Strategies To Recover From A Sugar Binge On Keto

It's easy to fall off the keto wagon and give in to a sugar binge. But don't beat yourself up about it! It's common to feel guilty and anxious after a binge, but it's important to be kind to yourself and remember that it's not the end of the world. You can take some simple steps to deal with the aftermath and get back on track. Focus on eating healthy, protein-rich, fibre-filled meals to help you feel full and satisfied. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and flush out the excess sugar. Get rid of any tempting sugary treats from your house and plan your meals and snacks in advance. You could also try weight training to burn through excess glucose and stored glycogen. Remember, it's normal to feel a bit hungover after a sugar binge, so take it easy and be gentle with your body.

What to do after a sugar binge keto

Don't beat yourself up—acknowledge and move on

It is important to not beat yourself up after a sugar binge. It is common to feel horrible after eating too much sugar, both physically and mentally. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that it happened and move on without dwelling on it. Here are some tips to help you deal with the aftermath:

• Weight Training: Weight training is an effective way to burn excess glucose and stored glycogen. It is recommended by doctors to help control diabetes and can also help metabolize excess sugar, reducing the chance of damage to your body. Additionally, working out can help reduce stress and improve your mood.
• Focus on Satiety: Instead of obsessing over the sugar you consumed, shift your focus to healthy, satisfying meals. Include protein and fibre in every plate to stay full and satisfied, making it easier to resist temptations. Eat slowly, savour your food, and focus on how good you feel after eating nutritious meals.
• Hydration: Drinking plenty of water can help your body stay full and reduce cravings. Sometimes, we mistake thirst for hunger, so staying hydrated can help prevent overeating.
• Remove Sugary Foods: Get rid of tempting sweets and fill your house with nutritious alternatives. Plan your meals and snacks, and consider portioning them out for the next 24 to 48 hours to avoid reaching for sugary treats.
• Explore Your Feelings: Be honest with yourself and reflect on why the binge happened. Dig deeper to understand the underlying causes, such as stress or emotional triggers. Address these issues to prevent future binges and set up systems to stay on track.
• Ease Back into Your Routine: Be gentle with your body and gradually return to your healthy habits. Eat nutritious foods, drink plenty of water, and engage in light exercises like walking to help your body recover and feel good again.

Weight training can help metabolise excess sugar

Burns Up Blood Sugar

Weight training relies primarily on the body's glycolytic, or glucose-using, metabolic system for energy. As we go through a strength-training workout, we use stored muscle glycogen for fuel. Once this stored muscle glycogen runs out, we start to mobilise extra glycogen from the liver and blood. This helps to directly decrease blood glucose as well as deplete stored muscle and liver glycogen stores, giving blood glucose a place to go next time we eat.

Improves Glucose Storage

Our muscles serve as storage facilities for consumed sugar and carbohydrates. Trained muscle has a higher capacity to store blood glucose in the form of glycogen, aiding in lowering blood glucose. That means lowered blood sugar levels and easier glucose management.

Targets Harmful Belly Fat

Abdominal fat, also called visceral fat, exacerbates insulin resistance and complicates blood sugar management. Research has shown that high-intensity resistance training, when combined with moderate endurance training and a restrictive diet, is effective at reducing visceral fat levels in people with metabolic syndrome (also known as insulin resistance syndrome).

Improves Heart Health

Type 2 diabetes is a leading risk factor in the development of heart disease. Fortunately, strength training increases levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol in the body while reducing LDL ("bad") levels. Research has also shown it helps lower high blood pressure (hypertension).

Prevents Age-Related Muscle Loss

Building muscle through strength training directly combats the muscle loss that can occur through the decades. Type 2 diabetes is an independent risk factor for accelerated declines in muscle strength. Research has linked severe age-related muscle degradation, called sarcopenia, to loss of physical function and increased risk of falls, hospitalisation, and early death.

Reduces the Risk of Peripheral Neuropathy and Vision Loss

When we have chronically high blood sugar, glucose molecules start attaching themselves to everything, including our red blood cells. This can prevent healthy blood flow in many places in the body, including the eyes and nerves of the hands and feet. Strength training improves blood flow to reduce the risk of these complications.

Focus on satiety from meals—add protein and fibre to your plate

After a sugar binge, it's important to focus on satiety from meals by adding protein and fibre to your plate. This means prioritising foods that will keep you feeling full and satisfied, which can help to curb cravings and reduce appetite.

Protein-rich foods can help to increase feelings of fullness and are essential for maintaining and building muscle mass. Aim to include a source of protein at each meal, such as chicken, fish, meat, eggs, or plant-based sources like tofu, beans, and lentils.

Fibre, on the other hand, passes through your digestive system relatively unchanged, adding bulk to your stool and promoting regular bowel movements. Fibre can also help to lower blood sugar levels and improve cholesterol levels. Good sources of fibre include avocados, nuts, seeds, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, and low-carb fruits like berries.

• Chicken breast with avocado
• Salmon with Brussels sprouts
• Chia seed pudding with nut butter
• Eggplant with chicken
• Spinach salad with chicken and avocado

Remember to listen to your body and adjust your meals accordingly. It's important to have a well-rounded diet that includes a variety of nutrients to support your overall health.

Drink a lot of water

Drinking water is essential to staying healthy, and it becomes even more critical after a sugar binge while on a keto diet. Here are some reasons why drinking a lot of water is crucial in this context:

Prevent Dehydration

The keto diet is low in carbs, which can lead to a lack of electrolytes, causing dehydration. This is because the keto diet removes sodium from your everyday eating habits, and salt helps the body retain water, maintain electrolyte levels, and prevent mild dehydration. Therefore, drinking plenty of water can help counter this effect and ensure you stay hydrated.

Aid Ketone Production

The keto diet aims to turn fat and fatty acids into ketones, which are used as an energy source. This process requires adequate water intake, as it occurs throughout the body and not just in the digestive tract. Water is essential to convert stored fat into ketones, providing an extra energy boost between meals.

Manage Cravings

Dehydration can cause side effects similar to hunger, such as weakness, dizziness, and fatigue. So, if you're feeling hungry after a sugar binge, try drinking a glass of water first. Proper hydration can help you manage cravings and make it easier to stick to your keto diet.

Prepare for Physical Activity

If exercising is part of your weight loss plan, staying hydrated is crucial. Exercise can lead to fluid loss through sweating, and the keto diet's impact on water retention can exacerbate this. Drinking enough water before and after working out is essential to maintaining proper hydration levels and supporting your body during physical activity.

General Health Benefits

Drinking enough water has numerous health benefits. It helps flush out toxins, improves digestion, supports organ function, and enhances overall well-being. Water is essential for transporting nutrients to cells, regulating body temperature, and lubricating joints.

In conclusion, drinking a lot of water after a sugar binge while on keto can help your body recover, prevent dehydration, and support your overall health. It is a simple yet effective step towards getting back on track and achieving your health goals.

Remove sugary foods from your house

Removing sugary foods from your house is a crucial step in breaking the sugar binge cycle and resetting your diet. Here are some detailed tips to help you achieve this:

Start by taking an inventory of your kitchen and identifying all the sugary foods and drinks in your possession. This includes not only the obvious culprits like chocolates, cakes, and biscuits but also breakfast cereals, canned fruits, sauces, and condiments that may contain added sugars. Be sure to check the nutrition labels to identify hidden sugars.

Once you've identified the sugary items, it's time to get rid of them. If possible, throw them away or give them to a neighbour or friend. If you live with others who may want to keep these items, communicate your goals and ask for their support in keeping these foods out of the house. At the very least, ensure that these foods are stored out of sight, so you aren't visually reminded of them.

Now, it's time to replace those sugary items with healthier alternatives. Stock up on keto-friendly snacks and foods that are low in sugar or use natural sweeteners like stevia or erythritol. Fresh fruits, unsalted nuts, plain popcorn, rice cakes, and full-fat dairy products are some examples of healthier snack options.

In addition to removing sugary foods from your house, it's also important to address your emotional relationship with food. Sugar addiction is often tied to emotional triggers, so it's essential to find healthier coping mechanisms to deal with stress, boredom, or other difficult emotions. Consider finding alternative activities to distract yourself when sugar cravings strike, such as going for a walk, practising deep breathing, or doing a puzzle.

Finally, be kind to yourself. Breaking a sugar addiction is challenging, and relapses may occur. If you do find yourself binging on sugar again, remember that it's not a failure but a temporary setback. Use it as an opportunity to reflect on what triggered the binge and how you can better prepare for similar situations in the future.

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