Smart Ways To Cheat on KETO
To cheat or not to cheat? That is the eternal question. Is it possible to cheat without guilt or bad side effects? Certainly. While we don’t encourage cheating, we do want you to cheat in the smartest way possible if you do.
Make Low-Carb Substitutes
Dying for some pizza? Before digging into an unhealthy and probably mediocre pizza that will make you bloated, how about eating delicious and healthy Vegetarian Mushroom Pizza Bites or Mushroom Cauliflower Steak Pizza?!
Crave dessert? Before going for the unhealthy options, try smoothies, chia puddings, fat bombs, frozen treats, and brownies! You’ll love them.
Check out few of our favorite keto smoothie and chia pudding recipes: Pumpkin Spice Smoothie; Strawberries & Cream Smoothie; Chocolate Keto Smoothie; Chia Seed Pudding with Pecan Pie; Chia Seed Pudding with Blueberries; Chia Seed Pudding with Chocolate.
There are more fantastic low-carb recipes for many of the comfort foods you crave. Cheat by eating these substitutes and you’ll enjoy fantastic flavors without the guilt. That’s cheating without cheating.
LEARN MORE: 7 Delicious KETO Breakfast Recipes
Master The Delay Tactic
Tempted to eat that chocolate croissant on the breakfast buffet? Tell yourself, “I can have it, I’m just going to eat something else first.” Then, load up on scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, and other low-carb favorites. Eat as much as you want. What happens? Your croissant craving is so diminished you don’t even want it anymore. Well done!
Tempted to eat dessert at the dinner party you’re attending? Tell yourself, “I’ll wait and have chocolate when I get back home instead.” Later, at home, the time has passed and your food environment has changed – you’re no longer watching friends inhale a tempting dessert. This reduces your urge for something sweet and makes it easier to skip the chocolate – and dessert – entirely!
These are examples of the mind games many of us play to avoid cheating. They work. Use them to help yourself stay on-plan.
If you really want to stay away from cheating – if you have a sugar addiction for example – use this classic tool. Tell yourself that yes, you can have what you want – tomorrow. Absolutely not today, but tomorrow you can have it. Of course, tomorrow you’ll use the same tool.
LEARN MORE: 5 Quick and Easy KETO Weeknight Dinners
Fight Your Cravings With Low-Carb Snacks
Feeling hungry and crave carbs? Having low-carb snacks at hand is a great way to kill those feelings before they overpower you.
Bring low-carb snacks such as walnuts, macadamia nuts, cheese, or these Keto Almond Crackers with you at all times. When a craving strikes, act quickly and eat the low-carb food before you cave into high-carb temptations.
If Intermittent Fasting, Cheat on KETO With Fat
If you are fasting intermittently, it can sometimes be a little hard to get through the day without eating. If you find yourself tempted to break your fast before you planned to, do it with pure fat – coconut oil or butter in coffee or tea are great choices.
Doing this will take the edge off your hunger without knocking you out of the fat-burning state intermittent fasting delivers.
LEARN MORE: 7 Tips for Dining Out on KETO
In Conclusion
Remember – cheating is a tool. Like any tool, it can help or it can harm. Maybe cheating isn’t right for you. Maybe it is. But if you do decide to cheat, do it smart. Develop great habits with deliberate exceptions. And if you do decide it’s time for an exception, then enjoy every bite!