Are cheat days helpful?

(Michelle) #22

I think everyone has a different opinion on “cheat” days and what that means, and what it could do to a Keto lifestyle.

I, for one, would never tell anyone to cheat or not to cheat. None of my business. If people want to plan it, or slip up, or say cheat, or whatever, then Yay!!! good for them.

I have been Keto since January 2 of this year, and I just don’t have any desire to have carbs or sugary things anymore. I look at them like poison for me. Yuck, don’t want it, thank you. Now, have I “cheated” with too much Keto food? probably - one too many fat bombs, maybe too much cheese, extra wine, etc. So, that is maybe my “cheat”. But as far as planning a carb up day, or reserving a day for sugary foods, or anything like that, I just don’t have the desire anymore for that stuff. It’s not discipline either, it’s just not appealing.

I did hear on one of the many podcasts I listen to I did hear that once you re-introduce carbs, it could take about 5 days to get fat adapted again. So, you could carb up on Saturday, and not get back into fat adaptation again until Thursday. This assumes you were humming along fat adapted to begin with. So, again, not worth it for me.

(Crow T. Robot) #23

Stress might be the next step for some, but for me the next step from ‘self-loathing’ is ‘self-pity’ and self-pity is where you indulge yourself.

Understanding the self-pity aspect for me has helped me a lot. I can usually stop at that point now that I know it’s really the last thing I need right then.

(carl) #24

Not worth it for me.

(Valeria Gonzalez) #25

Don’t listen to what most people have to say, it depends, on different metabolisms, every metabolism works different. TO me when I first started keto 2 years ago which was 19 of May of 2015 , I would never forget that day :’) lol, I dropped 5 to 8 pounds every month (much safer) for the first two or three months, and then I hitted plateou the next month, I started 155 and when I hitted plateou I was 140 and tha was in August, then I finally reached my destination which was in Decemeber of 2015 when I weighted 125 :slight_smile: anyways, the first month was painful to me, I had the keto flu without even knowing myself, because I ate strictly 20g of net carbs per day, and usually 2 or 3 days a week I worked out, usually light exercise, but whenever I started, I just listened to my own metabolism, with that being said I didn’t count the calories, I was clueless in how many I was eating, altough, I knew I was eating in the 1200 range or lower. So, whenever your star keto, dont punish yourself, if you want to cheat, do it, I did it once every week, and I was still loosing weight, I was always waiting on Sundays to eat one delicious hamburger, after I was finally keto adapted I didnt have many cravings at all, but still I would cheat two days a week and I would not gain any weight. So anyways, LISTEN TO YOUR METABOLISM, not this people, if you want to cheat, cheat, but make it simple, something you were craving, and not too high in carbs, try to stick to one thing, without eating any sides, such as fries or onion rings, if you are trying to buy in any fast food chain. I would suggest a burger, for me, it made me feel satisfied, and able to start the next week, with more energy and much much motivation. Another tip, dont look at the scale after cheating, focus on only eating what you feel like eating, ignore the numbers, only do it once a month :slight_smile: thats all, I hope you have reached your goals, good luck. Also, the slower you take to lose weight the better, most people that lost weight fast, deprive themselves so much, then whenever they start eating junk food, they would binge like a lot, for me since it to me quite a long time to lose the 30 pounds, when I started eating the food I wanted, I didnt have trouble eating back what I wanted, I managed to kept that weight off, for a very long time.

#26

This may appear a little extreme, but “cheat”? Doesn’t that in itself tell you its wrong?

(Valeria Gonzalez) #27

Lol, I maintain to cheat, and still be skinny, if you deprive yourself to much, it doesnt matter what diet your follow, your going to fail, the body needs, carbohydrates and glucose to survive, that’s why it goes into starvation mode and instead of losing weight your body is going to hold on on that little bit of fat it has to survive, there has been many studies were many people who diet for more than 12 weeks, whenever they start eating whatever they want, they got fat, since the body was not use to it for so long, than whenever they start eating again, they get into starvation mode or binge eating. Even celebrities have cheat days, because their body needs them, they don’t have to deprive themselves to much, it even increases leptin levels which boots your metabolism, and makes you lose weight, if you want to lose weight and stay skinny for the long term, like I did, you need to have a cheat meal, once a week, or whenever you feel like it, otherwise, you have an unrealistic and harsh plan, on your metabolism, and later that’s going to take a tool on your weight. Believe me.

#28

That may be good for you, but if I cheated I’d never come back from it. Each to their own!

(VLC.MD) #29

You don’t need to eat carbs. The liver makes all the glucose your body needs from gluconeogenesis.

Planned Cheat days sounds like a bad idea. For me anyway. I guess if you are super fat adapted and it’s a tiny one ?

(Keto in Katy) #30

I have found cheating to be sabotage. I feel best when I stay on plan but your mileage may vary.

(Ken) #31

The term “Cheat” is not really very accurate or descriptive. Once adapted into a lipolytic lifestyle, to the point it’s your normal eating pattern instead of a temporary one to lose weight, periodic Carb intake becomes beneficial. It’s intended for one purpose, to prevent metabolic slowdowns and the body from going into starvation mode. The more active the lifestyle, the more they become necessary.

If you’re not experiencing detrimental symptoms indicating these effects, they’re not necessary. Periodic Carb intake, up to the degree of complete glycogen recompensation is a tool, not Heresy.

Becoming completely anti-carb is silly. True, technically you do not need to eat them, but it doesn’t mean that in specific types, amounts, and frequencies they are not beneficial.

#32

Sorry, but what do meaningless celebrities have to do with anything? The very idea of celebrity and diets makes me sick! I live my life according to me.

(Cathy) #33

I have to respectfully disagree with the notion that ‘cheating is needed’ because of deprivation. It is also untrue that the body ‘needs carb and glucose’ to survive if you are referring to dietary input.

I have been keto for 8+ yrs. and do not feel deprived and staying keto is not an issue - ever.

The theory of ‘resetting’ hormones is always interesting but with little evidence to support it. People who choose to eat off plan and continue to do well might do even better if they were not eating off plan. However, if they don’t feel the need to be 100% on plan, that is a personal decision but it is one that would be a disaster for many. Personally, I spent a number of years just trying to get on to a keto plan and stay there. My addiction to carbs was incredibly difficult to overcome.

(Valeria Gonzalez) #34

Well, every metabolism, has their own story on their own, like people who eat whatever they want and still be skinny, thats because every metabolism, either works, fast or slow, I’m guessing, since your body got use to keto so much, your body doesn’t want cheating or high carbs anymore, but your body does need some nutrients, in order to survive, I’m not saying you need to go to Mcdonals and order a double cheeseburger and big mac, every Sunday on Keto, I’m saying you can have the “good carbs” and also have “bad carbs” in moderation, because there are good carbs that exist and other keto foods lack a little bit, like a little bit of rice, or beans, or sweet potatoes are good, even salads which are high carbs. Like if do strict dieting, my body is not going to maintain it enough, and thats because I’m too young, and I need to have a considerate amount of carbs and calories. People that tend to go on the older side, need less, and thats why probably many feel satisfied with little, and also gender, contributes in a great factor, athletes or bodybuilders, who do high intensity work outs, or even keto, have higher carbs day, and thats because they have a higher metabolism, and need higher amounts than anybody. Like I said, sometimes, in some people, there has to be a moderate point between good and bad, and the body understands, like myself, that it doesn’t need to cheat in order to feel good, and sometimes my body craves it, but still I would not go another day, feeling that same way, like “ohhhh I need to eat 2000 or 30000 calories.” nope, it nows when to stop, and that comes in different metabolisms, and also in a great amount of self dedication, in understanding what moderation is, for some people is not the case. But, I understand your point of view, and where you are coming from.

(paul ) #36

Well I haven’t “cheated” in a year. Been very good----- macros in line------- 80 lbs down 34 pants. Now thin and hopefully healthier. EIther way I look and feel good. IF / 23-1 every day and EF once every 6 weeks for at least 72 hours.Cravings been gone for months and months. Zero liquor.

Since my Yankees lost, I said what the hell lets see what happens knowing that going back would not be an issue.
So Sunday night FRIENDLYS!!! Large cup vanilla ice cream (no sugar added) don’t know why.
Wet walnuts, Chocolate jimmies (sprinkles for those of you not in NJ) extra whipped cream. All my old favorites.

Kind of anti climatic for me. Not as fulfilling as I thought. So I ate it ALL and then in 1 hour crashed at 8:30 and slept till 6am.

So Monday went back to IF zero carb-------- induction.
No headaches, no bloat and no weight gain. If fact don’t know if a “reset” took place but I lost a pound by friday.
So will i do it again? def not for at least a year-------------------- maybe. But i am excited that maybe I have hopefully gone from Insulin resistant to insulin sensitive.

(Valeria Gonzalez) #37

And also, some people are carb intolerant!

(Valeria Gonzalez) #38

I forget to refrain myself but since I been in keto for almost two, years, I don’t get the cravings like I use too, that was only when I started, but once in a while, like my birthday, anniversaries, I would cheat, but sometimes, for me like eating to much carbs, sounds a little to much. When I cheat, I usually go for 50 or 60 carbs, and that’s because, I follow a 10-20 of net carbs a day, or sometimes zero carbs.

(Renee Williams) #39

I absolutely agree with you! I have been keto 2 yrs
I alow myself 1 cheat meal a week & then get back on track the next day!! You are so right it just depends on the person point, blank, period! Was so glad to see a post with truth. I’m with you.

(Auden) #40

It depends. Sometimes a cheat meal can help me break a stall. You might get different responses of you use the word “carb-up”. I think maybe the word cheat meal can be triggering for people.

(Heather ) #41

After 4 weeks of doing strict Keto, I let myself indulge in a small ice cream and 2 slices of pizza. Not because I craved them, but because I know how much I love these foods and I wanted to “treat” myself. To my surprise, it didn’t knock me out of ketosis. But this morning I got up and continued on with my, now, normal diet of 10-20g or no carbs. It was awesome to enjoy an ice cream with my kids last evening without any regrets…except extreme bloating right now. But I can understand how this can be a very slippery slope for some people.