Does anyone take a break from keto? It’s summer and heading to the cabin for the first time becoming keto. We are going with friends and it’s going to be hard not to enjoy a few rum and cokes in the evening or some campfires smores!!! Does anyone take a week off and just get right back into it? A holiday from keto if you will?
Going in and out of Keto
jamestorie
(James storie)
#2
You can certainly do whatever makes you happy, but remember that once your body isn’t used to the carbs, the reintroduction can be a bit painful and time consuming (bathroom time!) Enjoy yourself, but take it easy. 
Kyz
#3
My daughter has done this about 3 times since starting keto. It’s usually a one night deal (out with friends, etc). It takes her a few days to fully bounce back, but it’s not as rough as first starting. Assuming you use diet coke, the rum and coke shouldn’t be a big deal. The smores, you may find, might be too sweet depending on how long you’ve been keto.
I found this recipe the other day that I’m seriously thinking about trying… Just a thought as something to take with you… Maybe take along some dark chocolate too… ?
http://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/2011/01/homemade-graham-crackers-low-carb-and-gluten-free-and-environmentally-responsible-companies.html
Otherwise, center all meals around meats and skip all the chips, etc.
Kyz
#4
And I agree with James, enjoy. But maybe a little extra planning will keep you feeling great while you’re away and minimize the carb intake somewhat. Have fun!
Rian
#6
Rum and diet or try just sipping straight liquor. As for the smores and other cheating, you might find it very easy to have a bite or two and be content, You might even stay in ketosis.
Chris_W
(Crow T. Robot)
#7
I think a lot depends on your ability to “get back on the horse”. A holiday likely won’t hurt you, but how long is it? Does start out as a week, but then bleed into your life back home, get extended, and three months later you’re starting over again?
Do what works for you, but I would probably save those “holidays” for special social occasions – family gatherings, trips with friends – so that it’s a rare and significant event that builds you up emotionally, and not just from a desire to eat cake.
djindy
#9
I’ve regularly done this around certain major holidays and special occasions. Sometimes for a week, sometimes for longer.
If you do much more than a few days there is a high chance of needing to go through the adjustment period again, but how intense it will be or whatever will depend on factors I can’t really tell you with any confidence.
As above mentioned, you will probably notice early on you actually don’t care as much for several things you used to love, or won’t find certain things all that worth it. Some items you might find are still awesome for some reason though (it may or may not be what you expect). Over the course of a week, if you really want to, you may adjust to being back where you like certain things at least better, or you may not (it’s probably better that you don’t honestly).
If you stay off long enough, you may find a strange problem of both feeling adverse to getting back on, and feeling like you really should get back on because you realize you feel a lot worse (might depend on what you are indulging in). I ended up with a longer break this last Easter than I planned on for various reasons, but now am back on and decided not to take even a day break for the “birthday season” we have around here that I often do.
Honestly, this can be done and plenty of people do it, but even as someone that has done such for years I don’t really recommend going off keto (for more than a weekend once in a while) for such things if you can help it without too much problem. I don’t do a lot of keto alternatives to deserts and sweets, etc, but seems to me this kind of thing is what they are suited for (an occasional replacement for specific celebrations, rather than regular consumption).
Wendy_p
(Wendy Peterson)
#10
Thanks for the replies and suggestions!! Getting back on the horse shouldn’t be too bad as my husband started us on this and he will be supportive for the both of us! I don’t crave chips so much, but I never really did, it’s the chocolate and bush pies that are temping!! We usually eat just meat and veggies anyway so hopefully we don’t get thrown WAY out. Thanks again!
Moragh_Lippert
(Moragh Lippert)
#11
Good for you! I’m doing the same in and out. I don’t think I’ve gotten fat adapted yet.
What are “bush pies”?
With clients I recommend that when they are craving sweets that they try a spoonful of coconut oil sprinkled with cinnamon or not. It often helps take the two craving away. Good luck!
Wendy_p
(Wendy Peterson)
#12
Bush pies are 2 pieces of bread, buttered on the outside, put whatever pie pulling you like (cherries with some cream cheese!) and put it in a folding cast iron panini? maker that goes right into the fire. Just a few minutes and you’ve got some pie!! Totally NOT keto 
MiKetoAF
(Mike W.)
#14
This might work for you, but we as a group do not condone this. Especially mentioning this in the “newbies” section…
djindy
#15
“We as a group do not condone this.”
What are you talking about? Was there some meeting of the forum that decided this that I’m not aware of? I don’t see any rules stating such (actually, there was a popular thread saying there are no keto rules).
The topic of this thread was asking if anyone does this. I answered the question. If my answer was somehow “not allowed” then this thread should be closed for being some kind of banned topic since one of the only two possible answers (yes I do it, or no I do not) is somehow “not condoned”. But, of course, that would be inapproriate as this is a legitimate question to ask and something that may be important for some to know the caveats about.
Besides that, yea, it works for me. It works for a lot of us here actually, which I know from the fact that I’m not the only person that has mentioned similar practices in this forum. If you read to the end of my post though, you’ll see I still said I don’t recommend doing it.