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  • #1

    Cheat Days

    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.
    Start date: 10-29-08
    5'10/33 yrs.
    LW:150 HW:230
    SW:230 CW:225 GW:155

    My Holiday's Mini Goals
    15 pounds Thanksgiving
    20 pounds Christmas
    30 pounds Valentine's
    35 pounds St. Patty's
    40 pounds Easter
    50 pounds July 4th*
    Tags: cheat, days
  • #2
    Re: Cheat Days

    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.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Cheat Days

      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.
      27/f/5'10"
      HW - 312, LW - 172 (Jul 2007), CW - 205, GW - 160

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Cheat Days

        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.
        Jackie - Misplaced Missouri Girl, now in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada!

        Lost 15 pounds 9/18/08-01/08/09, Ended on OWL Rung 6 (had a baby!)
        Restarted Induction 11/30/09

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Cheat Days

          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!
          Jaime 23/f/NY

          HW 180
          Start weight most recent time around: 169
          Goal weight: 130 [and maybe lower]


          *Nothing tastes as good as thin and happiness feels*
          sigpic

          I will never look like this picture again. Not going down without a fight!

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Cheat Days

            Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm so glad to have such great motivators on this board.
            Start date: 10-29-08
            5'10/33 yrs.
            LW:150 HW:230
            SW:230 CW:225 GW:155

            My Holiday's Mini Goals
            15 pounds Thanksgiving
            20 pounds Christmas
            30 pounds Valentine's
            35 pounds St. Patty's
            40 pounds Easter
            50 pounds July 4th*

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Cheat Days

              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.
              ~Kathy~

              Started Atkins - October 1 , 2006
              Starting Weight: 220
              Post Induction Weight: 195
              Current Weight: 139 - GOAL!!!
              Restart Date: November 2, 2008
              Restart Weight: 150
              Goal Weight: 130






              "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve" - W. Clement Stone

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Cheat Days

                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).
                Startdate: November 18, 2007. Female 5'2"

                May Challenges 2010
                Push-ups: 450/800
                Abs: 850/1900
                Squats: 650/1200
                Lunges: 500/1000
                Strength: 490/1200
                Running: 50/100 km


                2 Years on Atkins.................. President Challenge Medals earned

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Cheat Days

                  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
                  Heidi
                  41-Female



                  My Journal


                  My Two Youngest



                  Tyler (GS) Olivia (D) Caleb(S) Cole (GS) and Alyssa (GD)

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Cheat Days

                    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!
                    Sheila, Founder of SugarFreeSheila.com
                    5'3", medium-framed & muscular, & maintaining since 2001

                    What's allowed on Induction

                    My new YouTube Before/After slideshow

                    Then: 140+, size 10-12
                    Late '98, on top of the Empire State Building



                    Now: 109, size 0
                    January 2010 - Malta

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Cheat Days

                      Hi, If you want to cheat it means that you are craving the carbs and the simple sugars. You should have chromium picolinate as a suppliment and you will see you craving go away in a few days

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Cheat Days

                        I thought the supplement people typically suggested was l-carnitine?
                        27/f/5'10"
                        HW - 312, LW - 172 (Jul 2007), CW - 205, GW - 160

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Cheat Days

                          Actually its l-glutamine for appetite supressent. Ude that with the chromium and you will have a big reduction in your cravings. Try it you will see a difference in a few days

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Cheat Days

                            Ah, I am used to people wanting to see weight loss - which is L-Carnitine (same with Chromium). Actually, the book only gives L-Glutamine (500-1000mg) as the suggestion for cravings (before meals or when cravings are the greatest).
                            27/f/5'10"
                            HW - 312, LW - 172 (Jul 2007), CW - 205, GW - 160

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Cheat Days

                              Actually chromium only effects weight losss indirectly. One study shows that an average person on a normal diet eats 25% less food then those put on a placebo. Chromium works to stabialize insulin response thus stopping cravings for sugar

                              Comment

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