Cheat Days

[Round2]

I've seen people talk about cheat days. Does anyone actually allow themselves cheat days? I'm curious. I've had my ups and downs so far, but just reading some posts I thought there might be some strategy in this. I know this is not the Atkins WOL, but just wondering if that works for anyone. I don't want to cheat, but some days I feel so compelled to. How much of a set back does this cause anyone? When I did Atkins before I allowed myself something every now and then, but it also took me one year to lose 50 pounds.

[momtomany1]

If I go off, I am going to have at least some of the symptoms of 'detox' or induction 'flu' to get back. I don't like that, the times I have done it. So I definitely don't do it on purpose.

[Lyssie]

I think the fact that it took you a year to lose 50lbs by allowing yourself things off plan kind of answers your question...

It can cause people to temporarily lose weight, to carb-cycle does work for some people, but every person I have seen/heard of doing this has completely fell off the wagon and either was never seen again, or returned 6 months later saying "I'm back..." It causes cravings when you come back, can cause the induction flu to return... Having been one of those people to return... I strongly believe that sticking to plan is a much better choice.

[Skeptika23]

Nope, not what I'd call "cheat days" per se.

I am planning for the consequences of Thanksgiving dinner - trying to substitute where I can but I know I'll still be a bit off plan - but that's about it.

Immediately after Thanksgiving, depending on how much I end up actually consuming, it's bouncing back into Induction time for a week or so to compensate, then back to the OWL rungs.

In my opinion, the words "cheat day" implies an ALL DAY cheat day - eat what is forbidden all day long - rather than a "cheat meal" or something special like that. I can't imagine I'd ever have a whole "cheat day" - the idea just seems weird to me now.

[FatStar21]

Well, I still have it in the back in my head that we need far more carbs than we're allowed in our systems. So, on occasion, if theres a Saturday where my boyfriend and I want to go out to dinner, and the LC selection isnt that great, Ill have a so called "cheat meal" (With as little carbs as I can). But thats only allowed for ONE meal. Say I have steak and eggs for breakfast, chicken wings for lunch.. thats when Ill have one of those meals. You never want to have a FULL day of stuffing your face with carbs. It kinda un-does everything you worked for to get the sugar out of your system. Try and have the right mindset, and you wont really crave off limit food. I hope this helps!

[Round2]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm so glad to have such great motivators on this board.

[Katlambert]

Sadly, I can't cheat because once I do, I find a hundred other reasons to cheat and before I know it, it's been months and I've completely fallen off plan. Plus, once I forget about eating all the stuff I shouldn't be, it is so easy to avoid it that I don't want to eat it and then decide I like it again.

[liv]

As I understand it reading the book, Atkins thinks we are addicts to carbs. And that we need to break that addiction and liberate ourselves from that. Only then can we think about eating more carbs. I think this is true for me I need to strict with myself and really keep to the plan if I talk myself into eating something off plan, I start a downward slope and before I know it I am back to where I started. I don't want to go there. It is like being addicted to any substance. A heroin addict trying to be clean would not "cheat" once in a while. That would be disaster.
Atkins is particularly clear that one cannot cheat on induction. That is the period where you have start to break away. OWL as well is a continued period of learning to deal with food. In maintenance however after months of learning how you deal with food and if you trust yourself enough to not completely go all addict again there is much more room for eating all kinds of things (in moderation).

[hrgillespie]

I try and look at it this way ........... as Liv said we are following a way of life like this because we have food addictions. I try and think about what would I tell a drug addict??? That it's ok to go ahead and use once in awhile? Or an Alcoholic? Go ahead and have a few drinks occasionally it won't hurt you can always start over? For me cheating is a death sentence to my diet and it takes me a ton of will power and suffering to get back on track. So it's a no brainer for me I can't do it. Last time I "cheated" for a good reason my dad was in the hospital and I was stressed and eating hospital food for over two weeks almost every day. Knowing I would have an almost ridiculous time staying on target I just didn't. I had every intention on getting right back on track ....... that was in April .... it is now November and I am just ending week 4 of finally being totally clean and back on track .......So I guess I would plead with you NOT to chaet and certainly not to plan to!!!!!!

Heidi

[SugarFreeSheila]

I have an off-day once a month, and get right back in the saddle the next morning - it's a choice. You have to find what works for you!