Cheating On Keto: Helpful Or Harmful?

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat as its primary energy source. While cheat days and meals are common strategies for strict diets, they can be detrimental to the keto diet as they disrupt ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body uses fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. A single cheat meal can easily exceed the daily carb allowance and take the body out of ketosis.

Cheating on the keto diet can lead to several negative consequences. Firstly, it can cause a significant setback by putting the body out of ketosis, reversing the replacement of carbs with fat as the energy source. Secondly, cheating can lead to a spike in blood sugar levels, which is particularly harmful to individuals with type 2 diabetes or those at risk of developing the disease. Thirdly, cheating can trigger cravings for carbohydrates, making it harder to stick to the diet in the long run. Additionally, frequent cheating can lead to the keto flu, which includes symptoms such as high levels of fatigue, constant headaches, nausea, and bloating.

To avoid cheating on the keto diet, it is recommended to keep tempting foods out of the house, plan meals and snacks in advance, make the everyday diet enjoyable by incorporating a variety of keto-friendly meals, and find an accountability partner to help stay motivated. While it may be challenging to stick to the keto diet 100% of the time, understanding the potential consequences of cheating can help individuals make informed decisions and stay on track.

High blood sugar levels

Cheating on a keto diet can lead to a spike in blood sugar levels. This happens because when you eat a carb-heavy meal, your body works to process the carbs and sugar, releasing more glucose into your bloodstream. In response, your body sends out insulin to push that glucose out of your blood and into your cells to be used for energy.

If your bloodstream is constantly pumping glucose, you can become insulin resistant, which means your blood sugar has a tough time returning to healthy levels. This can stall fat loss, prevent weight loss, or even cause type 2 diabetes.

People with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes are unable to balance blood sugar when the process of converting food—especially carbohydrates—into energy takes place. People with type 2 diabetes have become resistant to insulin because too much of it has been circulating in their system.

When the body receives less than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day, it will run out of its preferred fuel source, glucose, and will start to break down protein and fat to get energy. This metabolic process is called ketosis, and it is the goal of the keto diet.

However, if you reintroduce a high-carb meal to a ketogenic diet, you can damage your blood vessels. A recent study found that even a single dose of carbohydrates may have dangerous side effects, including biomarkers in the blood suggesting that vessel walls were being damaged by the sudden spike in glucose.

Therefore, if you are following a keto diet, it is important to avoid cheat days or cheat meals that can kick your body out of ketosis and lead to high blood sugar levels and other negative health consequences.

Intense sugar cravings

Sugar cravings on keto are normal and often part of the adjustment period as your body gets used to a new way of eating and burning fat. During this period, you may experience more cravings, headaches, and "keto flu" symptoms.

Be Proactive to Resist Sugar Cravings

Stock up on keto-friendly foods that you can swap for your favourite meals and snacks. Implement new actions to break the sugar habit, such as going for a walk after dinner or drinking a glass of water when you feel a craving coming on. It is also essential to stay hydrated, exercise, and care for your body in healthy ways.

Find Healthy Stress Fixes

Sugar boosts our brain chemistry and gives us a hit of dopamine, especially when we are stressed. Researchers have found that our sugar cravings may be evolutionary, as sweet flavour meant more energy for our ancestors. Today, sugar is readily available, and the dopamine hit can become addictive and destructive. Look for other ways to treat yourself and decompress without a chocolate fix. Light exercise, nature activities, or creative pursuits are all healthy outlets for boosting your mood and avoiding a sugar binge.

Eat Something Comforting and Keto-Friendly

If you can't stop thinking about your sugar craving, try filling up on keto-friendly comfort foods. For example, a creamy avocado, your favourite cheese, or a bowl of keto-friendly pasta made with konjac root, which contains zero net carbs. You can also add your favourite toppings and load up on veggies, protein, cheese, and spices to create a comforting and satisfying meal.

Plan Ahead by Eating Before Working Out

If you crave sugar after exercising, it could be that your blood sugar levels are crashing. Plan by consuming a small keto-friendly meal or snack before your workout, such as keto fat bombs, a cheese stick, beef jerky, or a hard-boiled egg. You can also satisfy your sweet tooth with a small piece of dark chocolate or berries with cream.

Check Your Sleep Habits

Lack of sleep can increase sugar cravings as it lowers our willpower and makes us crave comfort. Sleep allows our body to metabolise and reset, and a lack of sleep can damage our metabolism and blood sugar regulation. It also reduces our executive functioning, making it harder to resist temptation and make smart food choices. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night to help manage your sugar cravings.

Terrible sugar crash

A sugar crash is a sudden drop in energy levels after consuming a large number of carbohydrates. This can include foods like pasta, pizza, and desserts. It can cause undesired symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, confusion, abnormal behaviour, and blurred vision.

How to Avoid a Sugar Crash

Dietitians suggest that the most effective way to avoid a sugar crash is to maintain a balanced diet with a consistent amount of sugar. Here are some tips to avoid a sugar crash:

• Eat a variety of foods: Keep blood glucose levels consistent by consuming a mix of protein, fibre, carbohydrates, and fat throughout the day.
• Eat simple sugars with or after other meals: If you consume foods with refined sugars and few essential vitamins and minerals, such as fruit juice, milk, desserts, and candy, eat them with foods containing fat, fibre, and protein.
• Eat less but more often: Opt for smaller portions every two to three hours and include snacks between staple meals.
• Don't restrict any foods: Enjoy a variety of foods in moderation, especially simple carbohydrates and sugars. Just ensure you eat them with other nutrient-dense meals.
• Plan your meals: Plan your meals ahead of time to ensure a proper balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

How to Recover from a Sugar Crash

If you experience a sugar crash, there are a few things you can do to recover:

• Eat protein: During a sugar crash, your body is looking for protein sources to balance out blood glucose levels.
• Avoid more carbohydrates: While it may be tempting to reach for more carbohydrates for energy, this will only temporarily boost your energy levels. The underlying problem is protein malnutrition.

Keto Cheating and Sugar Crash

Cheating on a keto diet by consuming high-carb foods can lead to a sugar crash and disrupt ketosis. To recover from a cheat meal and get back into ketosis, you may need to strictly follow the keto diet again and implement strategies such as intermittent fasting, fat fasting, and exercise.

Inflammation

Cheating on a keto diet can lead to inflammation, which is linked to several autoimmune diseases, including Crohn's, IBS, and ulcerative colitis. This is because indulging in high-carb and high-glycemic foods can cause small rips in the gut lining, allowing undigested food particles to escape and enter the body. As a defence mechanism, the body attacks these particles as foreign invaders, causing inflammation.

To avoid this, it is recommended to stick to a low-carb keto diet, as this keeps the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. However, if you do cheat on the keto diet, there are ways to recover and reduce the negative side effects, such as inflammation.

• Intermittent fasting: This can help deplete glycogen stores and promote ketosis.
• Track your carb intake: Keeping a food diary can help you stay within your daily carb limit, which is typically below 50 grams for keto.
• Try a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement: MCTs are easily converted into ketones, which can help you get back into ketosis faster.
• Exercise regularly: Physical activity depletes glycogen stores and promotes ketosis.
• Balance electrolytes: Adequate water intake and electrolytes can reduce negative side effects and shorten recovery time.
• Exogenous ketones: Ketone supplements can aid in getting back into ketosis and offsetting cravings.

In addition to these strategies, it's important to remember that occasional cheating on the keto diet is not necessarily detrimental to your progress, especially if weight loss is your primary goal. However, if you are cheating frequently, it may be harder to maintain ketosis and you may not see the desired results.

Low energy and brain fog

Cheating on a keto diet can lead to low energy and brain fog. This is due to the body's metabolic shift from burning ketones to burning glucose as its primary source of energy. When you consume high-carb foods, your body prioritises using glucose for energy instead of ketones, which are derived from fats. This shift can cause lethargic symptoms, including brain fog, low energy, and a lack of mental clarity.

The good news is that these symptoms are usually temporary and will resolve within a few days to a week. During this transition period, your body is adjusting to the change in fuel sources, and it may take some time for your brain to adapt to the new energy supply. Additionally, making sure you are well-hydrated and getting enough electrolytes, especially sodium, can help alleviate these symptoms.

To prevent or minimise low energy and brain fog when cheating on the keto diet, it is recommended to:

• Stay well-hydrated and ensure adequate electrolyte intake, especially sodium.
• Give your body time to adjust to the new energy supply.
• Avoid overeating high-carb foods, as this can sabotage your weight loss efforts and promote unhealthy eating habits.
• Gradually introduce high-carb foods back into your diet to minimise the impact on your energy levels and mental clarity.
• Incorporate physical activity, as it helps deplete glycogen stores and promotes ketosis.
• Try intermittent fasting to help your body shift back to using fat for fuel.
• Track your carb intake to ensure you don't exceed your daily limit and kick yourself out of ketosis.

Frequently asked questions