One cheat a week!

[twlovechild]

today marks the 8th day that i have been doing induction and I find that i crave sweets all the time but I am withstanding my temptation and not eating any things thats not induction friendly and not having any sweets and I'm not cheating or anything. I was wondering if One cheat a week would greatly effect my weight loss, i read that one individual on another site gave himself I day a week to eat whatever carb he wanted and he still loss a great amount of weight. i believe that this way, when I had the cheat day it would be easier for my body to not gain the weight back as fast as when I dont cheat. see when you stop doing the low carb way you gain weight back fast, so this way I will be able to maintain, have some of my fav treats, and still lose weight! sounds like a perfect plan to me! what do you guys think??

[2big4mysize]

Re: One cheat a week!

the cheat day is the BFL plan low carb low fat high protein and you exercise like a maniac 6 days a week too. just look at out BFL exercise challenge to see how much you need to doon that plan interms of efforts. it works for many folk but it isn't Atkins.

Dr Atkins talks about taking days off and why this is a bad idea in DANDR if you want to read up on it before you try it and discover why.

[Elmark]

Re: One cheat a week!

Even in the period where I exercised like crazy every day (burning about 700 kcals a day) even one cheat would make me not loose or even gain. If I had one piece of bread that week, my whole body would just go crazy.....But I must add, that I am in generel a very slow slow loser.... Even when I did low-fat and stayed under 1200 kcals a day, I didn't even lose a pound a week....
For me the cheat once a week wouldn't be worth it, but that is also because I love the Atkins foods so much!!!

[killerbombshell]

Re: One cheat a week!

One treat can also be like a gateway drug off to more carbs. One cup of potato chips leads to a whole bag, and hey, why not a slice of pizza as well? Even with someone with real willpower finds it difficult to stay on the wagon that way.

[Elizellen]

Re: One cheat a week!

I would echo the others in saying that an Atkins plan does not include a regular 'cheat day'.
And for good reasons - if you look around all lowcarb boards and do a search for 'cheat' you will find many people bemoaning the many days, weeks or months after a 'cheat day' when they found it impossible to climb back on the Atkins wagon!

Also if you follow the plan by the book, you will start to be 'allowed' to eat many of the foods you miss now.

Just work your way through 14 days of induction and then move up on the the OWL ladder and start to reintroduce the foods you are missing - more veggies, milk and yogurt, almonds and macadamia nuts, strawberries and melon, spirits (if you need them and dont mind a weightloss stall), beans and soy milk, apples and grapefruit, carrots and peas (even a small amount of potatoes and corn if you like them) and whole grains!

Induction menus are not all of the Atkins Way of Eating, only a short restricted stage to start your weightloss and the beginning of your journey towards better health.

[sunflowergrl]

Re: One cheat a week!

You had stated that when you 'quit' low carbing, you gain weight fast. This is a WOL not a diet. I think you will feel better about yourself and this WOE if you don't cheat. I know that if I allowed myself to cheat once, I would be eating everything I could get my hands on!! Good luck to you!!

[Heidi3]

Re: One cheat a week!

honey if you do this right and eat lots of good food you do not need to cheat

be content with each thing you eat and never put boring or bad food in your mouth ..then you will not need to cheat....

later as you climb the rungs and add food back you will have more and more things to choose from

what is worth having is worth working for ...and to be honest being a nice weight is worth having....

cheating is just what it sounds like ..you should not feel like you need to cheat if you are content....
look in the cookbook and see if there is something there that may be enjoyable to you instead of looking at unhealthy food

[loser4life]

Re: One cheat a week!

It sounds to me like you aren't looking at the atkins plan as a WOL(way of life)... I get this from you saying less likely to gain the weight back. well, if you do this plan forever, as it was meant, you won't gain the weight back.... However, I myself can't cheat for one meal.... If I do that usually it leads to just tomorrow, or just this weekend, etc... Have you read the book? If not, I suggest you do so. It will answer this wuestion and many many more you may have that you don't even realize. this ha to be a way of life, as with any diet. You can't change everything for a few months and then imagine you are going back to your old ways. It may work at first, but eventually you will gain the weight back....(BTW, I am not just saying this for you I am reassuring myself of the way things have to be.... I need to know this as much as anyone here, after all this time I still need to be reminded of thsi fact)

[Becky Sue]

Re: One cheat a week!

For me, one cheat leads to another and another!! Then I am on that slippery slope of failure and can't get my footing back. It takes an act of congress to get ME back on track.
So I suggest you don't plan on cheating, or you will surely be one of the many that gain the weight back and wonder where you went wrong!!

Cheating = failure!

[Moochiecat]

Re: One cheat a week!

Before Atkins, my days would revolve around that sweet treat, bag of chips, whateveritwas that I had in the cupboard or fridge and all I could think of was the moment when I could indulge in it.

Social occasions were GREAT because that gave me something to obsess over and scheme how I could get the biggest piece of birthday cake (or two pieces!!) or if I could get my bf to make two trips to the dessert table.

It revolved around the cheats. There is no way in heck I want my life to revolve around food like that ever again.
I realized that that sort of attitude was very unhealthy physically and emotionally and given the types of foods I'm allowed to eat (Atkins is all about quality and quantity..no deprivation here!) there's no place for 'cheats'. It's counterproductive, and it's like taking steps backwards.

[ttdriver]

Re: One cheat a week!

NO CHEATING, PERIOD.

Betty

[jsj0305]

Re: One cheat a week!

Oh I HAVTA say something. I tried it and honey, it's not worth it. I went from 190 pounds down to 168 pounds. I allowed myself to cheat on the 4th of July (even after I posted and EVERYONE said no), but I didn't listen. Lemme tell you....1 month later, I was back up to 180. I couldn't bring myself to get back on b/c if I was gonna have another cheat day in a few days, what was the point?

I recently restarted on Jan. 1st and I am back down to 166. It took me a lot longer to get here than it did the first time. Believe me, it's just not worth it. Why starve your body of these nasty carbs that made us fat in the first place, and then give them to yourself after all??

Believe me, you WILL bloat, you will FEEL fat, and your bloodsugar WILL go crazy and you WILL crave more. It's beyond a mind over matter type thing...it's serious. You don't want to screw with your bloodsugar. You'll feel tired and sluggish and crappy. I know, I've been there and done that.

You deserve to lose this weight and keep it of for life. You deserve to be happy and healthy, and eating those things will only put you farther and farther away from your goal.

I truly hope you make the right decision. We are here for you.

[jsj0305]

Re: One cheat a week!

Oh yea, and when you crave sweets, eat something COMPLETELY opposite! I was told to do that the other day and it works. I am having cravings RIGHT NOW, and guess what, I have a big 'ol bowl of tuna right in front of me! It works...just a suggestion.

[ttdriver]

Re: One cheat a week!

You deserve to lose this weight and keep it of for life. You deserve to be happy and healthy, and eating those things will only put you farther and farther away from your goal.

BRAVO!

Cheating: What's the point?

Betty

[Becky Sue]

Re: One cheat a week!

I remember that out of control feeling I had for 30+ years. the binging was in control, it was like I was being taken hostage.
I don't ever what to go back to that horrible situation.