I'm new and have ?'s

(Sarah Ridgeway) #1

I’m 26 years old and a mom of two boys, 18 months and 4 months. I am 5’6" and 181lbs. I just started keto after doing a traditional low calorie diet (a rough version of 21 day fix). I was losing weight on my previous diet but heard about keto and was intrigued. I went on Pinterest and here I am. I have about 3 on keto weeks under my belt. I have made some amazing recipes. Just made my first batch of keto chocolate chip cookies :cookie:.
My question is…what is your opinion on cheat days/cheat meals? I have heard so many differing opinions.

(Ken) #2

They’re optional. But only after fat-adapted and experiencing other detrimental symptoms. For you, I’d go a couple of months before considering them. Afterwards, if you really want a cheat meal or day, it won’t harm you, as long as you don’t allow carbs to creep back into your normal, fat based pattern. Occaisionally they’re fine.

(Sarah Ridgeway) #3

Thank you! :slight_smile: I am realizing that I can have about everything I really like on keto…but sometimes a sandwich or a burger on a bun is hard to beat. Or fries…! You lost 240lbs?! Way to go!!!

(Jenn Monaghan) #4

I’m against cheats for me. I know I would just go crazy and get addicted to carbs again if I did it.

#5

I can’t go the route of calling anything a “cheat” anymore as it just brings up too much stuff around guilt/being ‘bad’ etc. I prefer to have “planned indulgences” as part of the keto way of eating. When I frame it this way I can manage it and own it.

(Lonnie Hedley) #6

If I have cravings, I just allow myself to go over calories while still sticking to my macros. Some bacon, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, cream cheese, or sour cream as a replacement for ice cream. Those leave me satiated and guilt free.

(Jessica) #7

I actually prefer a lettuce wrapped burger. I had one on a bun on vacation and…yikes…it took up so much room with no flavor.

I’ve found keto friendly “cheats” that I can work into my day. For example, a square of dark chocolate with a dab of PB now tastes better than a milk chocolate candy bar used to and easily can fit my carb limit.

(Mike Glasbrener) #8

I guess it depends on what your objectives are. If you will not do keto w/o cheats than that’s way better than the alternative. What keto does is lower your insulin level. A minor cheat once fat adapted will take a day or less to recover from. For me it would be a slippery slope. If you go crazy with a meal or day and eat a ton of carbs you’ll feel like crap the next day and it’ll take days or a week to recover. Everyone is different. Monitor your results and understand if you cheat what are the pros and cons for you.

(Candy Lind) #9

There are some pretty darn fine bread subs out there that you’ll find as you go along. Ask in here what people’s favorites are - they won’t hesitate to tell you! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

(Vanessa Pruitt) #10

2 years on keto here. Cheats are always hard on me mentally, and they always set me back. I think they are okay when you’re fat adapted and when you’re in maintenance (you don’t want/need to lose anymore). I’d say do a good 3-6 months without cheating. Then, plan your cheat meals and don’t let it go past that, a meal. Also, there’s a difference between having a cheat meal and binging on carbs. That’s always been my problem, a few carbs makes me want to binge on them. That’s just my opinion. I’ve lost 80lbs on keto and I’m sure it would have happened sooner if I’d not cheated.

(Karen) #11

Haven’t make fat bombs or keto baked goods, but they help some transition

K