Well, I’ll play devil’s advocate here since this is the one opinion that hasn’t been voiced yet lol!
I cheat nearly every week and have still managed to lose almost 50lbs since mid-February. I really don’t weigh myself anymore except just out of curiosity. I feel so good all the time, look good, have wonderful energy, sleep, mental clarity, etc. that weight-loss has all but dropped off my to-do list (I may still have another 10lbs or so to drop if I REALLY cared).
At any event, my cheats are all-out binges. One night may consist of: $15 of Taco Bell followed by a couple donuts, 2/3 package of Oreos, pizza, ice cream, Pringles, beer… anything I want and as much as I want. The trick, of course, is to know yourself. If you know you’re someone who will buy this stuff and, if you don’t finish it all that night, will snack on it the next day and the next and eventually fall off the wagon all together, then maybe you need to cheat more controlled; like just go to a restaurant and order what you want so you don’t have leftovers or anything non-keto in the house.
But for me, after my cheat night (it’s usually a Friday night after I’ve fasted all day), I immediately get back on the wagon the next morning with a keto meal; I may even fast the next day. The long of the short of it is that it works for me; then I simply bag all my “leftover” snacks up and drop them on the common table at work and that’s the end until the next time.
I know this sounds extreme - and it may be - but it works over the long run. An added benefit is that if you know you’ve got an event coming up, you can save your cheat day for that and not have any worries since you’re just getting back on the horse the next day.
You say you put yourself back 4 days; this I don’t believe from that little cheat. But let’s say you did. Look at it this way: Each week you move forward 7 days and back 4 - you’re still gaining 3 days every week! That’s still progress. Is it slower? Sure. But you’re the only one you have to be accountable to in the end. Perhaps don’t look at the cheat day as a “reward” - I agree that rewarding oneself with a behavior for avoiding that particular behavior is probably not terribly healthy, psychologically - like, I’m trying to quit gambling so if I make it a week then I can go to the casino every Friday, but there are other motivations and ways to frame it; for me, it’s roughly the equivalent of going to see a movie. It usually lasts about 2 and a half hours, costs about $25, and I’m over it and on with my life usually even later that evening. Do I stall my weight loss? Perhaps. But do I also get to go to Walmart and see all the fun people? You bet! I also play my Nintendo Switch while I’m chilling at Taco Bell. It’s become a bit of a ritual.
In the end, I’ve made amazing progress that literally EVERYONE who knew me 6 months ago is blown away by. I feel great, my blood work is great and my doctor’s happy. But again, you have to know yourself. One thing you did differently than I, it seems, is spread yours throughout the whole day. I’ve never done that. I figure my cheat can only last for as much room as I have in my stomach - then it’s over. So maybe, if anything, orchestrate yours a bit more thoughtfully. My point is that (no pun intended) you can still have your cake and eat it too while on keto.
Again, I know my opinion on here is unpopular but it’s helped me (or at least hasn’t hindered me) - I know keto is great and easy and doesn’t require a sort of “reward” like a cheat day, but maybe I’m just not getting enough variety so that’s why it’s so intriguing and fun? Who knows? Okay, I’m prepared to be told how and why I’m wrong… go for it! 