Planning For Cheats

[AllieCat0817]

Originally Posted by bugout429

I'm sure many of you quietly agree.

Not this chickie here.

[bugout429]

Megs & Brook,

I agree with you both on the point of my so-called cheats being inappropriate for the phase that I am in. To tell you the truth, Megs, I'm a little nervous to move into OWL because I've found success in induction, and because I don't trust myself to observe the subtle changes I'll expect to see during OWL that will lead to my determining my own carb equilibrium.

I experience what someone on this board once referred to as "extreme constipation", even despite my water intake (my water takes the easy way out, if you ask me) and use of sugar free metamucil. As a result, I experience weight gains that are not truly weight gains, but just intestinal buildup. Once it passes, I do my weekly weigh-in, and if I weigh less than the last time, I know I've lost actual weight. But at best, I go twice a week. Mostly it's just once. I've been this way for as far back as I can remember. The point is that I'm afraid when I start adding back foods, that I won't be able to tell whether the weight gain is attributed to the food, or just my body's quirky plumbing. I know I can't stay in extended induction forever, but I don't want to take a chance with accidental weight gain until after summer is over. I am 5'2", started at 145 on 6/15/05, weigh 137 today, and am striving for 123.

[bugout429]

Originally Posted by AllieCat0817

Not this chickie here.

No? Well, you're certainly free to exercise your right to not know. As for me, I'm interested in the science behind the ANA. There's a great deal of information out there explaining what happens physiologically when you follow the plan, and what happens when you suddenly stray, but I haven't seen any topics yet that addressed the possibility of "controlled" cheating. I'm just interested in knowing if there's even such thing! My exact words were:

Originally Posted by bugout429

I think it's valuable for all of us to know if it's even possible to make a calculated exception without suffering a major setback.

It's like the very subject is so taboo that people won't even entertain the idea that, yes, people do occasionally stray from the ANA, and yes, maybe there is something that you can do before the possibility of a cheat to minimize the setback! Denying that cheating does occasionally happen and not even considering that you can maybe plan for it BEFOREHAND to reduce the impact of the indulgence is about as effective as the 'teach-abstinence-only' approach to preventing teen pregnancy... If "controlled cheats" do exist, then they are the nutritional prophylactics of the ANA, and we should learn more about it. By educating, you're not necessarily condoning. That is my opinion, and I respect your right to disagree.

[Iapetus999]

So many people fall off this diet because of 1 cheat...controlled or not...that we don't even like entertaining the thought.
It's like unsafe sex. Why take the risk?

Added:
To answer your question...you need to know your CCLL or CCLM. If your # is 50 carbs...then you could go lo-carb all day and save the 50 for dinner. That is a totally acceptable approach to the situation you describe...and I've done it myself. I've also occasionally "borrowed" carbs from the prev/next day.
But it's all done within the framework of knowing what your carb limit is.

[not2late]

Originally Posted by bugout429

Megs & Brook,

I agree with you both on the point of my so-called cheats being inappropriate for the phase that I am in. To tell you the truth, Megs, I'm a little nervous to move into OWL because I've found success in induction, and because I don't trust myself to observe the subtle changes I'll expect to see during OWL that will lead to my determining my own carb equilibrium.

I experience what someone on this board once referred to as "extreme constipation", even despite my water intake (my water takes the easy way out, if you ask me) and use of sugar free metamucil. As a result, I experience weight gains that are not truly weight gains, but just intestinal buildup. Once it passes, I do my weekly weigh-in, and if I weigh less than the last time, I know I've lost actual weight. But at best, I go twice a week. Mostly it's just once. I've been this way for as far back as I can remember. The point is that I'm afraid when I start adding back foods, that I won't be able to tell whether the weight gain is attributed to the food, or just my body's quirky plumbing. I know I can't stay in extended induction forever, but I don't want to take a chance with accidental weight gain until after summer is over. I am 5'2", started at 145 on 6/15/05, weigh 137 today, and am striving for 123.

Well, with only being 15 pounds from your goal weight, you should have been through OWL and moving into Pre-Maintenance.

I can understand your "fear" of adding carbs, but consider this for a moment....What will you do when you reach goal? Unless you want to subject yourself to a binging-fasting type diet in order to maintain your weight, you're better off moving into OWL and finding your CCLL in a controlled, methodic fashion. And as for taking a chance with an accidental weight gain, isn't that exactly what you did when you went off your Extended Induction? At least with OWL, it's a controlled process, not a willy-nilly-fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-hope-you-won't-gain-weight-by-doing-it thing.

Just remember, the weight loss statistics are stacked against us: 9 out of 10 dieters will regain their weight within 1 year of reaching goal. It would be ashame if anyone here will reach goal and regain their weight because they didn't learn how their bodies tolerate food....

[AllieCat0817]

Originally Posted by not2late

Just remember, the weight loss statistics are stacked against us: 9 out of 10 dieters will regain their weight within 1 year of reaching goal.

the EXACT reason why I do not play around with crap food. I refuse to be a statistic.

[FightingTheFight]

I had a whole page of remarks set ready to fire...but decided against it...instead I'll just work of this quote.

but I haven't seen any topics yet that addressed the possibility of "controlled" cheating

You are either eating the Atkins way or not. simple. You want to cheat controlled or not, don't call it Atkins.

We are sticklers around here because we have experience of watching people having controlled cheats never to be seen again.

You want to play with your body like that...fine...but don't berate us because we don't except your ideas. You are not going to start a reformation. Theres already a group of people who did that....their called statistics.

"9 out of 10 dieters will regain their weight within 1 year of reaching goal."

[bugout429]

Alright, you guys, I get it... there is no such thing as a cheat of lesser severity. I guess I wanted, quite literally, to find a way to have my cake and eat it too! Hehe, can't blame a girl for tryin'!

Back to no-cheatsville for me...

[Iapetus999]

Originally Posted by bugout429

Alright, you guys, I get it... there is no such thing as a cheat of lesser severity. I guess I wanted, quite literally, to find a way to have my cake and eat it too! Hehe, can't blame a girl for tryin'!

Back to no-cheatsville for me...

Yay!

[Brook]