Carb heavy meal - what's my next move?

(Travis Harris) #1

I had a big dessert for my son’s birthday today. Now I’m wondering, just go back to normal keto, or would it be better to fast?

Thanks!

#2

If you feel that you can fast, that’s a good strategy. If not, just keep to normal keto. You could go even lower carb for a few days (I often average closer to 10 carbs a day). If you currently exercise that helps too. Most of all, keep calm and keto on.

(jilliangordona) #3

Also, it’s important to think about WHY you broke keto. Your son’s birthday is important, but so is your health.

When I first started keto, I would cheat every two weeks or so, normally because my boyfriend wanted to go out for dinner and he would choose something that was hard to pick keto. Or an old favorite where my go to meals were carb heavy.

Once I realized the pattern I had a conversation with my boyfriend about the situation and how important this is for me… i haven’t “cheated” since!

By identifying why, you can help prevent it from happening again.

(Travis Harris) #4

I’m not worried about the occasional cheat it’s my first in 8 weeks. I’m going to stick with keto but firmly believe there are no absolutes.

(jilliangordona) #5

N=1, I totally hear ya. It would take me a week or so to recover from that fully, but that is my personally insulin resistant metabolism.

KCKO!

#6

Which is less stressful for you? That’s what you may want to choose. If fasting suggests you have done something wrong and reinforces “wrongness” what is the point? If going to normal keto allows you to feel calm, go there. I use fasting post overeating to help get grounded again so it isn’t stressful for me.

(Siobhan) #7

Don’t punish yourself, first off. If you just want to fast because you feel it will help you get to feeling the benefits of ketosis faster then go for it.
Determine if there’s anything you feel needs to change, or any better way to handle future events, and then KCKO
Happy birthday to your son, by the way!

#8

next move…

…bacon and eggs

(eat more) #9

omg my brain read the topic as carb heavy meTal!
\m/

lol

(Jim Russell) #10

Doing some sort of movement can help the carbs get sent into your muscles and blunt the insulin response. Whether or not this will be beneficial depends on how long it has been since you carbed up.Ideally, it can be done immediately before or after eating the carbs, but doing it before your blood sugar spikes (60 - 90 minutes after eating for most people) should have some benefit.

https://mattdever.wordpress.com/2015/04/26/dodging-fat/

#11

Isn’t this the answer to everything… in life?

#12

“Yes…”

#13

I’d say to just continue on the path and don’t demonize celebrating with family or friends. In the big picture it doesn’t matter, if you get pain from carb loading then I find it less likely to do it in the future.

Couple fun things you could try in the future…
Gymnema Sylvestre - Can curb carb craving
Crave Crush - This is a patented version of Gymnema which reacts to your cravings instantly
Acarbose or Miglitol - prescription drug that will stop insulin from spiking.
White Bean Extract - Blocks certain types of carbs apparently, seems kinda scammy but could be wrong

(Cathrine Helle) #14

After such occasions I will have one zero carb meal high in fat for my next meal, and then a fast that lasts for 32-48 hours. This puts me right back on track. I found that going directly into a fast without the substantial meal first is really difficult for me. I’m much more likely to be extremely hungry, with headaches and brain fog to accompany the aching tummy. Not a pleasant experience.

That said, I don’t usually go off diet that often. When I first started keto in 2010/11 I NEVER went off diet. But as the years have passed I’ve realized that this is not how I want to live. I do want to have the occasional cake at a birthday party, or other social eating interactions. But it comes with a price, and I really don’t want to do this too often.

(Carpe salata!) #15

From an evolution perspective, we would have come off ketosis for at least the month each year of the fruit season. Imagine sitting around in the sun of the late summer eating ripened fruit and getting fat and lethargic on the abundant carbs.

And then winter hits…

(Travis Harris) #16

Your last paragraph sums up how I feel about it perfectly.

(Travis Harris) #17

Thanks I’m curious about carbs for exercise but want to drop another 15 - 20 pounds first.

(Sheri Knauer) #18

I agree with this. If you fast just because you had the cake, then it does seem like a form of punishment. You ate the cake. Thats ok. You’re not eating cake every day or every week. It was your sons birthday. Just pick right up where you left off and do what you would have normally done had you not eaten cake. If you normally fast on Monday, then fast. If you don’t, then don’t.
Perhaps for the next birthday, you can make a keto dessert. There are so many awesome keto dessert recipes for cakes, cupcakes, etc. Then you can have some and not feel bad because you ate some or bad because your body is reacting to the sugar and carbs.

(Michael Wallace Ellwood) #19

I agree with the others who said don’t punish yourself.
On the other hand, a fast could be good if you feel like doing it.
Or perhaps just try to narrow your daily feeding window a bit more than usual, i.e. an intermittent fast.
Just for a few days until you feel yourself back on track.

#20

Same thing happened to me. Had a very small piece of cake for Father’s Day (I’m a baker). It was just a rare indulgence, i did not feel bad after, and I went back to my bacon fast lol. Did notice i was STARVING when i woke up tho, and BPC didnt cure it.