Keto Diet: Can You Cheat For A Day?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. While the keto diet can be restrictive, some people opt for a cheat day to indulge in foods they otherwise wouldn't eat. But is it bad to break keto for one day? The answer is: it depends.

On the one hand, a cheat day can be a welcomed break from the diet, allowing people to enjoy their favourite meals and providing motivation to stick to the diet long-term. On the other hand, a cheat day can interfere with the state of ketosis, which is central to the keto diet. Ketosis is when the body uses fat instead of sugar for energy. Eating more than 50 grams of carbs in a day will likely take someone out of ketosis, and it can take a few days to a week to get back into it.

Additionally, eating too many carbs can cause side effects like bloating, brain fog, and intensified cravings for sugary and bread-like foods. However, some people opt for a cheat meal instead of a full cheat day to minimise these negative effects. Ultimately, the decision to break keto for a day depends on individual goals and how well someone can stick to the diet after indulging.

The pros of a keto cheat day

A Motivational Reward

The keto diet is highly restrictive, and a cheat day can be a tasty reward for all your hard work. It can be a welcomed break from the diet, and a chance to indulge in some comfort foods. This can be a great motivator to stick to your keto diet in the long term.

A Chance to Listen to Your Body

A cheat day can help you learn to listen to your body and make intuitive decisions about food. You can pause and ask yourself if a particular food is worth it, and make a conscious choice. This can help you develop a healthier relationship with food, where you are not depriving yourself.

A Sustainable Approach

A keto cheat day can help you develop a more balanced and sustainable approach to healthy eating. It can teach you how to have moderation and build sustainable long-term health habits. It can also reduce cravings, helping you stick to your meal plan.

A Social Opportunity

A cheat day can help you feel included in social events and family gatherings, where you might otherwise feel restricted. It can be a chance to be polite, and not feel the discomfort of saying no to relatives, for example.

A Mental Health Boost

A keto diet can be challenging to stick to, and a cheat day can boost your mental health by reducing feelings of restriction. It can be a chance to treat yourself and improve your overall happiness.

The cons of a keto cheat day

While a keto cheat day can be a welcomed break from the diet, it is not without its drawbacks. Here are some of the negative consequences of a keto cheat day:

Interfering with Ketosis

The keto diet is designed to keep the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. A cheat day can easily take you out of ketosis, as any food that puts your carb intake above 50 grams for the day is considered cheating on the keto diet. It can then take several days to a week or more to get back into ketosis, which means a single cheat day can impede your progress for up to seven days.

Weight Gain

A keto cheat day can lead to weight gain, especially if it involves binge eating. A large cheat meal can add 1000 or more calories to your day, while a whole cheat day will add much more. This can undo all your hard work and is detrimental to your weight loss journey.

Blood Sugar Spike and Sugar Crash

A keto cheat day will likely involve consuming sugary foods and drinks, which will cause a spike in blood sugar levels. This will be followed by a sugar crash, which can leave you feeling sluggish and tired.

Increased Cravings

Cheating on the keto diet can awaken your cravings for bread-like and sugary foods, causing you to indulge in sweet snacks that will send your diet in the wrong direction. Carb and sugar cravings can be signs of addiction, and cheating can strengthen these pathways, making it harder to avoid sugary treats in the future.

Digestive Issues and Other Side Effects

After a keto cheat day, you may experience bloating and discomfort as your digestive system struggles to cope with the sudden influx of carbs. You may also experience other side effects such as brain fog, headaches, nausea, fatigue, stomach pain, body aches, and mood swings.

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, it is natural to crave forbidden, carby foods, especially if these are your favourite foods.

If your primary goal is to lose weight, cheating on your keto diet from time to time is not going to destroy your progress. Even if it kicks you out of ketosis, as long as you are maintaining calorie control, you shouldn't gain weight. However, if your goal is to stay in ketosis for reasons other than weight loss, cheating on a ketogenic diet might not be the best idea.

• Opt for keto-approved cheat meals– Splurge on keto-friendly substitutes to curb your cravings, saving true cheat meals as a last resort. There are plenty of keto-friendly snacks on the market, as well as keto-friendly recipes for your favourite meals.
• Have cheat meals, not cheat days– It is much easier to stay on top of your overall nutrition and calories with cheat meals compared to entire keto cheat days. One large cheat meal can add 1,000 or more calories to your day, while a whole cheat day will add much more and potentially undo all of your hard work.
• Plan your cheats– The easiest way to ensure your diet cheats don't ruin your progress is to plan for them. Pick which meals you're going to cheat on and budget some calories and carbs in advance if you can.
• Make them count– Don't waste your cheat meal on a handful of stale tortilla chips. Eat the foods you miss most, like a special holiday dessert.
• Cheat close to exercise– Exercise increases insulin sensitivity (your ability to handle carbs), so you can get back into ketosis faster.
• Keep portions small– This will prevent overeating. Instead of relying on willpower, make sure seconds aren't within easy reach.
• Make it rare– Cheat days aren't a daily thing. Space them out generously. The less you cheat, the less likely you'll form bad eating habits.
• Track your daily intake– Don't forget to track your calories and daily macros. If your cheats are blowing your weekly nutrition goals, you might end up gaining weight.
• Resume your keto diet quickly– The longer you avoid your low-carb routine, the harder it will be to get back on track.

How to get back into ketosis quickly

It is not the end of the world if you cheat on your keto diet. In fact, it is entirely possible to include cheat meals and still lose weight. However, if you are following a keto diet for reasons other than weight loss, cheating might not be the best idea. For example, in a small study, researchers found that keto cheat days could increase heart health risks among diabetics following a keto diet.

If you have cheated, it is important to get back on track. Here are some tips to get back into ketosis quickly:

• Let go of a perfectionist mindset: It is important to remember that keto is a lifestyle diet and it is meant to be a change in your way of eating that you can stick with for life. This means that you can build in times for treats, rewards, and fun breaks.
• Have a game plan: It is much more difficult to get derailed if you have a solid plan in place for what you’ll be eating and doing. Have a plan for each day that includes your meals and exercise. You should also have a weekly meal plan or grocery list that you’ll follow.
• Set reasonable, achievable goals: Setting lofty, perfectionistic goals can set you up for failure. Instead, start with something small, like committing to eating healthily for the day and getting in a 15-minute walk.
• Don't quit carbs 'cold turkey': Shifting into ketosis rapidly can be uncomfortable and hard to do. A gradual transition is more ideal. Drop your carbs by 25 grams a day until you reach your goal.
• Use salt during the transition: When we lower carbs, there’s a diuretic effect that causes a rapid shift in electrolyte balance. To counteract these symptoms, add about 2,000 milligrams of sodium (about a teaspoon of table salt) to meals each day.
• Drink plenty of water: Dehydration is responsible for some of the symptoms of keto flu, including fatigue and dizziness. Aim for 2 litres (about 8 cups) of water per day.
• Try a more sustainable version of keto: Many people do keto in a way that’s not healthy or sustainable, such as eating large amounts of processed meats. Eat more plant-based foods and add healthy fats in the form of olive oil, avocado, nuts, and plant-based oils that are low in saturated fat.
• Try intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting, or following a rotating schedule of fasting and eating, can help kickstart ketosis.
• Consider adding exogenous ketones, such as MCT oil: Exogenous ketones can supply your body with energy as it works its way back into a ketogenic state.
• Exercise more: Physical activity can deplete your body’s glycogen stores, which encourages your liver to increase its production of ketones.
• Test your ketone levels: Testing ketone levels can help give you an idea of whether you’re in ketosis — which lets you adjust your diet accordingly.

How often to schedule a keto cheat day

The keto diet can be tough to follow. It's very strict, requiring adherents to eat a specific ratio of macros (protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates) every day. For people who spent their lives enjoying things like pasta and cookies, going without or sticking to very small amounts can be tough.

Enter the cheat day. It's nice to have something to look forward to when following a strict diet: a day where you can eat what you want, or at the very least, indulge in one of your favorite carb-filled meals.

Studies have shown that a cheat day now and then makes people more likely to stay on a strict diet. Some keto followers simply can't handle the requirements, like counting macros and avoiding carbs, so they end up giving up so that they can eat all of the bread and pasta they want.

When deciding how often to schedule a keto cheat day, there are a few things to consider:

If you want to go all out on your cheat day and don't care about staying in ketosis, consider how long it will take to get back into that state. If it usually takes you a week to get back into ketosis, schedule your cheat days for once a month or once every other month. This way, you'll be able to remain in ketosis long enough to reap the benefits of the diet. However, if it takes you less time to get back into ketosis, you can schedule your cheat days more often.

If you want to limit the number of carbs you eat on your cheat day, you can schedule those days more often. Having a cheat day once a week will work just fine for those who plan to stay under the 50 grams of carbs limit to remain in ketosis while still eating some additional treats.

Limiting your carbs even on cheat days

The trick to remaining in ketosis and still enjoying a cheat day is to limit the number of carbs you eat on that day. You can also minimize the amount of carbs you eat for several days before your cheat day so you have some leeway and can stay in ketosis. For example, if you know your cheat day is coming up, you can reduce your carb intake from 40 grams to 30 grams or even lower. Just make sure you're still eating enough carbs to stay healthy. To make up for the reduced carbs, increase the amounts of protein and healthy fats you're eating on those days. Then, when it's time for your cheat day, you can eat 50 grams of carbs and still stay in ketosis.

Another method is to keep an eye on your macros. If you measure them carefully, you may be able to raise your carbs on your keto cheat day while still staying in ketosis. A small increase, say from 45 grams to 55 grams, may keep you in ketosis while still allowing you to enjoy that little bit of pasta. It all depends on how your body responds to the carbs and how long you've been in ketosis.

By increasing the number of carbs included in your meals only slightly on your cheat days, you'll be able to avoid many of the issues that come with suddenly introducing a lot of carbs into your system, such as bloating, lack of energy, stomach upset, and brain fog.

While cheat days can be a helpful way to stick to your keto diet, having them too often may undo the benefits of the diet. If your cheat days are too frequent, you may find it difficult to get back into ketosis and maintain the diet's effects. Therefore, it's recommended to space out your cheat days by at least a week or two. This will help ensure that you're giving your body enough time to reap the benefits of ketosis and that you're not constantly interrupting the process.

Frequently asked questions