Planning For Cheats

[AllieCat0817]

Re: Planning For Cheats

It's kind of redundant to come in to an ATKINS support forum and commit to cheat?...I don't think anyone is going to want to answer it...it's like we are condoning it. There are so many Atkineers here that have chosen to take this WOE seriously. You should decide if this WOE is right for you before you go on.

The correct answer is if you were serious about losing weight and commited to this WOE you wouldn't be asking this question. It is relatively simple to stick to Atkins even if you are eating out. Find out how their meat and veggies are prepared, make sure there are no hidden sugars in the seasoning....grab a salad with some grilled chicken, etc.

No one is perfect, I understand that...and by no means am I trying to be mean, but most people here are REALLY trying to NOT cheat and you come in asking us how you CAN cheat and get away with it. It just doesn't seem right, I guess

ditto

[tickletussler]

hey Bugout, great to hear that you survived AND enjoyed your night out.

Main point is, you learnt something from it didn't you? How you handled the situation, how some of us will react to your thread, and what you can/can't say.

[AllieCat0817]

Re: Planning For Cheats

The next time you consider calling people who advocate not cheating "nazis", please remember that there are at LEAST 3 Holocaust survivors who frequent this board, and at least 5 adult children of survivors. You should know better. It's a shande.

Wow Finelly, this is soooo deep. Thanks for posting it. I hear the term Atkins **** all the time in reference to my views on low carbing. I hear it and shrug it off without even thinking what it means to a survivor. I apologize on behalf of the person who posted it (if that's even possible).

[bugout429]

Re: Planning For Cheats

2. The next time you consider calling people who advocate not cheating "nazis", please remember that there are at LEAST 3 Holocaust survivors who frequent this board, and at least 5 adult children of survivors. You should know better. It's a shande.

1. It's not the people that merely 'advocate not cheating' that I'm calling ANA Nazis. I'm talking to the hypercritical extremists who are so quick to condemn me and bite my head off without even considering the logic behind my inquiry. I can't really think of a better term. I suppose it's the same level of intense, irrational committment to a cause that makes Islamic fundamentalists go berzerk, but somehow "ANA Jihadists" doesn't quite roll off the tongue so smoothly.

2. While I don't mean to deliberately offend any Holocaust survivors (I certainly have them in my family as well) I also will not walk on eggshells around peoples' particular sensitivities when trying to express myself. I'm curious, did you also write to Jerry Seinfeld to protest his use of the term "Soup ****", or am I only getting this feedback because I'm accessible to you?

3. Nothing can compare to the unforgivable horrors that we Jews have suffered at the hands of the Nazis. With that said, I still speculate that it's a good thing that, on this board, I only exist virtually, because some of the attacking remarks I've gotten make me think that, if they had me in the flesh, I might truly have been sent to the gallows by now...

*sigh*... but whatever.

[Finelly]

Re: Planning For Cheats

It's probably best, especially considering the rule of Lashan Harah, not to call people who criticize your choices nazis or jihadists. After all, nobody who has posted is trying to kill you or eliminate a particular culture.

I just re-read this thread. You posted a question about planned cheating. The responses were not positive, but they were not attacks, either. The criticism of your choice was based on reason and logic, and is consistent with the Atkins woe.

I will not respond to your other comments, as they are inappropriate.

[ttdriver]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Boy oh boy. I never imagined the extent to which I'd be chastized by some of you for asking what I considered a legitimate question. Being supportive doesn't necessarily mean condoning what I do, but if you have constructive feedback to offer, I'd appreciate it if you'd give it without judgement or condemnation.

There was no chastisement in speaking out AGAINST cheating. Cheating is self-sabotage and when you're trying to lose weight, it has no place in your plan, unless you like setbacks. Personally, I don't. It was Dr. Atkins who said cheating is "the kiss of death" and "one bite WILL hurt". Would you consider that chastisement or being non-supportive?

This is an Atkins support board, not a 'we support your right to cheat' board.

If you choose to cheat, then that's up to you. But don't look here for approval. Bottom line is, you're gonna do what you want to in the end.

Just remember the law of cause and effect / sowing and reaping.

Betty

[AllieCat0817]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Agreeing fully with Betty.

[love2beeamom]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Well, first off...congratulations on moving right back onto plan today.. Just drink some extra water today to help flush out the stuff you ate . You MAY experience a temporary gain of water weight, but I know for me, it is usually gone withing a couple of days. I have gone off plan at times, and that has been my personal experience. As far as feeling bad and bloated, I have with a really bad cheat once at Christmas, but usually not at other times.. Get right back on the wagon, drink lots of water, and have a good work out today...

I don't know if there is a way to minimize the effects on your body by adjusting what you eat the rest of the day..I usually just make the next meal back on plan. I agree with tickletussler..you gotta see how YOU react to it..It's like the sugar alcohols, everybody responds differently. Some can eat them, others can't.

But, I must warn you in the future..be prepared for the responses you get when you ask a question of this nature. They sometimes turn into the most controversial threads here.. I think most people mean well, some are just more passionate about the way they do things that's all... Best of luck on your low carb journey!!!

[bugout429]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Thank you so much, Love2Be! I feel the same way. And huge congratulations on losing 150 lbs!

[bugout429]

Re: Planning For Cheats

To be honest with you all, I think I did the right thing (not in the sin of cheating itself, but in my manner of execution). I deliberately reduced my consumption of fats and proteins for the day, and increased my intake of veggies and fiber. As a result, when I DID consume the naughty foods, <speculation>there wasn't much in the way of excess fats and proteins in my system to convert to fat when my body switched to a carb-digesting metabolism.</speculation> I think this is the reason that I don't feel fat or bloated today, but the day isn't over yet. Like I said before, I'm going to keep posting what happens to me over the weekend.

Even though we all know that cheating is the kiss of death on the ANA, 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. I'm sure many of you quietly agree.

Today for lunch I had a greek salad and a bunless burger with muenster cheese, and lots of water.

This morning, I weighed 137.

[love2beeamom]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Thanks!!
Just wondering, what was your previous weight?? I am typically up 2-3 pounds for the next couple of days when I eat off plan. But like I said, for ME it usually only lasts about 6 days of so.

[ttdriver]

Re: Planning For Cheats

To be honest with you all, I think I did the right thing (not in the sin of cheating itself, but in my manner of execution). I deliberately reduced my consumption of fats and proteins for the day, and increased my intake of veggies and fiber. As a result, when I DID consume the naughty foods, <speculation>there wasn't much in the way of excess fats and proteins in my system to convert to fat when my body switched to a carb-digesting metabolism.</speculation> I think this is the reason that I don't feel fat or bloated today, but the day isn't over yet. Like I said before, I'm going to keep posting what happens to me over the weekend.

Even though we all know that cheating is the kiss of death on the ANA, 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. I'm sure many of you quietly agree.

Today for lunch I had a greek salad and a bunless burger with muenster cheese, and lots of water.

This morning, I weighed 137.

I'm glad you're back on track!

Betty

[not2late]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Boy oh boy. I never imagined the extent to which I'd be chastized by some of you for asking what I considered a legitimate question. Being supportive doesn't necessarily mean condoning what I do, but if you have constructive feedback to offer, I'd appreciate it if you'd give it without judgement or condemnation. I didn't ask my question to have my head bit off by you holier-than-thou ANA nazis. I recognize that cheating usually happens during a moment of weakness and lack of preparation, and those are the types of cheats that I have found the strength to avoid because if there's ONE THING that I learned during my month-long experience with Atkins, it's that even an accidental cheat WILL get me into trouble because it will send all the other FAT that I ate throughout the day STRAIGHT into my glycogen stores, making me bloated, fat, and miserable.

Those of you who did not attack me, I appreciate your replies. Thank you for understanding that the purpose of my question was to understand, from a dietetic perspective, if it was possible to avoid or minimize the retention of eaten-fat due to an incidental bad-carb consumption by adjusting your meals for only that day to lower-fat foods and more high-fiber carbs.

Believe me, my progress means too much to me to do this on a frequent basis, but what about the Atkins dieter who, on her wedding day, knows she'll have to eat at least a bite of cake, even if at least for a photo op? Or for the Atkins dieter, who, at the Passover seder, knows he'll have just one piece of a piece of a piece of matzah, just to honor the ceremony? I know many of you are purists who would consider even this unacceptable, but for the rest of us, there has to be a degree of flexibility in the ANA to plan for these life events, and have a strategy to encounter them wisely, incurring the least amount of damage!

Despite the reaction I got from some of you, I was NOT asking for instructions how to cheat. Maybe I didn't phrase my question delicately enough. I merely wanted to know if anyone had any advice on how to minimize the shock to my system if I DID cheat, and had the foresight to know that I would, and be able to plan ahead.

Anyway, that was last night. For anyone who is interested, yesterday I stuck to a moderate 33%/33%/33% ratio during the day, having a 1/2 cup of Uncle Sam with Berries cereal with 1% milk for breakfast, a spinach salad with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers and 2T Caesar dressing for lunch, had a snack of light yogurt before I went out, and drank my 64 oz water throughout the day. At the restaurant, I had an awesome cherry snapper ceviche, two carne asada tacquitos with ground-corn tortillas and red salsa, some grilled green beans, a little grilled corn salsa, and 2 caipirinhas consisting of muddled lime, sugar and cachaça (a spirit). For dessert, I had two bites each of Mayan bread pudding and some kind of deep-dish chocolate rum raisin cake. Lots of water.

Today I feel no ill effects. I don't feel guilty or emotionally rotten, but I AM back on a strict induction regimen, which I intend to follow closely over the next few days as I observe the effects of last night's meal. I want to be sure there are no other factors that I can attribute any potential weight gain or other adverse effects to. Anyone who's interested can follow this thread...

...Unless you intend to flame me again, in which case, I think you know perfectly well what you can go do...

p.s. I just want to add that the only reason I "planned my cheat" is because I knew we'd be at a really exclusive, one-week-old, private restaurant that was raved about, whose menu was small and culturally-specific. I just wanted to go and enjoy the experience and not be a primadonna. The end.

You know if you move to the OWL phase, some of those foods you listed are completely legal and aren't considered "cheats" planned or otherwise, but part of your "legal" OWL phase menu.

[kbuchs]

Re: Planning For Cheats

You did your planned cheat alot smarter than I Bugout! When I did it, it turned into a five day binge basically. But, I hope to be at that point where I can cheat a little and move on. My next planned cheat is Thanksgiving- I am definatley having a little stuffing and a piece of pumpkin pie! But your thoughtfulness inspired me and I hope to recreate your control. Job well done!!

[Brook]

Re: Planning For Cheats

Even though we all know that cheating is the kiss of death on the ANA, 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. I'm sure many of you quietly agree.

Fair enough, but there's an appropriate time for everything. During an "extended induction" isn't it. By virtue of following an extended induction tells us you're not within pre-maintenance distance of your goals. A month into your plan you haven't even gone through any of the other phases to learn how low-carb/low-glycemic foods are going to affect you. I'd say learn to work the plan before trying to find room for "calculated exceptions". Without learning to work the plan, it's not a "calculated exception", it's Russian Roulette.

People have responded to you the way they have because of their experiences. You were, in effect, asking for us to tell you the best way to cheat and found that it's not likely to happen. You chose to view it as an attack and then name call. (Ridiculous and childish, really.) In their own way they were supporting you to make plan appropriate choices.

but what about the Atkins dieter who, on her wedding day, knows she'll have to eat at least a bite of cake, even if at least for a photo op?

This is a really lame arguement and attempt at justification.

If the bride showed up here, we'd suggest she pass the wedding cake in favor of a beautifully decorated sugar free cheese-cake and then she could eat a whole piece - like my girlfriend did this summer. Where there's a will, there's a way and when something is important enough to you, you make it happen. Aside from that, a BITE of cake isn't exactly a full scale day of:

having a 1/2 cup of Uncle Sam with Berries cereal with 1% milk for breakfast, a spinach salad with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers and 2T Caesar dressing for lunch, had a snack of light yogurt before I went out, and drank my 64 oz water throughout the day. At the restaurant, I had an awesome cherry snapper ceviche, two carne asada tacquitos with ground-corn tortillas and red salsa, some grilled green beans, a little grilled corn salsa, and 2 caipirinhas consisting of muddled lime, sugar and cachaça (a spirit). For dessert, I had two bites each of Mayan bread pudding and some kind of deep-dish chocolate rum raisin cake.

Or for the Atkins dieter, who, at the Passover seder, knows he'll have just one piece of a piece of a piece of matzah, just to honor the ceremony?

Again, a really lame attempt at an arguement and justification. You can't even begin to compare your cheat to someone who's eating a piece of a piece of matzah for Passover. Compare mock cinnamon apples to mock cinnamon apples and you might find us a more receptive audience.

However, I'm glad you're back on track and I wish you success.

~Brook