Breaking Keto: Is A One-Day Cheat Worth It?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. It is a highly restrictive diet that can be tough to follow, and it is natural to crave forbidden, carby foods. While it is possible to have a cheat day on the keto diet, it is likely to set back your progress and may have lasting effects on your dieting in the future. A cheat day will take you out of ketosis, which can take up to a week to get back to. However, a cheat day here and there could be good for you and your diet, and some keto dieters use cheat days as motivation to stick to their diet long-term. Ultimately, the best diet for you is one that you can stick to, and it is important to take a moderate approach to healthy eating to avoid going overboard or becoming frustrated due to feeling overly restricted.

The pros and cons of breaking keto for a day

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. Ketosis is a state that your body goes into when it uses fat to create molecules called ketones. This happens when there is not much sugar around for your body to use as energy. The keto diet is ranked No. 1 of 24 diets in the 2023 U.S. News Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets rankings. However, it is also ranked No. 21 in the Best Diets Overall.

The Pros of Breaking Keto for a Day

• It can be a welcomed break from the diet.
• It can be a tasty reward for all your hard work.
• It can be a way to stay motivated on the diet.
• It can help you stay committed to your low-carb lifestyle.
• It can help you satisfy a craving without impeding your diet.
• It can be good for your mental health.
• It can help with long-term sustainability.

The Cons of Breaking Keto for a Day

• It can interfere with your state of ketosis.
• It can be harder to get back into ketosis.
• It can impede your progress for up to seven days.
• It can cause a temporary gain in water weight.
• It can cause a sugar crash.
• It can lead to overeating.
• It can be detrimental to your weight loss journey.
• It can be difficult to stick to your keto diet consistently.

How to break keto without ruining your progress

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. The diet is highly restrictive, and it's natural to crave forbidden, carby foods. While it is possible to have a cheat day on keto, it can be detrimental to your progress. Here are some tips to help you break keto without ruining your progress:

Opt for Keto-Approved Substitutes

Instead of cheating on your diet, try splurging on keto-friendly substitutes that can curb your cravings. There are many keto-friendly recipes available online that can satisfy your cravings without kicking you out of ketosis. For example, if you're craving pizza, you can try a cauliflower crust or a portobello mushroom base.

Have Cheat Meals, Not Cheat Days

It is much easier to manage your nutrition and calories with cheat meals than with entire cheat days. A large cheat meal can add 1000 or more calories to your day, while a whole cheat day will add much more and potentially undo all your hard work. Plan your cheat meals ahead of time and ensure they are worth it by prioritising certain events or favourite foods.

Track Your Daily Intake

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

Get Back into Ketosis Quickly

If you do end up cheating on your keto diet, the best way to minimise the negative effects is to get back into ketosis as quickly as possible. Restrict your carb intake even more than usual for a few days after your cheat meal, and increase your exercise to help deplete glycogen stores.

Make it Rare and Make it Count

Space out your cheat meals generously. The less you cheat, the less likely you'll form bad eating habits. And when you do decide to cheat, make it count by indulging in the foods you miss the most.

Remember, the key to breaking keto without ruining your progress is moderation and planning. As long as you don't go overboard with your cheat meals and you get back into ketosis quickly, you can enjoy the occasional treat without sabotaging your hard work.

The best way to break keto for a day

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. Ketosis is a state that your body goes into when it uses fat to create molecules called ketones. This happens when there is not much sugar around for your body to use as energy.

If you're craving a cheat day, it's best to opt for keto-friendly substitutes to curb your cravings. You can find ketogenic versions of popular meals to keep you on course. If you do decide to have a cheat meal, it's important to keep it rare and make it count. Pick your favourite foods and enjoy them without going overboard. It's also a good idea to cheat close to exercise as this increases insulin sensitivity, so you can get back into ketosis faster.

If you do decide to have a cheat day, here are some tips to minimise the damage:

• Count calories and carbs: Stick to less than 150g of carbs and make sure you don't go overboard with calories.
• Cheat with keto, not on it: Opt for keto-friendly foods and recipes that will make you feel like you're cheating.
• Plan ahead: The more you plan, the less likely you are to go overboard.
• Get back into ketosis quickly: Increase exercise and further restrict carbs to get back into ketosis faster.

Remember, the best diet for you is one that you can stick to. It's okay to treat yourself occasionally, as long as you get back on track afterward.

How to get back into ketosis after breaking keto

It is not uncommon to break your keto diet for a day. While it is not advisable, it is also not the end of the world. Here are some tips to get back into ketosis after a cheat day:

• Accept and move on: Don't let a cheat day turn into a cheat week or month. Own your decision and move on.
• Fast: One of the quickest ways to deplete your body of glucose is by doing a fast. A 24-hour water-and-coffee-only fast is ideal, but any intermittent fast will still be beneficial.
• Avoid certain foods: Avoid eating dairy, nuts, and anything containing sweeteners for a few days after your cheat day. These foods may cause inflammation and make your body hold on to water weight.
• Do strength training: Weight training is one of the most effective ways to get rid of excess carbs and sugar.
• Follow a low-carb regimen: Limit your carb intake to under 20 grams a day for up to a week after your cheat day.
• Track and measure: To stick to the plan, track your food for the next week or so. Measuring your ketones ensures that your diet is working.
• Drink water and take electrolytes: This won't get you back into ketosis quickly, but it will help you avoid experiencing the keto flu again.
• Exercise: Exercise increases insulin sensitivity, so you can get back into ketosis faster.
• Restrict carbs: Limit your carb intake even more than you normally would for a few days after your cheat day. This will help deplete glycogen stores and get you back into ketosis faster.
• Increase exercise: Adding 15-20 minutes of medium-to-high-intensity exercise each day after a cheat day will help you get back into ketosis faster.

How often should you break keto?

The keto diet is a highly restrictive, low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet that can be challenging to stick to. The restrictive nature of the diet is why many people on keto consider taking "cheat days" or "cheat meals" to indulge in some of their favourite foods.

The decision to break keto depends on several factors, including your goals, willpower, and how your body responds to being in and out of ketosis.

If staying in ketosis is essential for your progress, it is recommended to cheat much less often, such as once a month. It can take anywhere from one day to a week to get into ketosis, and the process is usually much quicker the second time. However, the more you cheat, the harder it may be to get back into ketosis, and you may find yourself slipping into unhealthy habits.

If your primary goal is to lose weight, an occasional cheat meal is not going to destroy your progress, as long as you maintain calorie control overall. Carbs do not directly cause weight gain; only eating too many calories can do this. However, because the keto diet is so high in fat, it is easy to go overboard with calories on a cheat day. Therefore, if you are going to cheat, it is recommended to have a cheat meal rather than a full cheat day.

It is essential to be honest with yourself about your willpower and how your body and mind respond to restrictive diets. Some people can take meals, days, or weeks off keto and easily return to the diet, while others may fall off the wagon and struggle to get back on track. If you know that a cheat day might be a slippery slope, it is better to avoid cheating altogether or to limit yourself to the occasional cheat meal.

How to cheat wisely

If you decide to take a cheat day or cheat meal, there are several guidelines you can follow to minimize the negative impact on your progress:

• Opt for keto-friendly substitutes or recipes that satisfy your cravings without kicking you out of ketosis.
• If you must eat non-keto foods, stick to fewer than 150g of carbs, and ensure you remain at a caloric deficit for the day.
• Plan your cheat meals ahead of time and space them out generously.
• Prioritize certain events or favourite foods over random temptations that will always be there.
• Try to exercise after cheating to help deplete glycogen stores and reach a state of ketosis more quickly.
• Get back on your keto plan as soon as possible after cheating.

Remember, the best diet for you is one that you can stick to! If you find yourself cheating too often, it may be time to re-evaluate whether the keto diet is right for you.

Frequently asked questions