The Keto diet is one of those diets which you have to follow strictly and religiously. After all, limiting net carbs to 20-25 g per day can be a rather challenging task, especially in the beginning, and is likely to be much, much lower than what you were used to. Moreover, you need to keep an eye on your other macros and electrolytes, which makes the learning curve rather steep in the beginning. Rest assured, though, it gets much easier with time. That’s why cheating is a topic that often comes up, especially given that many diets have some sort of “cheat meals” (or even “cheat days”) integrated into them, to alleviate the discomfort of constantly limiting yourself and counting calories (or avoiding certain foods). So if you cheat, then there will be some consequences of cheating on a keto diet as well.
Cheating on Keto-
Cheating simply means going off track from your diet. You eat something which is not keto-approved. Whether it is a slice of pizza or one gulab jamun, something which you eat beyond your carb limit is considered cheating.
So talking about cheating on keto, Too many carbs say 100g per day, will kick you out of ketosis and will slow down your progress. This means that if you eat a serving of pasta, or rice, or bread, or a non-keto dessert, or too much fruit or starchy vegetables, or have a few beers, or indulge in any other carby dish, it is definitely cheating.
Consequences of Cheating on a Keto Diet-
Cheating can have a number of consequences. These are the common issues which people face-
- Increased hunger
- Carb cravings
- Bloating and intestinal discomfort (gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc.)
- Increased water retention and sudden gain of water weight (ranging from 1 to 5-6 pounds)
- Fatigue and brain fog
- Stalling your weight loss progress
- Slowing down or reversing fat adaptation
- Insomnia
- Might risk the keto-flu again
The most common of them is increased hunger and carb cravings, along with some stomach discomfort and increased water retention. Eating a small number of carbs or sugar might cause you to crave it more often, and this can make the keto diet even more of a challenge.
Side effects vary for each person and will also depend on the type and amount of carbs that you ate.
The negative effects will usually subside in a day or two if you go back to keto right after cheating.
For some people, it can take up to a week to get rid of the water weight and to reverse their stall.
Some Tips to get back on track if you have done cheating-
- If you want to get fewer consequences of cheating on a keto diet then go for running or a brisk walk to help your body burn off some of the glycogen that it has stored as a result of ingesting more carbs.
- Getting back into ketosis depends on many factors, such as age, gender, activity levels, metabolism, how long you’ve been in ketosis, how many carbs you ate, and what type of carbs you ate. Usually, it could take anywhere from 2 days to a week to get back into ketosis.
- Combine intermittent fasting with keto to get back into ketosis. You can start doing exercise as well.
- Forgive yourself. It’s human to make mistakes. Start off again and keep in mind not to cheat and follow as religiously as you can.
Takeaway
It\’s a human tendency to make mistakes but we have to face some consequences sometimes. So consequences of cheating on a keto diet are here for you to look upon. We have to keep them in mind and follow the tips and tricks to get back on track.
Get yourself started today and Stay tuned for more such keto weight loss journeys, health content, and recipes! Also, don\’t forget to follow us on Instagram for the daily dose of the Keto Lifestyle!
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