Keto Cheat Day Done Right: How to Indulge Without Derailing Your Progress?

Last updated on January 6, 2024

After a few weeks of being on Keto, I finally felt the urge to give up. It was as if my mind had stopped working. All I could see, hear, smell and taste was a hypothetical bar of chocolate. It is for days like these that the ‘Keto cheat days’ were made.

What is Keto cheating days?

It is an extreme urge to consume carbs or to go off the Keto diet altogether. I had gone on the diet on the 1^st of January 2015 and by the 14^th I was totally losing it. From somebody who used to have a packet of chocolate chip cookies every day, along with a bar of chocolate, I had become a No Sugar lady. I wanted to cheat at any cost or go off the diet.

Then I got to know of cheat days and started looking forward to it. Instead of thinking of what I wanted to eat, I started making a list of all that I would eat on the cheat day. Coincidentally, all birthdays in my family fall in the first week of the month, which suited me perfectly. I decided to cheat on the 31^st of January.

In my words, a cheat day means, eat all you can and eat what you want. Plan your cheat days in a pattern, pick dates where you know that you will not be able to go on without a break.

Why does one cheat?

Keto cheat days can be triggered due to certain simple reasons, which make absolute sense to somebody who is trying to lose weight.

You could be feeling low and emotional, you could be drunk, or you could be just dying to have the comfort food that you have been having for the last decade or so. It is for days like these that the cheat day was made.

Take a break and tell yourself – ‘I’m going to have a chocolate today!’

Coming back to my story, I had intended to eat like a glutton on the 31^st, but I could only manage to eat one fourth of my to-eat list. With reduced portion sizes, I just couldn’t hog anymore. But the freedom I felt in my mind was delicious.

What should you expect the day after?

Let me be honest, you will feel guilty like hell the next day. But that’s OK! What is done, is it done? Sulk, fret for as long as you want. Once you are over it, get back on the Keto wagon again.

No significant changes are seen in the body as such. You might have a loose stomach, and may feel the energy dropping. That is because your body is out of Ketosis. It will start the process from scratch again. Just stay clear of carbs now and do not panic at all. And if you want to speed up the process, just have a big mug of Bulletproof Coffee.

How often should you cheat?

Technically, you should not cheat more than once in the first month and once every two months. In other words, in a period of six months, you should not cheat more than three or max four times.

I have had two-cheat days since I went on the diet, and they both were very helpful in keeping me inspired and motivated. On both occasions, I emerged more determined to meet my target and to get fit no matter what.

My next cheat day is exactly after a month, and my to-eat list is getting ready. A box of dozen Dunkin-Donuts along with a red velvet cake is what I intend to have this time. There are different opinions on how frequently you should cheat and whether you should cheat at all or not. This is my version, any feedback and personal experiences are most welcome.

Eat Keto, Get Fit.