what do you consider cheating?
 

Does cheating only mean donuts, pizza, pasta, and other forbidden foods? Is it a tossed salad the size of a world globe? Is it more than 4 ounces of cheese? Is it falling below 64 ounces of water? If I do my best at 40 carbs or less a day, is a 55 carb day cheating?
I understand that the definition of cheating can be subjective and personal, I'm just curious about the standards that my fellow low-carb friends are using for themselves.

Probably not the answer you're looking for.....
 

Cheating: Relinquishing responsibility for your actions. Being unwilling to accept that you made a decision and have to deal with the consequences. If I decide to eat a slice of pizza (with the crust), knowing full well that it is not part of my LC WOE, and I know that it will make me feel slightly ill or cause me to retain water I haven't "cheated"; I have eaten a slice of pizza. I will neither feel guilt nor remorse, I might feel bloated though ;) Cheating is such a nasty word; I think cheat then I think guilt and failure. I prefer to be responsible for all my actions whatever their outcomes may be; of course I am a control fiend.

My 2 cents
Nat

That's a great answer, Nat ...
 

I feel the same way. I'm happy to see that I am not alone in my attitude.

Cheating is anything that makes you question if it is cheating or not.

I'm with the both of you. Take responsibility for your actions.

Karen

It could also be said that when you choose to eat what you know will work against your weight-loss or health goal(s) .. you're not cheating on the diet, you're cheating on yourself.

I think this also applies to the notion of "falling off the wagon". Falling off a moving wagon implies something accidental, something beyond our control that happens TO us The truth is, we choose to stop the wagon, and get off. And so, we have the power to choose to get back on again and carry on .. :)

And as Nat said, accepting the consequence of our actions .. if we make choices that work against us on a continual basis, who else can take responsibility for that? Even an addict makes the choice to take the FIRST bite, drink, puff, snort, whatever.

Doreen

Combination Pizza is great with a fork
 

When the kids want pizza, I eat the toping with a fork and throw the crust to the dog. She loves it. :)

Pizza and The Dog
 

All I have to say is DITTO, I do the same and I think the dog loves it.

IMHO if you make a BAD FOOD choice, it is just that - bad food and completely your choice. You can choose to eat the right things, or you can choose to vary for whatever reason. Variations are sometimes desired rewards psychologically, but physically once your body gets used to this new way of life, your body won't treat them like rewards. It may have a nasty way of getting back at you - bloating, indigestion, more cravings, not feeling "on".

I personally don't believe in this "cheating mentality", or "falling off the wagon", or worse, "falling off the wagon and restarting on induction/intervention tomorrow." If you make a bad food choice, then make your very next food choice that same day a good one. To heck with "tomorrow is a new day I'll get back on the wagon. " Today is a new day too! :D

I found this interesting . Because I am in maintainence I can be more liberal with my food choice BUT i stll need to be careful. Sunday I was famished.....hubby brought home KFC. Now I couldve eaten the chicken without the skin but I didnt I ate 4.. thats FOUR pieces with the coating....can U say oink oink...lol But I only had a small amount of salad and I didnt have any fries. I did feel guilty the rest of the day BUT the next day I drank lots of water and ate properly and when I weighed myself wed morning I hadnt gained....woooosh. Im trying to rethink my whole food experience and try not to feel the guilts.

I'm with Nat. I don't cheat; I deviate from low carb eating occasionally. I also find that the longer I follow this WOE, the less I deviate because I usually feel horrible for a couple of days after and it's not worth it (most of the time, anyway ;) ).