Keto Diet: Cheat Days And Their Impact

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. 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 highly restrictive and unsustainable, and many health experts don't recommend it for long-term weight maintenance and management. The keto diet can be tough to follow, and it's natural to crave forbidden, carby foods. This is where cheat days come in. A cheat day can be a welcomed break from the diet, but it can also interfere with your state of ketosis. Eating more than 50 grams of carbs in a day will throw your body out of ketosis, and it can take up to a week or more to get back into it. So, is it okay to break keto once a week? Well, that depends. If you plan on going out of ketosis, you should schedule your cheat days less often. If you want to limit your carb intake on cheat days, you can have them more frequently, perhaps once a week. Ultimately, it's up to you whether you want to have a keto cheat day. Just be mindful of the potential drawbacks and plan your macros carefully.

The pros and cons of cheating on keto

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that emphasises weight loss by burning fat. However, the keto diet can be restrictive, and it's natural to crave forbidden, carby foods. This is where cheat days come in.

Pros of Cheating on Keto

• The long-term argument: If you give yourself the flexibility to cheat occasionally, you're more likely to stick to keto for longer.
• It can be a tasty reward for all your hard work.
• It can help you stay motivated and teach you how to have moderation as you build sustainable long-term health habits.
• It can reduce cravings and help you stick to your meal plan better overall.

Cons of Cheating on Keto

• It can kick you out of ketosis, which could interfere with your weight loss, fat loss, and other keto-related goals.
• It can cause a temporary gain in water weight.
• It can bring back hunger and cravings for carbs and sugar.
• It can cause a sugar crash.
• It can cause a repeat of the symptoms of the keto flu.
• It can be difficult to get back into ketosis after a cheat day.

How to cheat on keto the right way

The keto diet is a highly restrictive, low-carb, high-fat, and moderate protein diet that can be tough to follow. It is natural to crave forbidden, carby foods, especially if they are your favorite foods. A keto cheat day can be something to look forward to—a tasty reward for all your hard work. However, it is important to cheat the right way to avoid undoing your progress. Here are some tips to help you cheat on keto the right way:

Opt for Keto-Approved Cheat Meals

The best way to approach a keto cheat day is by not cheating on your diet at all and indulging in keto-friendly substitutes to curb your cravings. There are plenty of keto-friendly recipes and alternatives that you can enjoy. For example, instead of eating a wheat pasta, opt for low-carb zucchini pasta.

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 1000 or more calories to your day, while a whole cheat day will add much more and potentially undo all your hard work. If you are going to cheat, it is best to stick to just one meal.

Plan Your Cheat Meals

The easiest way to ensure your diet cheats don't ruin your progress is to plan them. Pick which meals you're going to cheat on and budget some calories and carbs in advance. Prioritize certain events or favorite foods over random temptations that will always be there. For example, if you know there is a social event coming up on the weekend, plan how you will cheat and enjoy it without going overboard.

Space Out Your Cheat Meals

Cheat meals are not a daily thing. Space them out generously. The less you cheat, the less likely you'll form bad eating habits. If your goal is calorie control, aim to cheat no more than once or twice a week. But if ketosis is important for your progress, consider cheating much less often, like once a month.

Keep Portions Small

Keeping portions small will help prevent overeating. Instead of relying on willpower, make sure seconds aren't within easy reach. This will also help you get back into ketosis faster after your cheat meal.

Cheat Close to Exercise

Exercising increases insulin sensitivity (your ability to handle carbs), so you can get back into ketosis faster. Plan smaller cheats around exercise to help keep you in ketosis.

Avoid Sugar

Sugary cheat meals will fuel sugar addiction and drive future cravings. Opt for keto-friendly sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit instead.

Return to Keto Quickly

The longer you avoid your low-carb routine, the harder it will be to get back on track. The best way to recover from a keto cheat day is to resume your low-carb keto lifestyle as soon as possible.

Remember, the key to cheating on keto the right way is moderation and planning. As long as you are being mindful and not going overboard with your cheat meals, you can still enjoy your favorite carbs once in a while without derailing your progress.

The psychological benefits of a cheat day

A Reward for Hard Work

The keto diet can be restrictive, and it's only natural to crave forbidden, carby foods, especially if they are your favourites. A cheat meal can be a tasty reward for all your hard work and something to look forward to.

A More Balanced Approach to Healthy Eating

Including a cheat day 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.

A Motivator to Stick to Your Plan

By allowing yourself to indulge in foods not permitted on your diet, you may find the motivation to stick to your planned diet most of the time. This is where the cheat meal strategy is tied to the psychology of weight loss.

A Way to Avoid Binge-Eating

Cheat days can be a helpful tool to keep binge-eating at bay. If you cheat too often, however, you may find yourself back to where you started. Nutritionists recommend the 80/20 rule, where 80% of your meals are healthy and 20% satisfy your cravings.

A Way to Avoid Guilt

If you view a cheat meal as 'cheating', you may feel guilty and discouraged. Instead, try to view it as a meal that you've earned and should enjoy, without the guilt. This will help you see it as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

How to stay in ketosis on a cheat day

The 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. While the keto diet can be restrictive, and it is natural to crave forbidden, carby foods, it is possible to include cheat meals and still lose weight. However, if your goal is to stay in ketosis, cheating on the keto diet might not be the best idea. Here are some tips to stay in ketosis on a cheat day:

• Opt for keto-approved cheat meals: Instead of cheating on your diet, splurge on keto-friendly substitutes to curb your cravings. There are many ketogenic versions of popular meals and an endless supply of packaged keto snacks and "cheat foods" available in the market.
• 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. A large cheat meal can add 1,000 or more calories to your day, while a whole cheat day will likely undo all of your hard work from the week.
• Plan your cheat meals: Pick which meals you want to cheat on and budget your calories and carbs in advance. Prioritize certain events or favorite foods over random temptations. For example, if you know there is a social event coming up on the weekend, plan how you will cheat and enjoy it without going overboard.
• Cheat close to exercise: Planning smaller cheats around exercise can help keep you in ketosis since you will use up the extra carbs quickly. Exercise increases insulin sensitivity, improving your ability to handle carbs.
• Keep portions small: This will prevent overeating and make it easier to stick to your diet.
• Make it rare: Cheat days are not a daily occurrence. Space them out generously to avoid forming bad eating habits.
• Make it count: Don't waste your cheat meal on something you don't truly enjoy. Eat the foods you miss most, like a special holiday dessert.
• Avoid sugar: Sugary cheat meals will fuel sugar addiction and drive future cravings. Opt for keto-friendly sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit instead.
• Return to keto 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 after a cheat day

It's okay to break keto once in a while, but it's important to get back on track as soon as possible. Here are some tips to get back into ketosis after a cheat day:

• Accept the cheat day and move on: Don't let a cheat day turn into a cheat week or month. The longer you continue to cheat, the more harm you will do.
• Fast: One of the quickest ways to deplete your body of glucose is by fasting. A 24-hour water and coffee-only fast is ideal, but any intermittent fast will be beneficial.
• Avoid certain foods: Avoid eating dairy, nuts, and anything containing sweeteners for a few days after your cheat day. These foods may stall weight loss and cause inflammation and water retention.
• Strength training: Weight training is an effective way to get rid of excess carbs and sugar. A 30-minute session can help burn through the glucose and get you back into ketosis.
• Low-carb regimen: Follow a strict low-carb regimen, limiting your total carb intake to 20 grams or less per day for up to a week after your cheat day. This will help deplete your glucose stores and get you back into fat-burning mode.
• Track and measure: Measure your ketone levels to ensure that you are back in ketosis. You can use tools like ketone breath meters, blood ketone meters, or keto urine strips.
• Drink water and take electrolytes: Staying hydrated is crucial, especially when fasting or increasing your exercise. Drink plenty of water and consider taking electrolytes to avoid the keto flu symptoms.

In addition to these strategies, it's important to find out why you are cheating in the first place. Are you craving carbs and sugar? Is the diet too restrictive? Addressing these underlying issues will help you stick to keto in the long run.

Frequently asked questions