If you’ve done keto, you probably know how hard it is to eliminate carbs completely from your diet.
But, you might be wondering if you can have a cheat day once a week on keto.
In this article I’ll discuss if cheat meals are right for you & who should have a cheat day once a week on keto.
What Is Keto?
The ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate diet that is high in fat, moderate in protein, and virtually carb-free. The diet forces the body to use fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates and protein, which causes the body to enter a metabolic state called ketosis. Keto is a great diet for those who want to lose weight since eating fats keep you full for longer.
What Is a Keto Cheat Day?
A keto cheat day is basically a day where you consume carbs or alcohols like wine and beer. Keto cheat days can either be planned or happen spontaneously, but the goal of a cheat day is to get your carb cravings out of the way.
Can I Have a Cheat Day Once a Week on Keto?
You should avoid cheat days on keto, even if it’s once a week. This is because if you have a cheat day, it’ll take your body a couple days to get back into ketosis. So, for the majority of the week after a cheat day, you won’t lose any weight.
Though, it can be difficult to keep your carbs to less than 20–50 grams per day (your net carb intake) when you’re on keto, you must still not fall into temptations.
We’ve all had a cheat day on keto, & it never feels good. If you have a cheat day, for the rest of the day you’ll likely just feel guilty & tired (guilty of this one!)
So, it’s much more important to stay disciplined & not fall into binge eating temptations that made you unhealthy or overweight in the first place.
Who Should Have a Cheat Day on Keto?
If you lost all the weight you wanted to on keto, then you can start doing long-term carb cycling, which is basically a cheat day. With long-term carb cycling, you eat high-carb for two months of the year with the goal to get your body to adapt to using carbs, & so you can take a break from keto.
If you don’t mind not losing weight, being able to use both carbs & fats as energy is beneficial for your overall healthsince it makes you more balanced.
But, if you ate carbs on & off, like with a weekly cheat day, you’d never give your body time to adjust to either fuel source 100%.
This would leave you tired when you eat carbs AND fats.
That’s why a long-term approach to carb cycling, like two months out of the year, is much healthier.
How to Incorporate Carb Cycling Into Your Keto Diet Plan
To carb cycle on keto, just eat high carb for two months of the year, & then eat keto for the other ten months of the year. I recommend putting your carb cycle near your longest vacation so you could enjoy your vacation with more dietary freedom.
Conclusion
Keto is a great way to lose weight, but it can be challenging to follow, especially if binge eating is what made you overweight. But, having a cheat meal would stop you from losing weight & just continue the bad habit. Instead, stay disciplined & follow a strict ketogenic diet until you’ve reached your weight loss goals.
If you’re interested starting keto & intermittent fasting, here’s my full guide teaching you everything I’ve learned about keto & intermittent fasting over my 40 pound weight loss journey. Hope it helps!
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