I Cheated on the Keto Diet. Now what?

I Cheated on the Keto Diet. Now what?

Have you ever heard someone say “I cheated on my keto diet yesterday.   Now what do I do?”  I hear it all the time.

I am one of those no-nonsense people.  Sometimes it is appreciated.  Sometimes not.  My answer is normally “What do you mean, now what?”.  Meaning, I don’t understand the question.

It is like going to college for an Engineering degree and on one little quiz you get an F and then you contemplate dropping out of college, when in fact, that little F would be completely absorbed and not even noticed in the grand scheme of things.

When I am feeling a bit more wild with my speech, what I want to say is “Well I think you’ll have to stop eating keto now”.  Sarcastically, of course. 

If nothing else than to see the stunned reaction when they didn’t get the answer they wanted.  And if they didn’t get the answer they wanted, then they know it is a silly question and it wasn’t the real question.

In fact, they aren’t looking for me or 2700 other random internet people to answer the question, but instead, they are looking for someone to say “It’s ok” or “It happens” or “Don’t worry about it” or whatever.

I would much rather hear someone say “Ugh… I ate a piece of cake at my son’s birthday party yesterday.  I wish I wouldn’t have, but whatever.  Have you ever had a weak moment?”  SO much better, right?  I think that is the real question.

It is that hidden fear of failure or that need for validation that hides beneath the statement of “Now what do I do?”

They know what to do.  Just keep on keeping on.  Move on.  Full speed ahead.  Today is a new today. 

Look…. nobody is perfect. And MOST people don’t claim to be.

Now, you might be thinking – “Man, she’s harsh”.

I am harsh sometimes, but I have a really subtle point that I’m trying to get across here.

Let me spell it out.  If you mess up.  So what?  Keep on trucking. 

That’s it.

If you make a deal out of it, then you are more likely to quit, give up, extend your “mess up” until Monday or next month or forever.

So….  Don’t cheat.  Right?

That’s is.  Ok, I’m done.  Kidding!

Seriously though.  Don’t cheat.  Does that mean don’t have a piece of your son’s birthday cake?  NOT AT ALL!  Definitely not what I am saying.

Have the piece of cake if you want it. Now, might I suggest you make a delicious mug cake for yourself instead of a gluten and sugar filled cake?  But, even so, have the piece of cake.  And don’t feel bad about it.

Plan for it though and then it is not a cheat in terms of your emotional trauma.  It may be a cheat as far as your body is concerned, but my first goal is to keep you emotional sound and strong. 

When you are emotionally weak, that is when bad decisions are made.  Worse decisions than the cake!

Now, the “tell-it-like-it-is” version of me needs to step in and give this warning:

If you are allowing yourself a piece of cake every day, well, then just find another way of eating OR suck it up and break your darn sugar addiction. 

Those cravings are simply your addiction.

What might happen when an addict gets clean and then has a taste of their vice again?  The same applies to sugar.  It is the vice.  Sugar addiction is real.

That is one of the great things about Keto and Paleo is that when you truly adhere to the lifestyle, you break that sugar addiction.  Unless of course you are allowing yourself sweets all the time.

If you can truly change your mindset and your lifestyle, then the treats that you desire no longer are gluten and sugar.  Maybe the treat becomes a handful of berries or a keto mug cake.

Take the old addictive foods off the table and off the acceptable list and you will find yourself “cheating” way less.

It starts with your mind.  Change it.