A cheat day or 60 minutes?

[ErinLea]

There is a woman at my work that has been doing atkins for, well forever. She has had some really good ideas and has encouraged us. She told my husband and I that she has a "cheat day/meal" every 2 weeks. We are planning on going out this weekend and are planning on having a "cheat meal". I'm sure that we will be suprised that we can't eat as much carbs as we once could.
I want to know if this is really 'legal' or if it is just an excuse to cheat. We have only ate out once since being on the diet and we both did great, so we know it is do-ible. But I just wanted to be prepared.

[Chef Kevin]

just an excuse.
I wouldn't want to go thru the carb withdrawl every 2 weeks myself!

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by ErinLea

There is a woman at my work that has been doing atkins for, well forever. She has had some really good ideas and has encouraged us. She told my husband and I that she has a "cheat day/meal" every 2 weeks. We are planning on going out this weekend and are planning on having a "cheat meal". I'm sure that we will be suprised that we can't eat as much carbs as we once could.
I want to know if this is really 'legal' or if it is just an excuse to cheat. We have only ate out once since being on the diet and we both did great, so we know it is do-ible. But I just wanted to be prepared.

She might have been doing low carb forever, but she has not been doing Atkins forever. There are no cheat meals or days in any of Dr. Atkins books except in one place, and that would not apply to her or you and hubby. So, cheat days are not "legal."

If you are in ketosis, the "surprise" you get from splurging with carbs will not be fun or pleasant.

Since this is posted in extended induction, I can only surmise that you are still in induction. Maybe where you plan to stay except for cheat days once in a while when you get a craving, get bored with food choices, or feel too restricted. That is not the way to "do Atkins." If you start into OWL, moving up the carb ladder, you will soon be able to eat most of your former foods except sugar and white flour products and pure junk food.

It sounds like this woman is stuck in induction as well. Induction was never meant to be the whole "diet." Staying on induction is the reason most people fail. Induction is very restrictive and you will get bored with your food choices.

Move up the ladder and then start exploring low carb recipes for your former splurge foods. Don't eat these recipes all the time, but save them for your "legal" splurges. This has worked for me for the last three years.

Sunny!

[Alexa]

Hi ErinLea,

I would say do not cheat! I have had a lot of problems with cheating - if I hadn't I would have been at goal by now. Though I understand that a scheduled cheat can be fun, and help with motivation the rest of the time I would strongly say don't do it because:

- as ChefKevin says going through carb withdrawal again is not fun
- you will gain weight in all likelihood, which is not fun and may derail you
- you never know that you will be able to go back on plan the next day. When you are on the plan, with no sugar in your system in seems fine to assume the self control will be there - eating carbs or sugar (just a tiny amount) can change all this - it could be the start to a week, month or even year long carb binge - believe me I know this the hard way.
- I'm not sure on the science but I think off and on again makes this WOL less effective and can be detrimental to your health
- You'll probably feel guilty
- Once you've cheated it is much easier to cheat again and end up re-gaining or stalling.
- Tempting off limit foods need to be like wallpaper - if you have a cheating 'time' to negotiate with, they'll always been in the back of your mind as an option and it will be harder to resist them day-to-day.
- They never taste quite as good as you imagine!

Sorry to ramble on, I expect you knew this would not be ideal for this wol - as you say in your post. Eating out of Atkins is, as you say, do-able and it can be very tasty - so avoid the slippery slope if you can!

[LadyBethny]

Alarm bells alarm bells!!!

Sooo cheating!

Everyone has their own view and their own way I suppose but I just don't understand the justification of this. This isn't just a diet, its a change of lifestyle - we are learning a new way to deal with food and to gain that healthy outlook!

You have to decide what you are going to do for your own choice, but after all your hard work recently do you really want to ruin it? Especially as there are so many choices.

If you can just have that one meal and then get back on track then your choice, but be really sure you are making the right choice!

Just my honest opinion, good luck!

[Brook]

It's an excuse- and a flimsy one at that.

Food is NOT a reward. How many of us have been treating food as a reward for a huge portion of our lives and how has that worked for us?! -If you're anything like me, it's a slippery slope on a good day and on a bad one it's just a straight up .

Learn to use food as it was meant to be used- to nourish your body. Enjoy it- but don't treat it as a reward.

You didn't "earn" the right to eat garbage.
You don't "deserve" to treat your body like crap.
You don't "reward" yourself for winning a race by shooting yourself in the foot.

Want a reward? Go to the spa. Get a new pair of workout shoes. Get your nails done. Buy new power tools with the money you're saving in health care costs. Get a gym membership or some new clothes. THOSE are rewards. And they're good for you, your body and your soul

[Zarabelle]

Hello, I took 2.5 days off at Christmas and I am still trying to get back to my pre-Christmas weight.. so, I would advise DO NOT CHEAT! Especially not every two weeks! Maybe once or twice a YEAR if you really have to. Good luck in whatever you decide. x

[Zarabelle]

Originally Posted by Brook

It's an excuse- and a flimsy one at that.

Food is NOT a reward. How many of us have been treating food as a reward for a huge portion of our lives and how has that worked for us?! -If you're anything like me, it's a slippery slope on a good day and on a bad one it's just a straight up .

Learn to use food as it was meant to be used- to nourish your body. Enjoy it- but don't treat it as a reward.

You didn't "earn" the right to eat garbage.
You don't "deserve" to treat your body like crap.
You don't "reward" yourself for winning a race by shooting yourself in the foot.

Want a reward? Go to the spa. Get a new pair of workout shoes. Get your nails done. Buy new power tools with the money you're saving in health care costs. Get a gym membership or some new clothes. THOSE are rewards. And they're good for you, your body and your soul

This is oh so true. I can hear myself saying 'It's Christmas and I've been really good so I deserve a few days off....it's only until 27 December'... In fact, you are just punishing yourself. Please think carefully. I am regretting my decision.

[sallyseachange]

I'll join the chorus.... for all the reasons people have offered. The slope is steep and verrrrrrry slippery! Don't do it. Especially don't do it every two weeks! That is a recipe for disaster imho.

If you hang in there and follow the plan properly you won't regret it.

[Scribbler]

Just to add. Do not cheat.. Come on.. is getting chips, buns, or whatever worth the trouble?? Which day of the induction are you at now? Even in the book says that cheat meals is not an option at any phase of the diet. It says, if I remember correctly, that whatever the phase..if you are "forced" into eating something outside the allowed, then you return to induction... think of that...