We know why you’re here, keto friend, and we’ve been there too – this is a judgment-free zone. Truth is, while the ketogenic diet is highly effective and relatively easy to follow, the temptation to give in to a cheat day can often become overwhelming. With a diet so restrictive, it’s hard not to find yourself dreaming of beer, bagels, and chocolate cake. Trying to rationalize the decision to cheat isn’t going to help you on your journey, however, if you’ve got to take a carb plunge, here are some things you should know.
Can You Have a Cheat Day on Keto?
The reason why the keto diet is so effective for most people is that it flips the metabolic switch, putting your body into nutritional ketosis where you’re burning fat for fuel instead of sugar. Because this state is a delicate balance that requires the absence of carbs and sugar, having a cheat day will more than likely kick you out of ketosis. Considering the time and effort invested in getting into ketosis in the first place, take a moment to reflect on whether a cheat day is worth reversing your progress.
Cheating on Keto Can Cause Insulin Spikes
For those that choose keto as a way to manage their Type 2 Diabetes or Hypoglycemia, it’s important to consider that cheat days can cause dramatic spikes in insulin levels. While managing a low carb diet for extended periods, we can enjoy the benefits of a stable, low insulin level. However, the introduction of carbs – especially a cheat day laden with lots of carbs and sugar – can cause an overproduction of insulin that could be incredibly dangerous.
If you’re using the ketogenic diet to manage diabetes or other medical conditions, like epilepsy, consider that the diet is a medical treatment and consult your physician regarding cheat days.
Keto Cheat Days Can Cause Cravings
The initial fight to curb cravings during the first few days of keto dieting can be a tough one. Sure, those cravings still continue throughout the process of adapting to this way of eating, but they do begin to subside once you’ve achieved ketosis. However, the very act of reintroducing carbs into your diet can ramp up those cravings all over again. Our brains love sugar – and we’ve been allowing them to run off sugar as an energy source for a long time. Once those carbs are reintroduced into our bodies, those cravings light back up and it can be a struggle to combat them all over again.
Adopting a ketogenic lifestyle requires a lot of commitment – whether you’re choosing to do it for the weight loss, for medical reasons, or both. The temptation to cheat can be a struggle to overcome.
While some diets may allow room for a cheat day, the way that ketosis works doesn’t really allow for much wiggle room in terms of indulgences. However, there are a few ways to get past the desire to cheat without compromising your progress. First, consider WHY you want to cheat. Are you craving sweets? Did you have a bad day? Sometimes, knowledge can be powerful in assessing why you’re driven to need that cheat day. Second, get creative! If you’re feeling sucked into the temptation to indulge in something sweet, then try a keto-friendly cake or donut recipe. If bread is your weakness, try your hand at an almond or coconut flour bread.
Let’s hear it from you – leave a comment below and share your most effective ways of curbing cravings and avoiding the temptation to give in to a cheat day. Most importantly, stay strong and keto on!
NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
The content on this website should not be taken as medical advice and you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. We provide nutritional data for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. We use Total Keto Diet app software to calculate the nutrition and we remove fiber and sugar alcohols, like erythritol, from the total carbohydrate count to get to the net carb count, as they do not affect your blood glucose levels. You should independently calculate nutritional information on your own and not rely on our data. The website or content herein is not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose or treat any disease. This website shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on the Website or actions you take as a result. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk.
Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.
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