To all of you thinking of having a cheat day

#21

Taste may change a lot on keto. Many people don’t even enjoy carby food anymore. The taste is the same to me but it’s still meh without desire (I do desire certain carbs sometimes or even if not, I won’t skip tasting my own fruits and they are nice - but I don’t need them and I don’t crave them)…
Or maybe you choose my route with many items: moderation. Very serious moderation - because a tiny taste is enough!
When I frequented another forum, many people thought almost all countries and restaurants are okay for a ketoer if they choose wisely… I have no experience but I am sure you aren’t always forced to eat a significant amount of carbs… Italian restaurants were the ones where even they thought it’s hopeless but they considered Mexican ones easy enough… I never liked to eat out often and I had no problems with off days (still low-carb) so it never was my problem.

After a decade on low-carb (not each and every day but mostly)… After keto times… After carnivore trials… Even the undisciplined me changed tremendously. I had the thoughts too that fine, I may don’t want those things but… Life without them? Sounds scary. But when I stop eating something I don’t want anymore, it’s not sad. Doing it before I am ready, that would be different.
But it will be a long time while the relationship between my fruits and me gets sorted out. I really love them. Fortunately, I don’t need a big amount of my super tasty favs (probably a few dozens, I have many favs…)

Your case is simpler than mine. I eat sugar and I am fine enough… I don’t gain anything. I get satiated (with all the fatty protein I eat before and afterwards)… But it’s still better without.
It’s very very clear for you and you know it. You stick to keto. It’s decided (it always help me. the problem is when I actually can afford the carbs without big problems… probably… and am torn what to do). So you need to do the most with what you have. You have still delicious options. Eat at places where keto is doable…?

(Susan) #22

Agreed…I’m still trying to get back on track (after 2+ years now :confused:) — it’s just not a good idea for some of us.

(Susan) #23

I’ve been keto for 2 years without a single cheat moment. I WANT THAI FOOD! I’ve only managed to lose 10 lbs in the 2 years, so kind of frustrating, but I’ve got normal labs for the first time in 20 years and off all DM meds. That’s been a big enough success to keep me going. However, when I think about having Thai food, I then think about pizza and …
I haven’t done it yet, but I keep coming back to it. I didn’t have any cravings until recently. I’m not sure why that changed. It’s certainly not that keto is boring!
Am I going to gain 10 lbs from the glycogen and the water that goes with it?

(Laurie) #24

Aw, Susan, that’s rough! Sometimes we don’t have control over what some part of our mind is doing. I hope you can find the strength to continue and hang on to what you’ve accomplished so far! Best of luck to you.

#25

I know these things… I cut out several food groups from my diet when I went low-carb and it was easy… Then, 3-5 years later some desires came back… Some of us don’t resist in this situation and realize that it’s tasty food but… We don’t really want it anymore. But it’s more or less dangerous for most people, I think.
I went even lower with my carbs when my mind changed. I don’t feel I need to eat nostalgic tasty things sometimes just because they exist. If I am happy with my keto food, I usually don’t want something else. And if I still do, it’s only mental, I don’t desire it, it’s a very strange feeling…
2 years is nice. Not very long but sticking to it? Well done. As time passes, you should feel your woe more natural but such waves may come sometimes… But I don’t know anyone else nearly as well as myself, time helped me a lot (and avoiding carbs as much as possible), I heard people may desire things after a long time too… But time still should help with sticking to the woe at least if not with coming back after going off.

I gain nothing at all. After a long time in ketosis (not even necessarily continuously as I went off all the time after - some basic level of? - fat adaptation) the body learns to keep the very useful glycogen stores, no matter the carb intake. After 2 years in ketosis it wouldn’t be surprising to me not to gain but I rarely read about how it happens with others.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #26

You can have Thai food—all you want, in fact. Have it tomorrow, and look forward to it. Just not today.

You don’t have to swear off all the stuff you like for ever, just for right now. I guarantee you that cravings don’t last for ever, and if you can postpone eating the stuff that’s not good for you for an hour, say, by the time the hour is up, you’ll be fine.

Personally, I could never stand the thought of swearing off glazed doughnuts for ever; that would make me go out to the doughnut shop and binge. What I can do, though, is just not have any right now. And I’m okay right now, because I can always indulge my cravings later—much later, lol! :bacon::bacon:

#27

Congratulations on your progress on weightloss, and off DM meds! Wow!

Now, about Thai food and pizza, instead of cheating, you could try a keto version of them. I’m sure you’d find recipes on youtube. I’m not saying eating them everyday, but if you make versions that are low enough in carbs, why not having a dish now and then?

(Ken) #28

Sure, have your Thai food. TODAY. It’s Nutty Keto Dogma that somehow one meal will derail you, cause fat regain, or reverse positive adaptations. I suggest making it easy on yourself and not weigh yourself again for a few days to get your water levels back to normal. Unless you want to track your swing, which can be interesting. Back in my training/glycogen recompensation days, I once swung 22 lbs. in a 24 hr. period, but that was intentional.

Two years is long enough. You’re overdue for a Stall.