I’ve been STRICT keto for a little over 3 months; I eat 15-20 grams of carbs (total) a day. So far, I’ve lost 40 pounds and I’m EXTREMELY excited about that. However, I’m going on vacation next month.
I’ll be gone for a week and I plan to eat “normal” foods the entire time. I’m sure I could continue keto even while on vacation but I want to splurge a little considering I only do this once a year. I will return to keto immediately after I get back. Keto (to me) is easy to maintain so I have no doubts about my willpower. However, what I AM worried about is the side effects of eating bad carbs again.
Luckily, I did not experience the “keto flu” or any complications when starting this lifestyle but I’m a little scared of what it’ll be like coming off of keto.
Has anyone had a cheat day or week after becoming fat adapted? If so, what did you experience? Any tips or advice? Any help is appreciated!
Going on Vacation; Planning Cheat Days
Opinions vary on this topic. I try not to cheat, for three reasons: (1) when I do, I invariably regret it, (2) I consider myself a sugar addict, so “cheating” comes perilously close to “relapse” every time I do it, and (3) as someone highly vulnerable to diabetes, I don’t want to raise my insulin any more or for any longer than I can help.
But if you decide to return to carb eating, start a few days before the vacation starts, so that you are over any untoward effects by the time you want to be enjoying yourself. On the other hand, many people find that they enjoy their vacation quite a bit while staying keto.
So the choice is up to you, and don’t let anyone shame you for whatever you decide.
BTW, some people find it helpful to fast for a day or two to get back into ketosis. You might want to have that in your arsenal for when you return.
Have a fun vacation!
I would actually try to still make some keto food choices. For example for breakfast I’d still eat bacon and eggs and then only eat non keto foods when there is something that is really worth it, whatever that may be to you. I wouldn’t allow myself a free for all and go all out glutinous at every meal. This little bit of limitation can actually have the affect of only half or 25% of meals being carby as opposed to all. As already said above, my experience too has been that sugar addiction will rear its ugly head and I also usually regret cheat days or even just a cheat meal due to the physical ramifications. I always feel crappy, bloated, indigestion, headachey, or something afterwards. However if I limit it to just some really worth it cheat items, I actually feel really good about myself, the physical affects are less, and usually I learn that those items I so looked forward to aren’t quite as good as I’d remembered. Enjoy your vacation and good luck!
Edit: Correct the oh so handy auto correct from ‘vacant’ back to ‘vacation’. 
I just came back from vacation. What I did was still choose to stay with mostly real whole foods. I had one meal that was pizza and had a sweet occasionally. I ate a lot more plantanas than I ever have and had beans.
I was fat adapted and had been eating keto about a year at that time. I didn’t have any digestive issues but I DID notice I was much more emotionally volatile. Easy tears and what not.
I think eating something that isn’t keto can be okay occasionally but doing it often or for a bit too long, seems to make going back a lot tougher for most people. So just be forewarned that you may very well have a harder time with cravings for a while after this. I know I did.
Ok i did this during spring break. I eased my way back into sugar and carbs. Took a cruise and did up Orlando eating anything and everything for 7 days. Continued for another week after returning home. At day 15 I had to go back to eating lchf. I felt run down and just not well. Sometimes you gotta have fun, just not to much fun for to long!!!
Thank you all so much for your feedback! I definitely don’t plan to gorge myself on carbs but I do want to enjoy “regular” meals as well. Looks like the general consensus on that is “if you have to cheat, do it wisely”. And I will! Like I said, this is a lifestyle change for me so I know that I can and WILL get back to it immediately. I just want some normalcy for a week. I have way more reasons to continue with keto than to quit or go longer than a week off of it. Pizza tastes great but looking at a scale and seeing a 40 pound difference is a lot better lol
I think you should enjoy yourself on the trip and make sure you do not hold back.
Otherwise, you might return home with a little gremlin in your suitcase. Always willing to remind you how you skipped your chance at X or Y on the trip so, why can’t you have X or Y back at home?
RGS (Relentless Gremlins Suck)
I have only been Keto for about 9 weeks now, no cheating at all BUT what I would recommend is to avoid any foods, Keto or not, that you have recognized cause you personally inflammation or digestive discomfort (for example gluten or dairy if you’ve been avoiding it all this time). This way regardless of what you choose, you won’t be sick or in pain on vacation and your body will recover better after 