So...what happens when I have a cheat day?

The one thing that seems universal to most diets is cheat days.

I’ve been really good so far with sticking to the keto diet and allowing no cheat days, but this weekend was my birthday and I wanted to go get sushi and eat a dessert or two. So essentially, I was planning for a cheat weekend.

Through my keto diet, the most extreme cheat I have taken is one cocktail with some sugary additives. So knew this weekend was going to be a pretty large departure from my diet.

I thought that maybe the worst that would happen is that I may gain a pound or so.

Oh my god was it so much worse though.

One of the things that happens when you start keto is that your body becomes fat adapted. It starts burning fat for energy instead of carbs. So when you reintroduce carbs into your diet, your body goes a little haywire trying to use all of those surprise carbs for energy.

I didn’t think that haywire panic mode would hit me quite so hard, but when I woke up on Sunday, I felt like I had a massive hangover. Headache, stomach ache, exhaustion, it was suuuper fun.

At first, I assumed that it was an actual hangover since I did have sake and a cocktail at the sushi restaurant. But I had shared the sake with Nate and had been really good at drinking enough water to balance the alcohol. So I knew that it could only be one thing.

The carbs….

After I realized that it was basically a carb hangover, I knew that the only thing that would cure it would be to work my way back to being fat adapted and have the carbs leave my system. Essentially I just had to suffer through until my body adapted.

More than anything, this weekend taught me that choosing to eat keto is actually a committed lifestyle choice. When I eat excessive carbs, I feel sick. Sick to the point of not wanting to do anything. What's more, I also realized that keto has altered my body’s tastes and how I use food for fuel.

I was floored by how different things tasted to me this weekend. The sake which we have ordered before and thoroughly enjoyed, tasted almost too sweet to drink and the little dark chocolate pot de creme I had for dessert was cloying sweet to the point of giving me a headache. I thought this was strange and then I tasted my sister’s green tea cheesecake, which she had complained was too bland and bitter, and it tasted perfect.

I guess it should be no surprise that my body liked the cheesecake better. Less sugar, more balanced flavor, and it also had the additional fats from the cream cheese that my body was undoubtedly craving.

So, what did I learn?

I think I learned that cheat days kind of aren’t really worth it when it comes to keto. The repercussions aren’t as basic as “Oh damn, I ate 200 more calories then I was supposed it.” It feels like my body is actually punishing me when I have a big cheat day and honestly, if I never have to feel like I felt after that night with the sake and dessert, I will be a happy camper.