Stopped eating Keto and how much damage have I done?

(Stephen Johnson) #1

I have been strictly on Keto for many months after doing tons of research. my A1C was 6.9 and when I rechecked it many many months later it was 5.7 and lost at least 25 LB. My Blood Sugar went from 250 to 350 down to 85 to 120. I was addicted to fast food, eating high sugar cakes cookies, and drinking at least soda at least 2 liters a day. Been eating a high carb I sugar diet for 25+ years.

I cut everything out in one day because I was told I have diabetes. I believe I reversed my diabetes since my blood sugar has gotten down to the mid 80s. I also do Intermittent fasting between 12 and 18 hours the fasting it based on my work hours as I work long hours. I experience Keto flu for around 3 to 4 weeks and it was Bad! Then afterwards I felt great I would eat one or two meals a day kept my carbs around 20… Every once in a while I would get a carving but would resist like when my office would have a pizza party.

Here is where the issue is: Over a year ago before I started Keto my family booked a vacation to disney theme parks and resorts for 9 days. No one else in my family is on Keto. After going to many different restaurants and buffets with them I snapped and started eating pizza, burgers, pasta…etc. But no sugar items like soda, cookies, cakes, etc. I thought I could strictly stay on Keto on vacation I was wrong! The vacation is over today and I am restarting keto.

How much damage have I done? How long will it take to move back into burning fat instead of carbs? Will I experience the keto flu like before? It wasn’t until after the fact that I was like I shouldn’t have given in to my carvings. Any advice since I am restarting my Keto after 8 days of eating high carbs?

Thanks for any advice.

#2

Just eat lots of Keto foods you like, watch your carbs and you’ll be right back. You know what to do. Most of us slip at some point.

(Edith) #3

You, of course, refilled your glycogen stores on your vacation, so just get back on track, and once your glycogen stores get depleted, you will be back in ketosis. Don’t stress about it. Don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track. You’ll be fine. You know what to do.

When I have a day or two of what I call Carb Debauchery, I just restart with an 18 hour “fast” and then some bacon and eggs. Well, or just bacon. :yum:

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #4

There has, of course, been a small amount of damage, but probably nowhere near as bad as you’re fearing. Remember that it took years to get sick; so, while this is not a good thing, in the long run it’s probably like going over a speed bump at speed: i.e., not good, but the damage is recoverable.

The best thing is to ruthlessly return to a low-carb ketogenic diet and not worry. It will take some time to get back into fat-adaptation, probably, but the return to ketosis and fatty-acid metabolism will happen in just a day or so. If you keep your salt intake where it was on keto, you should not experience the keto “flu,” because that is just symptoms of low sodium.

As for advice: treat carbs the way an alcoholic treats alcohol. You can have all the carbs you want–tomorrow. Today, just stick to 20 g/day total.

And for next time, remember that you can indeed order burgers without buns, fries, or soda, especially at Disney.

Moreover, even if a place insists on giving you the carbs, you can pick out the burger, eat that alone, and throw the rest away.

Even my depression-era mother eventually learned that cleaning our plate wasn’t always the best for us, and that as adults, we were free to make choices different from those that had been imposed on us as children.

#5

You did a whole lot of ZERO damage. We’re not that fragile.

Same exact way you did it the first time, cut the carbs back down, nothing changes. You liver doesn’t hold that much glycogen regardless of what you ate. How much you may have stored as fat is a different story, but unless you were intentionally being nuts about it, it doesn’t matter. Once your liver runs out, you’re back. Hardly a big deal.

(Jane) #6

You’re fine - just get back on the keto horse and carry on.

(Shannon) #7

I feel for you. I just got back from France where I had french bread, croissants, cream puffs, and a host of other carby foods. I started to stress same as you, and worried that 6 days of eating like this had undone everything I have worked towards in the last year and a half. I swear my stomach looked twice as big as it did when I got there. But, I realized that I couldn’t possibly have done that much damage after only a week. It’s all in my head. Since I got back, I’ve had no alcohol, and I’ve been eating really low carb and making sure to get enough salt and other electrolytes. I already feel better after just 2 days. Don’t let it get to your head, just get back on track and your body will sort itself out quickly. Plus, for me personally, it’s ok to allow myself a little lapse and not beat myself up about it. No sense eating a delicious cream puff then berating myself for it, just gotta enjoy the thing and move on.

(Bob) #8

You’ll be fine as long as you get back on track. The only thing that may be difficult is the cravings may be intense again, and you’ll have to fight to ignore them for a few days until they subside.

Next time, remember you can eat the cheese and toppings on that pizza, the burger patties, etc. A lot of restaurants will sell you meat as a “side” if you ask. I’m carnivore most of the time so I have learned to play this game :slight_smile:

(Geoffrey) #9

The only damage you’ve done is if you don’t go back to eating right. Now shame on you, don’t do it again. :laughing:

(Pete A) #10

You’ll be fine when you get back on the plan! Good luck.

(Stephen Johnson) #11

Thank you for all your comments they are all helpful. I’ve been back on track since our vacation ended and I thought it would be harder to get back on track, it was for a few days but everything seems to be going good again.
When I was on vacation I know I can order a burger without the bun but it tastes a lot better with the bun. I haven’t had my favorite foods in so long like pasta, pizza, burgers…etc. I got to the point I was like who cares what I eat for a week. Until I regretted it later. My Blood sugar had gotten high 250+ but now that I am back on plan again it down to around 90+

I want to thank everyone for all your help. I’m new to all this stuff and this is the first time I went off plan so it kinda freaked me out for a minute as I didn’t want to destroy many months of progress over a week of eating regular food.
Thanks Again!