Can you take a day off?

How detrimental is it if you have a day every few weeks to a month that you go over by a lot? I have a festival coming up and know I will be drinking alcohol and it’s going to put me over. Has anyone had this type of situation and how hard was it on your weight and getting back into ketosis?

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  • Im going out of state for vacation the end of this month... wondering how this will play out eating on the road and hotel for a week... and yes, id like to have a mixed drink or two on my vacation. Anyone have suggestions?

    Like 1
    • linrenep
    • linrenep
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Once you are fat adapted its not bad but you encouraged to do a " carb up" day occasionally. Just don't go crazy and watch the sugar. Usually you will bounce right back into keto.

    Like 1
    • linrenep
    • linrenep
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    AngelaRenee Knighten-Smith you can calculate your drinks into your carb count and I find eating out on keto easy. Just order a piece of meat ( or fish) a salad. Order a side of butter and melt on your protein, salad get a creamy dressing or I like plain sour cream on mine. If you have veges,  be sure to ask what kind of oil they sauce them in. Have fun and enjoy. Worst case you go over carbs just get right back to it when you get home!

    Like 1
    • connie
    • connie
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    If you drink straight or plain Alcohol like Cognac, Vodka, Rum, Tequila or Gin it's not bad because they are All carb free & if you want to mix something with them use Club Soda or a flavored sparkling water 🍸😁, ... Also from what I've read Dry wine (red or White) is only 3 carbs per glass,  just adjust what you eat

    Like 1
    • linrenep
    • linrenep
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    connie no not carb free. Alchohol is sugar. They are definitely lower than some mixed drinks but sorry, not totally free. White wine like a chardonnay is probably the lowest carbs.

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  • I had one cheat day in my first month and I do not plan on doing it again.    I personally went overboard and ate a ton of pizza and some fast food + candy all in 1 day.

    I would say it cost me a week of weight loss for the single day.   I'm sure a lot of that was water weight, but I gained 5 lbs and it took 7 days to get back down to my original weight.   It's a big lump in my weight chart.

    But as far as getting back into ketosis, it only took me about 24 hours according to the keto-stix.  But this is about how long it took me the 1st time going into it as well.

    My wife didn't  go so crazy and she only lost a few days.   But it took her about 48 hours to get back into ketosis, also abotu how long it took her the first time, slightly shorter.   She didn't gain weight, she just stayed the same for a few days.

    So basically in the end, it's the obvious answer - the more you limit the better off you'll be.

    Like 1
    • Badmojomn
    • badmojomn
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    connie  AngelaRenee Knighten-Smith celop2486 alcohol turns to sugar, eventually but the hard liqueurs are 0 carb like most rums vodka gin whiskys etc. The glycemic index is what low carb followers would be concerned about. Everyone is different in how insulin resistant they are. I can drink 0 carb alcohol and still be in moderate ketosis next day. Give me wine or even low carb beer and no way. They have registered carbs. Takes me a day or two to get back in, but that’s my metabolism. 

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  • I had a couple parties and had way over my daily carbs, didn't lose any weight but didn't gain which was great, went back to it and started losing like I never stopped.  I do keep up my water intake.

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  • You can't cheat on keto. Well, I mean you can, but you will no longer be in ketosis and the overload of carbs will likely make you feel very sick. There are essentially withdrawl symptoms from going off keto, especially on a binge of carbs such as alcohol or sugar. I would think for special occasions, it would be ok to break your keto diet, but if it's more than a few times a year then keto isn't going to work for you as well. 

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    • Badmojomn
    • badmojomn
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I just did a keto break yesterday, not a healthful one I’m a bit ashamed to add, but fasted with black coffee this morning till now, blood ketone reading at .4 which blew me away as I thought I would read 0, urine stick read nothing however. 

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    • linrenep
    • linrenep
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Badmojomn I'm thinking of investing in a blood moniker now that I've decided on keto as a lifestyle rather than just a short term weight loss diet. Have any recommendations on good vs not so good ones?

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    • Badmojomn
    • badmojomn
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    linrenep I have precision xtra. The strips are super expensive but check eBay for the ketone strips. 

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    • stephielynnRN
    • Nurse Practitioner
    • stephielynn01a557
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I just got a keto-mojo monitor and LOVE it! Been using it for a week now. The strips are the lowest on the market at $0.99 ea. You can also use it to test your glucose, but with separate, way cheaper, strips!

    Like 2
    • Nita
    • Nita
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    This is a lifestyle and let's face it- life happens.  Enjoy yourself and also continue to log everything in the app.  This way, you can SEE what happens and learn from there. 👍

    Like 4
  • I find I can drink two vodkas or two bourbons at night and stay in ketosis. One glass of wine stops it. Drinks with mixers, gin and tonic, rum and coke, manhattans, etc. stops the ketosis and it takes me two days to get back on. I miss my wine but I miss bread even more. But I’ve lost 47 lbs in 5 months and am in maintenance now. It’s worth it. Don’t give up. I spent three weeks in France in April and naturally went off my Keto diet. I ate bread, drank wine and calvados, and ate French food. I walked a lot and drank my eight glasses of water per day. I only gained three lbs. because I watched portion size. It took me a week to get back to where I was and back into ketosis. Joanna gives good advice; enjoy yourself or you’ll never stick with it.

    Like 2
    • linrenep
    • linrenep
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    jmichaelallgood0714 this shows what I say. All bodies are different. I found I can have a glass of wine once in a while without dropping out of ketosis but 1 mixed drink...any kind I have tried at least knocks me out. I also had a margarita blended with lots of ice and it also didn't knock me out of keto but 1 beer does...lol. My suggestion is everyone needs to do what's best for them in all aspects of this diet. And I also agree, if you really need to,  cheat  without guilt. Then get right back on.

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  • I have been researching and considering the Keto diet for a few weeks now.  Yesterday was the last day on a diet I was on for a few months.  This diet cleansed my body of carbs and sugar. It helped me lose those last pounds I have struggled to get off for years, in fact I have gotten ten pounds below my goal, which I am ecstatic about.  So now it's maintenance, the part I always struggle with.  Hence, considering Keto, however, I'm not sure I can be this strict.....forever!  I love my popcorn! I also am a sugar addict, but....being free of these for three months now has taken away my severe cravings and I feel fantastic.  I think I could live without them now, but not sure I want to, forever.  I know I cannot go back to eating them in the quantities I was before.       Have any of you had this struggle before taking the Keto plunge? 

    Like 1
    • linrenep
    • linrenep
    • 5 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    laser_brit60c4 yes and as you ease your way back into occasional carbs you can have popcorn once in a while. Not sure you would want to go back to sugar as its so addictive that a little once in a while will never be enough. There are some good keto friendly chocolate bars and desert receipes out there though. If interested Leanne Vogel at healthful pursuits has some great videos and podcasts on adding carbs back into a keto diet. You need to get into fat burning first. Good luck with whatever you decide.

    Like 1
  • linrenep nice

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