Cheat Days: The Downfall Of Your Keto Diet

The ketogenic 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 the body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. While the keto diet is very strict, it is natural to wonder whether you're allowed to have cheat meals or cheat days. Cheat days can be enticing, and while they are not recommended, they do happen.

If you cheat with high-carb foods, you will be kicked out of ketosis. The amount of time it takes to get back into that coveted fat-burning zone will vary based on the person, but it generally takes one to three days. It is important to note that the more you have stored, the longer it will take the body to burn through it and get back into ketosis.

Additionally, you may experience keto flu symptoms again, such as headaches, nausea, fatigue, and body aches. These should go away quickly as long as you don't bump yourself out of ketosis again.

A single cheat meal can be enough to kick you out of ketosis

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, you may find yourself tempted by the occasional high-carb food. Cheat days and cheat meals are common strategies for strict diets. The former allows you to break the diet rules throughout the day, while the latter lets you have a single meal that breaks the rules.

The idea of planned cheating is that by allowing yourself short periods of indulgence, you're more likely to stick to the diet over the long term. While cheating may be helpful for some eating patterns, it's far from ideal for the keto diet. That's because this diet relies on your body staying in ketosis.

To stay in ketosis, you need to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day. Eating more than 50 grams can kick your body out of ketosis. As carbs are your body's preferred energy source, your body will use them over ketone bodies—the main source of fuel during ketosis, which are derived from fats—as soon as a sufficient number of carbs are available.

Because 50 grams of carbs is relatively few, a single cheat meal can easily exceed your daily carb allowance and take your body out of ketosis. In addition, some research suggests that suddenly reintroducing a high-carb meal to a ketogenic diet may damage your blood vessels.

If you've cheated on keto, you're likely out of ketosis. Once out, you'll need to strictly follow the keto diet to re-enter ketosis. This process takes several days to one week, depending on your carb intake, metabolism, and activity levels.

How to recover from cheat meals

If you've cheated on keto, here are some tips to help you get back into ketosis:

• Try intermittent fasting. Combining intermittent fasting with the keto diet may help your body shift its fuel source from carbs to fat.
• Track your carb intake. Taking note of your daily carb intake ensures that you don't underestimate it.
• Try a short-term fat fast. Fat fasts like egg fasts may help expedite ketosis and are very high-fat, low-carb diets meant to last only a brief period.
• Exercise more. Physical activity depletes your glycogen stores, which are your body's stored form of carbs. In turn, this promotes ketosis.
• Try a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement. MCTs are a rapidly absorbed fatty acid that's easily converted into ketones.

The best way to know if you've reached ketosis is to test your ketone levels. You can use tools that measure your body's ketone levels, such as ketone breath meters, blood ketone meters, and keto urine strips—which tend to be the cheapest and easiest method.

Tips to avoid cheating

• Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness involves paying attention to your body, which may help you resist cravings and emotional eating.
• Plan out your meals and snacks. A solid dietary plan makes it less likely that you'll get hungry during the day.
• Make your everyday diet enjoyable. Try incorporating different keto-friendly meals to vary up your diet and make it enjoyable.
• Keep tempting foods out of the house. Keeping treats and other tempting, high-carb foods out of sight can make cheating inconvenient.
• Have an accountability partner. A buddy or accountability partner can help you stay motivated to stick to your diet.

It takes one to three days to get back into ketosis

It's important to note that the keto diet is a very strict, low-carb, high-fat diet. The diet encourages ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. To stay in ketosis, you need to eat fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. Eating more than 50 grams can kick your body out of ketosis.

If you're following the keto diet, you may be wondering if you're allowed to have cheat meals or cheat days. Cheat days and cheat meals are common strategies for strict diets. A cheat day allows you to break the diet rules throughout the day, while a cheat meal lets you have a single meal that breaks the rules. The idea of planned cheating is that by allowing yourself short periods of indulgence, you're more likely to stick to the diet in the long term.

However, cheat days and meals are not ideal for the keto diet because it relies on your body staying in ketosis. A single cheat meal can easily exceed your daily carb allowance and take your body out of ketosis, while a cheat day is almost certain to surpass 50 grams of carbs.

If you do decide to have a cheat meal or day, it will take one to three days to get back into ketosis. In the meantime, your weight loss efforts may be disrupted. To get back into ketosis, you'll need to strictly follow the keto diet. You can also try some of the following techniques to reach ketosis faster:

• Intermittent fasting: Try eating your dinner early and your breakfast late, fasting for around 16 hours, and having an eight-hour eating window during the day.
• Track your carb intake: Take note of your daily carb intake to ensure you don't underestimate it.
• Try a short-term fat fast: Fat fasts like egg fasts are very high-fat, low-carb diets meant to last only a brief period.
• Exercise more: Physical activity depletes your glycogen stores, which are your body's stored form of carbs, promoting ketosis.
• Try a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplement: MCTs are a rapidly absorbed fatty acid that's easily converted into ketones.

It's important to note that getting back into ketosis may be easier if you've been following the keto diet for a longer period. If you've been fat-adapted for at least three months, you can get back into ketosis in 24-72 hours.

You may experience keto flu symptoms again

The keto flu is a group of symptoms reported by people starting a ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet. The keto diet is very low in carbs but high in fat and protein. The intention is to put your body in a state of ketosis, where your body burns stored fat instead of glucose.

The keto flu is essentially your body's response to entering ketosis and can often mimic symptoms of the flu, hence the name. Your body burns carbohydrates (glucose) for energy by default, so switching to a fat-burning process can confuse your body. When you drastically reduce your carb intake, your body is depleted of stored glucose and instead turns to burning fatty acids for energy. This is the metabolic process of ketosis.

Some of the most common keto flu symptoms include:

• Stomach aches or pains
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Sugar cravings
• Cramping
• Muscle soreness
• Irritability
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Poor focus and concentration
• Fatigue
• Headaches

These symptoms usually appear within the first few days of starting the keto diet and typically last a few days to a week. However, in some cases, they can persist for several weeks or even longer.

If you resume eating carbs after being on the keto diet, you may experience some repeat symptoms of the keto flu when you return to the keto diet. This is because your body has to readjust to the state of ketosis. The good news is that it is usually easier and faster to get back into ketosis the second time around, especially if you've been on the keto diet for a while.

• Transition gradually: Instead of drastically cutting carbs, try reducing your carb intake gradually over a few days or weeks to give your body time to adjust.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, which can be a side effect of the keto diet.
• Get electrolytes: When you cut carbs, you may also deplete electrolytes, so add more salt to your food or drink sports drinks that are high in electrolytes.
• Get enough calories: Ensure you're getting enough calories, especially from healthy fats. This can help increase your energy levels and reduce nausea.
• Get plenty of rest: Allow your body to adjust to the new diet by taking it easy and getting enough sleep. Avoid heavy exercise during this time.
• Try light exercise: Light yoga or stretching can help relieve muscle pain and tension.

Remember, it's important to listen to your body and consult with your doctor or a healthcare professional if you have any concerns or if your symptoms persist or become severe.

It's not the end of the world, or your keto journey

It's your best friend's birthday, and they've baked your favourite cake. Or maybe you've had a tough day, and a comforting bowl of pasta is calling your name. Perhaps you're just craving a cheat day on your keto diet. Whatever the reason, it's okay to indulge in some high-carb foods once in a while. While it's important to stay committed to your keto journey, it's not the end of the world if you stray from the path occasionally. Here's why:

It's a Learning Experience

After giving in to temptation, use it as an opportunity to learn more about your body's response to carbs. Test your ketone levels the next day with a ketone meter to see if you've truly been kicked out of ketosis. You may find that you can tolerate more carbs than you thought, especially if you've been on the keto diet for a while. This doesn't mean you should make carbs a regular part of your diet, but it shows that your body can be resilient in the face of occasional indulgences.

You Can Get Back on Track

Even if you've been kicked out of ketosis, you can get back into that fat-burning mode. It generally takes one to three days to get back into ketosis, but this can vary depending on factors such as your carb intake, metabolism, and activity levels. To speed up the process, try intermittent fasting, exercise, or adding exogenous ketones like MCT oil to your routine.

It's Not All About Ketosis

While ketosis is an important part of the keto diet, it's not the only factor contributing to weight loss. Calorie control is crucial, so as long as you maintain overall calorie control and don't go overboard with cheat days, those extra carbs won't undo all your hard work. Remember, carbs themselves do not cause weight gain; it's only when you eat too many calories that you may start to see weight gain.

Cheat Days Can Keep You Motivated

Including occasional cheat meals or days in your keto diet can help you stay motivated and committed to your journey. Knowing that you can indulge in your favourite carb-filled treats now and then can make it easier to stick to your diet over the long term. Just be mindful of how often and how much you cheat, as frequent or excessive cheating can sabotage your progress.

There Are Keto-Friendly Alternatives

If you're craving variety in your diet or missing some of your favourite foods, there are keto-friendly alternatives that can help satisfy your cravings without kicking you out of ketosis. From delicious keto recipes and restaurant options to keto-approved snacks and treats, you don't have to sacrifice flavour to stay on track.

So, if you've had a cheat day or indulged in some high-carb treats, don't be too hard on yourself. It's not the end of your keto journey. Get back to your keto meal plan, and you'll be back on track in no time!

You can take steps to get back into ketosis quickly

It's important to remember that one day of cheating on your keto diet won't destroy your progress. If you've fallen off the keto wagon, you can take steps to get back into ketosis quickly. Here are some tips to help you get back on track:

• Fasting: A 36-hour fast is a quick way to burn off all the glucose in your body and enter ketosis. However, always consult your doctor before trying to fast as it may be risky for some people. During your fast, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee.
• Exercise: Light aerobic exercises like jogging or walking can help burn off your body's glucose and get you back into ketosis. Just be sure not to overdo it, especially if you're feeling low on energy.
• Strict Keto Diet: After your fast, immediately start a strict keto diet to maintain ketosis. Focus on eating healthy fats and cutting out most carbohydrates.
• Healthy Fats: Get 60% of your calories from healthy fats like fish, shellfish, avocados, eggs, nuts, and cheese. This will help you enter and maintain ketosis.
• Low-Carb Diet: Keep your carbohydrate intake below 50 grams per day. Cut out most breads, pastas, starchy vegetables, and high-carb fruits. Instead, opt for leafy green vegetables, berries, coconut, and citrus fruits.
• Protein Intake: Consume less than 75 grams of protein daily. Get your protein from seafood, nuts, eggs, grass-fed beef, and poultry.
• Intermittent Fasting: This involves extending the fasting window between dinner and breakfast or skipping a meal. It helps your body use up stored glucose and enter ketosis.
• Drink Water: Drinking plenty of water can help curb cravings and prevent dehydration during your keto reboot.
• Exercise More: Increasing your exercise routine can help use up glucose reserves and transition your body back to burning ketones for fuel.
• Sleep: Getting enough sleep can help your body reset and repair itself, making it easier to reach ketosis.
• Exogenous Ketones: Taking a ketone supplement can help supply your body with energy as it works its way back into a ketogenic state.

Frequently asked questions