Cheat Meals On Keto: Friend Or Foe?

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that's 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's natural to wonder whether cheat meals or days are allowed.

Cheat days and meals are common strategies for strict diets. Cheat days allow you to break the diet's rules for 24 hours, while cheat meals let you have a single rule-breaking meal. The idea is that by allowing yourself short periods of indulgence, you're more likely to stick to the diet long-term.

However, cheat meals or days are discouraged on the keto diet because they can easily break ketosis, the metabolic state that's the hallmark of this diet. Eating more than 50 grams of carbohydrates can kick your body out of ketosis. As carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source, it will use them over ketone bodies (derived from fats) as soon as they're available. A single cheat meal can easily exceed the daily carb allowance, and a cheat day is almost certain to.

Additionally, some research suggests that suddenly reintroducing a high-carb meal to a ketogenic diet may damage your blood vessels. It's also easy to overeat while cheating, which may sabotage weight loss efforts and promote unhealthy eating habits.

If you do choose to cheat on the keto diet, you'll need to strictly follow the diet again to re-enter ketosis, which can take several days to a week. There are also strategies to help curb the urge to cheat, such as practising mindfulness, planning meals and snacks, and keeping tempting foods out of the house.

The pros of a keto cheat meal

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. While the keto diet is restrictive, it can be tempting to cheat and indulge in high-carb foods. Here are some pros of including a cheat meal in your keto diet:

• Motivation and Flexibility: Cheat meals can motivate you to stay on the keto diet long-term by providing flexibility and allowing you to indulge in foods you miss. This can make it easier to stick to the diet and avoid feeling restricted.
• Psychological Benefits: Experts claim that including a cheat meal in your diet may have psychological benefits such as reduced cravings and an increased resolve to stick to your meal plan.
• Indulging in Favourite Foods: Cheat meals allow you to indulge in foods that you may be craving, such as pasta, pizza, bread, or sweets. This can be a welcome break from the restrictive nature of the keto diet.
• Social Benefits: Cheat meals can make social gatherings and celebrations more enjoyable by allowing you to partake in special occasions without feeling restricted.
• A Break from Routine: Cheat meals can provide a break from the monotony of the keto diet, giving you something to look forward to and helping you stay motivated.

It is important to note that the effects of cheat meals on the keto diet may vary from person to person. While some people can include cheat meals and still maintain their progress, others may find it challenging to get back on track. It is also crucial to be mindful of the potential drawbacks of cheat meals, such as disrupting ketosis and hindering weight loss.

The cons of a keto cheat meal

Ketosis disruption

A keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. Eating a high-carb meal can kick you out of ketosis, as your body will use carbohydrates as its primary energy source instead of ketone bodies, which are derived from fats. It can then take several days to a week to re-enter ketosis, depending on your metabolism and activity levels.

Blood sugar spikes

Keto diets are often recommended for people with type 2 diabetes or poor cardiovascular health because they can help stabilise blood glucose levels. However, a cheat meal can cause blood sugar spikes and a subsequent sugar crash, leaving you feeling unwell.

Cravings

A keto diet is intended to reduce appetite and hunger cravings. By cheating and eating carbs and sugar, you may find yourself craving these food groups more than before, as they can be addictive.

Keto flu

When transitioning to burning fat for energy instead of glucose, you may experience symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, low energy and bloating. Eating a high-carb cheat meal can bring these unwanted symptoms back.

How to get back into ketosis after a cheat meal

Cheat meals or days are a common strategy for strict diets. While they may be helpful for some eating patterns, they are not ideal for the keto diet. This is because the keto diet relies on your body staying in ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates.

To stay in ketosis, you need to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Eating more than 50 grams can kick your body out of ketosis. As carbs are your body's preferred energy source, your body will use them over ketone bodies (derived from fats) as soon as a sufficient number of carbs are available.

If you've cheated on keto, you will likely be out of ketosis. Once out, you'll need to follow the keto diet strictly to re-enter ketosis. This process can take anywhere from several days to one week, depending on your carb intake, metabolism, and activity levels. Here are some tips to help you get back into ketosis:

• Intermittent fasting: Try combining 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.
• Fat fasting: Try a short-term fat fast like an egg fast, which is a very high-fat, low-carb diet meant to last only a brief period.
• Exercise more: Physical activity depletes your glycogen stores, which are your body's stored form of carbs, thus promoting ketosis.
• Try a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement: MCTs are a rapidly absorbed fatty acid that is easily converted into ketones.

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

In addition to the above tips, here are some more strategies to help curb the urge to cheat on the keto diet:

• Practice mindfulness: Pay 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 your diet and make it more 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.

Tips for a keto cheat meal

A keto cheat meal can be something to look forward to as a tasty reward for your hard work. However, it's important to be aware of the consequences and to do it right to stay in ketosis and on track with your weight loss goals. Here are some tips to help you have a successful keto cheat meal:

• Make your cheat meal keto-friendly: Opt for keto-friendly alternatives like pork rinds or low-carb zucchini pasta. That way, you can still enjoy your favourite foods without completely sacrificing your keto progress.
• Keep portions small: Eating smaller portions will help prevent overeating. Make sure seconds aren't within easy reach and rely on portion size rather than willpower.
• Make cheat meals rare: Space out your cheat meals generously, whether they're a week or two weeks apart. The less you cheat, the less likely you'll form bad eating habits.
• Make it count: Be selective about what you eat during your cheat meals. Eat the foods you miss the most, like a special holiday dessert, instead of wasting it on less satisfying options.
• Avoid sugar: Sugar is your number one enemy on keto, so avoid it entirely and opt for keto-friendly sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit. Sugary cheat meals will only fuel sugar addiction and drive future cravings.
• Exercise right after a cheat meal: Exercise increases your body's ability to process carbs, helping you get back into ketosis faster.
• Get back to your keto diet quickly: Don't let a cheat meal turn into a cheat week. Get back to your keto diet routine as soon as possible so you don't fall off track.
• Don't beat yourself up: Remember, what you do today is more important than what you did yesterday. Don't let a cheat meal derail your progress – get back to eating healthy right away and your future will be bright.

The cyclical ketogenic diet

There is limited research on the cyclical ketogenic diet, but some potential benefits include improved athletic performance, potential muscle gains, weight regulation, and increased fiber intake, which can have a positive impact on gut health.

However, it's important to note that the cyclical ketogenic diet may not be suitable for everyone. It is not recommended for beginners or low to moderate-intensity trainers, as they may not be able to deplete their glycogen stores and get back into ketosis. Additionally, if you are following a ketogenic diet for health reasons, such as hyperinsulinemia or hypertension, the cyclical ketogenic diet may not be advisable as it can trigger health symptoms that are being treated by a low-carbohydrate diet.

Before starting the cyclical ketogenic diet, it is recommended to follow the standard ketogenic diet for at least a month to allow your body to reach a fat-adapted state and become used to burning fat for fuel. It is also important to note that the cyclical ketogenic diet may have some potential downsides, including water retention, tiredness, brain fog, and unhealthy food cravings due to the increased carb intake.

Frequently asked questions