Why does cheating sometimes help???

[daquix]

I can't get my head around this. I am a very "why did this happen" type of person, and I just can't understand this. I could not lose weight for 3-4 days and then eat something bad and then the next day, I dropped 2-3 pounds and continue to lose weight for days after. And it happens pretty much without fail. My brother-in-law tried it and it worked for him, as well as my sister. I go online and I searched for a while and I found a lot of posts from other websites talking about how a cheating day helps a lot of people to jumpstart their weight loss. The one thing I don't like about it, is after the cheating day the hunger pangs come back and you are hungry for a couple of days. Anyway - I know this is not conventional wisdom, and if youre simply going to respond with a "do the diet right. period." then don't bother responding. If someone has actual information as to why this would work, I would like to hear it.

[gottalose70]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I'm a member of the bodybuilding.com forum and I've heard of body builders doing something called "re-feeding" where every once in a while, they'll eat twice as much as they have been and that somehow gives them a big boost in terms of fat burning. How that ties in with low-carbing and then high carbing one day...I don't know. But, I definitely know where you're coming from. I also have a friend that does Weight Watchers and we were just talking about how the weeks when she doesn't cheat, she thinks she'll do good at weigh-ins and will only lose 1 pound and the weeks when she cheats and thinks she'll gain weight is the week she loses 5 pounds.

I'd kind of like a medical explanation myself. Good question.

[sadie147]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

Sorry i can't help you....I gain at least a couple of pounds of water weight if i eat off plan. :-( I wish i experienced what you do though! LOL

[julirama723]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

Generally the people who do a "cheat day" are bored with the plan because they haven't moved on to OWL or increased their carbs. It works because by adding extra carbs, you're eating less fat, so your body is able to burn more body fat, rather than burning the fat you've eaten.

THAT IS WHY ADBB MEMBERS STRESS MOVING UP THE RUNGS OF OWL!

By adding GOOD carbs, HEALTHY carbs, you have this same "jumpstart" effect, but without the bad side effects, i.e. going out of ketosis, cravings, headaches, nausea, etc. When you force yourself out of ketosis, it takes a couple of days to get back into the swing of things. Keep in mind that many people aren't so lucky to have this dropoff effect--too many people GAIN a couple of pounds of water weight from their cheat!

I foolishly stayed on induction an extra two weeks thinking I'd lose more weight. I didn't lose a thing. Finally I took the advice of the members here, moved up to Rung 1 of OWL, and dropped 3.5 pounds my first week.

Do the plan as intended, and you'll never even want to consider a cheat day.

[Dropzofjupiter29]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I have had this happen too. But continuing to do it alot wont keep helping tho obviously lol. Seems to work when u get in a stall for a long period of time.

[daquix]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I'm a member of the bodybuilding.com forum and I've heard of body builders doing something called "re-feeding" where every once in a while, they'll eat twice as much as they have been and that somehow gives them a big boost in terms of fat burning. How that ties in with low-carbing and then high carbing one day...I don't know. But, I definitely know where you're coming from. I also have a friend that does Weight Watchers and we were just talking about how the weeks when she doesn't cheat, she thinks she'll do good at weigh-ins and will only lose 1 pound and the weeks when she cheats and thinks she'll gain weight is the week she loses 5 pounds.

I'd kind of like a medical explanation myself. Good question.

Exactly. Thanks for the post.

Generally the people who do a "cheat day" are bored with the plan because they haven't moved on to OWL or increased their carbs. It works because by adding extra carbs, you're eating less fat, so your body is able to burn more body fat, rather than burning the fat you've eaten.

THAT IS WHY ADBB MEMBERS STRESS MOVING UP THE RUNGS OF OWL!

By adding GOOD carbs, HEALTHY carbs, you have this same "jumpstart" effect, but without the bad side effects, i.e. going out of ketosis, cravings, headaches, nausea, etc. When you force yourself out of ketosis, it takes a couple of days to get back into the swing of things. Keep in mind that many people aren't so lucky to have this dropoff effect--too many people GAIN a couple of pounds of water weight from their cheat!

I foolishly stayed on induction an extra two weeks thinking I'd lose more weight. I didn't lose a thing. Finally I took the advice of the members here, moved up to Rung 1 of OWL, and dropped 3.5 pounds my first week.

Do the plan as intended, and you'll never even want to consider a cheat day.

Interesting. I have been on Induction for now going on my 6th week. That is something I am going to have to think about. Good post.

[CassiesMomma]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I have heard this before. *Don't quote me* but I have heard it can boost your metabolism back into weight loss...

My hubby, dad and I are all on this diet. Occationally we will go to a buffet and just fill up.. Not cheating, just a few more veggies than usual and lots of meats and it seems to help keep us focused and the weight to keep coming off. HTH

Julie

[dreamof145]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I agree that one should move up the rungs of OWL rather than eat off plan. I believe that Julirama gave you a great answer for your question...

You'll always hear about people who cheated and said they lost xx amount of weight from that cheat. But more often you'll hear from people who had xx amount of gain.

Instead of planning a 'cheat' it is far more beneficial for you to plan how to stay on plan and expand your food choices with the acceptable food choices. The point of the program is to change your habits and learn how to eat healthier.

Cheat days tempt you and don't teach you to make wise choices. Rather they give you the false impression that you can cheat time and again and not suffer consequences. I believe that people who do plan a cheat make up for it the following days by either gaining weight, suffering guilt and many times starve themselves for days following trying to keep from gaining from that cheat.

Why not find substitute foods for the items you intend to cheat with or just moving up a rung so that you are satisfied and not having to worry about what the consequences will be.

There are no guarantees that a cheat won't start you on a rampage of eating or that it won't knock you out of ketosis. But there is a guarantee that if you continue to eat on track and learn to make plans to stay focused, then the program will continue to work for you. Its about learning and educating yourself on going through the phases of Atkins so that you can make life-style changes, not trying to cheat the program and make your own rules and hope that it doesn't backfire. Put your effort and creativity to work making life-long plans to stay healthy and fit....not ways to cheat and live in fear.

[Chicklady]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

My theory----a cheat throws your body for a loop. Just when it thinks it's got it all figured out (and you stall, cause your body has stabilized) you throw a kink into the works. I think that's also the same reason that those of us who have "done" Atkins several times lose with more difficulty the upteenth time around.....our bodies say "I've seen this trick".
Sounds real scientific, no?

[kate58]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I've heard this stuff said about cheating by lots of people, lots of times and there does seem to be something in it. I've done it myself in the past with low cal/low fat dieting and seen it happen.

However..... I didn't have anything other than a series of temporary short-term successes in dealing with my problem that way and left that whole approach behind and came to low-carb at my highest weight ever. Which I think says at least something.

Why does it happen? Here is my theory.

People who are enthused by the whole weight loss thing actually working, and are keeping excellent control over their eating, often end up eating too little - whether inadvertently or just because they can and they think it will help. Then they give in and pig out and although it may not be long term healthy, in the short term their body thinks "Whoopee! Food!!!" and permits itself to let go of weight it had been hoarding during the eating too little times.

I don't think that can ever be a long term thing though and I believe it happens to two categories of people: first, those at the start of a weight loss journey, especially those who have a lot to lose, and second those who are pretty much at their goal weight, lose weight relatively easily, have never been very overweight and who can tolerate a wider variety of food.

I've been eating like this for almost 6 months now, and have not cheated at all. Well, I've overeaten legal food occasionally, but no going off plan. And I have done it absolutely by the book: just 2 weeks on induction, assiduously climbed the OWL ladder, upped my carbs carefully and gradually, eaten at least up to my BMR most of the time, in fact not bothered much about calories at all, just eaten to appetite.

Doing it this way I have lost over 60lbs in those 6 months, plus I've learned an awful lot about what I can and cannot eat and developed some good eating habits that will hopefully stand me in good stead in the future. Just like the reports of the "cheating method", if you want to call it that, I've had times of little loss followed by rapid dumps of pounds.

If there is somebody out there for whom the cheat/diet/cheat cycle has worked as well as that I'd love to hear from them. If there is anyone who used the cheat/diet/cheat method and actually got to goal and maintained, I'd love to hear about that too.

In short, I think it works on some level, but only for a while, only at a certain stage in weight loss. But in the end for the vast majority of people it mitigates against long term success.

[not2late]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

Dr. Fred Pescatore, who was the Associate Medical Director of the Atkins Center during the 1990s, wrote that some people "get used to" ketosis and after being in it a long time, their bodies adapt to it and stop losing weight. He wrote that in his experience, when these people are taken off their severely carb restrictive diet, they begin to lose weight again.

To a point, I agree with him. However, I don't think 'ketosis' is to blame for this: I think it's the low carb level these people eat. Their body gets used to eating 10 or 15 net carbs daily and their bodies become efficient at using those carbs, the dietary fat and protein and their body protein (their muscles) to meet their daily energy needs, while protecting their body fat. Body fat is stored energy---your body will use that up as the last resort if it thinks it is in a starvation state.

From what I've see on this board, the folks who restrict their carbs for a long time, stop losing weight--pounds and inches. Once they move onto OWL phase, their weight loss picks up. Dr. Atkins wrote that everyone has their own critical carbohydrate losing level and that the only people who may benefit from extending their Induction phase are those folks with a very high metabolic resistance to weight loss.

As for the people who stick on Induction but "cheat" by having pizza once a week, it's not surprizing. My CCLL was 50. I could have eaten a ham and cheese sandwich made with two slices of Wonder Bread (about 25 net carbs) and still could have lost weight after that "cheat". We have had ADBB members here with CCLLs of 80-100 net carbs daily. They could have eaten that same ham and cheese sandwich, a handful of potato chips and a cookie and still have remained within their CCLL.

[blue996]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

This thread has convinced me I need to move up in OWL and eat more carbs. Look out OWL 2...here I come (although I don't eat a lot of dairy). I'm also allergic to nuts so OWL 3 is less appealing. I am going to work up to 4 though...I miss berries and it will seem like such a treat!

I would much rather do this than "cheat" each week. The after effects are just too painful.

[Hudson]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I don't necessarily believe that the cheat is what caused the weight loss. I have been doing this for over 3 years and every time I get on the scale - I'm not sure. Most of the time my expectations match the scale. But a large amount of the time I am suprised. Both on the up side and the down side. My theory is that there is some kind of real internal weight that the scale dosen't acurately show on a daily basis. The scale can show a 2 lb. loss but maybe you are dehydrated or ate something that caused your BM to speed up. Who knows. There are just too many variables.

Just the opposite happens to me almost every time. Eat some pizza - gain 4 pounds.

[daquix]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

I don't necessarily believe that the cheat is what caused the weight loss. I have been doing this for over 3 years and every time I get on the scale - I'm not sure. Most of the time my expectations match the scale. But a large amount of the time I am suprised. Both on the up side and the down side. My theory is that there is some kind of real internal weight that the scale dosen't acurately show on a daily basis. The scale can show a 2 lb. loss but maybe you are dehydrated or ate something that caused your BM to speed up. Who knows. There are just too many variables.

Just the opposite happens to me almost every time. Eat some pizza - gain 4 pounds.

Everyone is different. I thought about the dehydration factor and what not and after going back on the diet the following day and drinking a ton of water, the pounds keep falling off for days after. It seems to kick-start my body. Thanks for the post though.

And thanks for everyone elses posts. The one's about the OWL were very helpful, as were all the others.

[not2late]

Re: Why does cheating sometimes help???

This thread has convinced me I need to move up in OWL and eat more carbs. Look out OWL 2...here I come (although I don't eat a lot of dairy). I'm also allergic to nuts so OWL 3 is less appealing. I am going to work up to 4 though...I miss berries and it will seem like such a treat!

I would much rather do this than "cheat" each week. The after effects are just too painful.

Good for you blue! Too many people cheat themselves by unnecessarily staying on Induction. That one line in the book where Dr. Atkins wrote who may benefit from extending their Induction is often overlooked or ignored.

Granted there are people who do the "one day cheat" then jump back on a strict Induction. But if you really think about it, what they are doing is teaching themselves to binge--to be bulemics. That is, they are training themselves to "diet strictly" for a period, then to eat whatever they want, then purge themselves of their carby cheat by drinking alot of water or exercising alot. The problem with that is the damage has already been done. Carbohydrate digestion begins in your mouth. 2-6 hours after eating carbs, your body has digested them and absorbed them. So exercising/drinking water, etc. the next day ain't gonna help: those carbs have already affected your metabolism/body.

OWL phase is one of the most misunderstood phases of Atkins. It's the phase where you individualize your Atkins diet to suit you, while you lose weight. The losing weight part is very misunderstood, because for some reason people have read Dr. Atkins caution about weight loss "slowing" down during OWL as "I'm never going to lose a single pound if I go to OWL phase and eat more than 20 net carbs a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Baloney. The "slower" weight loss means losing 3 pounds a week rather than 3 1/2 pounds a week. And in the case of many OWLers, the weight loss hasn't slowed down PLUS they get to eat foods they can't during Induction while the weight is lost.

So move to OWL, blue and enjoy eating your way---and losing the weight--through your OWL.