When you follow the ketogenic diet, one of the hardest things to do is stick to the program. It is especially tricky during the holiday season or when you take part in social gatherings, parties, etc. Anyone can have a cheat day/meal once in a while. After all, we are humans. We make mistakes.
But, we can always make amends without looking back in sorrow. You do not have to be hard on yourself. Negative emotions and stress will only discourage you from following the ketogenic diet regimen.
Yes, it is possible to get back into ketosis after cheating.
Here in this article, we will discuss how to get back on keto after falling off with a cheat day (or two).
1. Accepting Your Mistake Is the First Step
Some people spend a day or even a week feeling shame or remorse after a cheat day/meal. Don’t do that.
Consider it a valuable learning experience towards achieving your weight loss goals.
You have made a mistake. Accepting it (with a note to self that you will not repeat it), will help you stay the course.
You can start undoing the damage only after you stop fretting over it.
2. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is one of the best ways to get your body back into ketosis. When fasting, your body tries to maintain its energy levels by shifting to fats as a fuel source.
When insulin and glycogen levels drop during fasting, the body begins to burn fat to meet its energy requirements.
Right after the cheat day, you can refrain from eating (anything at all) during a specific timeframe each day. So, you will be following the keto lifestyle but only eat during a particular time.
For instance, you can practice intermittent fasting for 16 hours each day and eat keto meals only during the 8 hour time window.
If you have had a hard time practicing intermittent fasting in the past, consider relying on Garcinia Cambogia or other such natural supplements that can suppress appetite besides blocking fat formation.
3. Reduce Your Carbohydrate Intake
If you want to get the best results from a keto lifestyle, you’ll need to reduce your daily carb intake to 20-25 net carbs.
Restricting carbs is crucial if you want to get your body back into ketosis after a binge, a party, or a vacation.
Keep track of what you eat and lower your carb-intake to 10-15 net carbs per day for at least a week after a cheat day.
You can increase your cab-intake to 20-25 net carbs daily once your body gets back into ketosis.
4. Exercise More
When you are knocked out of ketosis, the chances are that glycogen levels have risen in your body.
Glycogen is stored in your muscles and liver. Glycogen levels go up when you eat foods rich in simple carbs, starch, and sugar.
Your body looks for glycogen as the primary fuel source. To get your body back into the ‘burn fat’ mode or ketosis, you need to burn off excess glycogen. Exercising will help you to do exactly that.
5. Increase Your Fat Intake
When you reduce carb-intake and eat more healthy fats, your body will start burning fat faster. This is why ketogenic diets for weight loss, exercise performance, or metabolic health, recommend 65-80% calorie-intake through fats.
Healthy fats include coconut oil, avocado oil, butter, olive oil, lard, etc. These fats are transformed into ketones by the liver and used as a fuel source.
How To Get Back On Keto After Falling Off?
There is no straight answer to this question. It depends on several factors such as –
- The duration for which you had been in ketosis
- How soon did you get into ketosis when you first started the keto diet?
- What did you cheat meal comprise of?
- Whether you drank beer/alcohol
- The steps you take to get back into ketosis after cheat meal(s)
You can get back into ketosis (after cheating) within one or two days if you:
- restrict your carb intake
- have been in ketosis for around a month (before cheating)
- Exercise immediately after the cheat day.
If you’ve remained sedentary and had many cheat meals, it might take you over a week or two to get back into ketosis. Some people are lucky enough to get back into ketosis as soon as 12-24 hours after cheating, but it can take longer for keto diet newbies.
Author Bio
Sarah Remmington is one of the founders of Garcinia Cambogia 100 Pure supplements based out of Southern California with several other US locations. Sarah’s company has become a global brand and now a household name with the success of her most popular dietary supplement featured on many different media channels.
