Today is my 41st bday, and with all the celebrating I did over the weekend, I cheated pretty hard on my keto diet. I had potato chips, beer, cake, and worst of all candy!! I woke this morning feeling like I threw my last 4 months of hard work and being in ketosis in the garbage. My solution is to attempt my first multiple day fast (I’m thinking 3 days). I have done at least two 24 hour fast a week for the last 3 months or so, so I’m only a little intimidated. My question is would it be unwise to try fasting after my body just got so many carbs? Would I be better off getting back to my keto diet for a few weeks before attempting my longest fast? My goal with the fast would be to try and lower my glucose stores quickly and accelerate my ability to get back to ketosis. Does anyone have any experience with a similar situation. Thanks.
Breaking a feast with an extended fast
I think this would vary on the individual - however I believe the least stressful way to go about this would be to KCKO, eat a few days of strict keto, and maybe attempt a short fast (like you had been doing) next week! There’s no rush!
I’d agree with what sue said, eat keto for 2 or 3 days then fast. I’ve jumped straight into a fast after a carb day before and it was a miserable experience, much more hunger than when I normally fast after regular keto eating.
I don’t think there’s anything necessarily unhealthy about any choice. However, I think your consumption of carbs elevated your insulin level some. That will make fasting more difficult. I would personally choose to KCKO and try a 36hr fast some time soon when it is convenient (don’t eat all one day, 2 nights). If that goes well try it again in a week or two. You’re trying to live another 40-50yrs. One or two cheat days will not kill you. It’s the carb lifestyle that will.
This is how I’ve done it when I’ve had a little cheat time. Two or three days of “clean keto” feasting, then tackle a two or three day fast. It usually gets me right back to where I want to be.
I did pretty much exactly the same yesterday! This morning I woke up to growling stomach and angry bowels. I haven’t felt that for many many months and it was a very foreign feeling.
I’m back to BP coffee for breakfast today and keto eating later on and maybe a day or two fasting once my hunger subsides (which the BP coffee has mostly done).
KC and KO!
I have experienced this. I was keto a couple months and then my friend got married and at his wedding I just went hog wild. I ate the potatoes, the corn, the cake, the cookies, the mixed drinks, the rolls. It was a carb fest. And I felt horrible after wish I didn’t do it.
Next morning I gained 4 pounds… So i decided to try to fast to “catch up”. It was a horrible idea. Since i had carbs the cravings were STRONG, and the hunger was all too real. I was miserable and broke it by hour 18, and I had done multiple 24 hour fasts before with no problem. So I ate keto for the remainder of the week, with extra fat to just sort of re-initiate myself back into keto and fat adaptation.
The week after I was back down to my previous weight, but I felt I lost out on that week, so I decided to try a 3 day fast at that time. Didn’t quite make it, hit hour 50 and just felt awful so I broke my fast then. Going for a 3 day fast at the end of this month though, sort of a “ladder up” 1 day fast first month, 2 day the second, and 3 day the third. then keep going with a monthly 3 day i hope.
Thank you to everyone for their input on this. I decided to skip the 3 day fast based on the responses I received, and to just eat my normal keto diet. I’m happy to say that today, 4 days after my weekend of cheating, my ketones are 1.8, I’m down 5 lbs (I realize its water weight), and I feel terrific. I’m wondering if this would be evidence that I am fully keto adapted and that gives me a little bit of wiggle room to have an occasional cheat?? I will add though that the way I felt after the weekend makes cheating very unappealing. Thanks again everyone!
Just don’t treat it as a punishment, whatever you do. You’re human, and you were celebrating!
For a few of my birthdays I’ve had meat cakes made (2 giant burgers stacked up with a candle) for me, and a regular cake for the others.
My sister overcooks the meat so I decided to take care of that myself from now on. (not really relevant I guess)