can make cheating inconvenient.

Have an accountability partner

A buddy or accountability partner can help you stay motivated to stick to your diet.

Keep quality low-carb emergency food with you

Keep quality low-carb emergency food in your car, purse, or briefcase so you never cheat because you are starving.

Make low-carb substitutes

Eat delicious and healthy keto substitutes for the foods you crave.

Delay tactics

Tempted to eat dessert? Tell yourself you can have it, but you'll eat something else first. Load up on low-carb favourites like scrambled eggs and bacon, and you may find your craving has diminished.

Cheat your cravings with low-carb snacks

Feeling hungry and craving carbs? Having low-carb or high-protein snacks at hand is a great way to kill those feelings before they overpower you.

If intermittent fasting, cheat with fat

If you are fasting intermittently, do it with pure fat – coconut oil or butter in coffee or tea are great choices.

Be in charge and cheat consciously

You are cheating on yourself, so cheat in the best way possible. Do you do better with a strict daily regimen with an occasional day off? Or will you feel less deprived with a small, daily off-plan indulgence? Can you maintain weight while cheating twice a week? Know yourself.

Cheat with food that matters to you

Make your carbs count. Don't settle for an ordinary supermarket-made dessert. Instead, wait for your favourite dessert from the corner bakery.

Cheat before or after activity

Cheating before or right after vigorous activity is the least bad time to cheat. If you eat carbs before a workout, your activity will burn off some of them so they don’t make it to your fat stores. If you cheat immediately after a workout, your glycogen stores are depleted, so some of the carbs you eat will replenish glycogen rather than convert to fat.

Pros and cons of cheating on keto

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is popular for its weight loss effects. It encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. The diet is very strict, and it is natural to wonder whether having a cheat meal or day will kick you out of ketosis.

Pros of Cheating on Keto

• Cheat meals or days are common strategies for strict diets. The idea of planned cheating is that by allowing yourself short periods of indulgence, you are more likely to stick to the diet over the long term.
• Research suggests that including a strategic diet cheat may have psychological benefits like reduced cravings and the ability to stick to your meal plan better overall.
• Done right, cheating on your diet can help you stay motivated and teach you how to have moderation as you build sustainable long-term health habits.
• If your primary goal is to lose weight, cheating on your keto diet from time to time is not going to destroy your progress, as long as you are maintaining calorie control overall.
• Cheat meals can be used as a tool to help you stay on track with your diet.

Cons of Cheating on Keto

• Cheat meals or days disrupt ketosis. The keto diet relies on your body staying in ketosis, and a single cheat meal can easily exceed your daily carb allowance and take your body out of ketosis.
• Some research suggests that suddenly reintroducing a high-carb meal to a ketogenic diet may damage your blood vessels.
• It is easy to overeat while cheating, which may sabotage your weight loss efforts and promote unhealthy eating habits.
• Cheating on keto can lead to dramatic and fairly immediate setbacks like bloating, stomach upset, gas, acne, and other types of skin trouble.
• If you are keeping diabetes at bay with your low-carb or keto diet, cheating is generally a bad idea. When you eat too many or the wrong type of carbs, your blood sugar can increase to unwanted high levels, increasing the risk of long-term complications like blindness, dementia, and amputations.
• For those with diabetes or prediabetes, the price of cheating may be too high.
• If you have a sugar addiction, cheating can be dangerous. Sugar is likely psychoactive, triggering the reward centers in your brain (similar to other addictive drugs). As a result, relapse can be immediate.

How to cheat on keto the right way

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is popular for its weight loss effects. It encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates.

As the keto diet is very strict, you may find yourself tempted by the occasional high-carb food. This is what is known as a "cheat meal" or "cheat day". A cheat meal allows a single meal that breaks the rules, while a cheat day allows you to break the diet rules throughout the day.

• Opt for keto-approved cheat meals: Instead of eating a high-carb meal, try to find a keto-friendly substitute. There are plenty of keto-friendly recipes and packaged keto snacks available.
• Have cheat meals, not cheat days: It is much easier to stay on top of your nutrition and calories with a cheat meal rather than a full cheat day. A large cheat meal can add 1,000 or more calories to your day, while a whole cheat day will add much more and could undo all your hard work.
• Plan your cheat meals: Pick which meals you're going to cheat on and budget your calories and carbs in advance. Prioritize certain events or favourite foods over random temptations.
• Track your daily intake: Don't forget to track your calories and macros. If your cheat meals are blowing your weekly nutrition goals, you might end up gaining weight.
• Cheat before or after exercise: Cheating before or after vigorous activity is the best time to cheat. If you eat carbs before a workout, your activity will burn off some of them. If you cheat after a workout, your glycogen stores will be depleted, so the carbs you eat will replenish glycogen rather than convert to fat.
• Resume your keto diet quickly: The longer you avoid your low-carb routine, the harder it will be to get back on track.
• Don't beat yourself up: Remember, it's okay to cheat sometimes. What you do today is more important than what you did yesterday.

How to cheat on keto without cheating

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that is popular for its weight loss effects. It encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates.

Because the keto diet is very strict, it can be tempting to cheat and indulge in the occasional high-carb food. However, this can have negative consequences, such as kicking your body out of ketosis, blood sugar spikes, and stopped ketone production. So, what can you do to cheat on keto without actually cheating?

Opt for Keto-Approved Substitutes:

Instead of reaching for that slice of cake or bowl of pasta, look for keto-friendly substitutes. There are plenty of keto-approved recipes and packaged snacks available that can help you curb your cravings. For example, try making a keto pizza or bread instead of opting for their high-carb counterparts.

Have Cheat Meals, Not Cheat Days:

It's easier to manage your overall nutrition and calories if you limit yourself to a cheat meal rather than a full cheat day. A large cheat meal can add 1000 or more calories, while a whole cheat day will likely add much more and potentially undo all your hard work.

Plan Your Cheats:

Pick your cheat meals in advance and budget your calories and carbs. This way, you can ensure your cheats are worth it and you're not wasting them on random temptations. For example, if you know there's a social event coming up, plan to cheat then and enjoy it without guilt.

Track Your Daily Intake:

Don't forget to track your calories and macros. If your cheat meals are blowing your weekly nutrition goals, you might end up gaining weight. Use a macro-friendly app to keep track of your intake and ensure you're not overdoing it.

Cheat with Small Portions:

When it comes to carbs, less is more. If you decide to cheat, opt for a small portion or just a taste. For example, instead of ordering a dessert for yourself, have a bite of someone else's, or share one dessert with a companion.

Cheat Late in the Day:

Stick to your low-carb lifestyle during the day and only consider eating carbs after dinner. This helps limit the window for cheating and keeps your body in low-carb mode for most of the day.

Cheat with Less Sugar:

Once you're adapted to low-carb eating, your taste buds change, and you become more sensitive to sugar. Take advantage of this by reducing the amount of sugar in your treats or opting for darker chocolate, for example.

Dilute the Carbs:

When you do cheat, pair your carb choice with protein and a little fat. This will help you feel more satisfied and slow down the absorption of glucose into your blood, reducing the resulting blood sugar spike.

Cheat with Food That Matters to You:

Don't waste your cheat on ordinary, store-bought treats. Instead, wait for your favorite dessert from that special bakery or a homemade treat from a loved one. Make your cheats count and save them for something truly special.

Cheat Before or After Activity:

Cheating before or after vigorous activity is a good strategy. If you eat carbs before a workout, your activity will burn off some of them. If you cheat after a workout, your glycogen stores will be depleted, so the carbs you eat will replenish glycogen rather than convert to fat.

Remember, the key to cheating on keto without cheating is to be mindful and deliberate about your choices. Enjoy your cheats in moderation and get back on track with your keto diet afterward.

Frequently asked questions