Planned Cheats?
 

Anyone else plan a meal each week where they can have whatever they want??

I did this while I was on WW, and it worked well for me, so I thought I'd try it out.

I've only been doing it for 3 weeks, one of which is TOM, so I'm not sure of the results...

Just curious if anyone else does this!

This is Dr. Atkins response to this...

Another more serious concern is the impact this going back and forth can have on your metabolism. (See “The Wrong Way to Do Atkins.”) You may have heard people say, “I love doing Atkins because I can cheat on the weekends, then go back to Induction on Monday morning.” While this behavior pattern may work for the short term, it will probably backfire in more ways than one. It's likely that your metabolism will adapt at a certain point—in a sense, developing a tolerance. People who repeatedly regain weight and go back to Induction sometimes find that they do not experience the dramatic and easy weight loss they initially enjoyed. Add in the facts that none of us is getting any younger and that our metabolism's natural tendency is to slow down with passing years. Finally, your body pays a price healthwise if you dramatically switch back and forth repeatedly from a fat-burning to a glucose-burning metabolism.

If a cheat meal is important you may want to read up on CAD or CALP where there is a reward meal allowed daily.

I usually have a "cheat" once a month. We go out to this fabulous little mexican place once a month and I eat my entire meal low carb, but, I have a handful of chips and guacamole. I've never had a problem, yet, and it doesn't knock me out of ketosis. I've lost 16lbs so far, whose to say I might not have lost faster if I had had my chips once a month, but this works for me...


Good Luck!

I prefer to give myself a non-food reward such as a new pair of earrings or something, mainly because if I cheat, I go out of control and binge. My last cheat caused me to go into a 3 month high carb fest!

If I must have a food reward, I go to my fave restaurant and have their panna cotta dessert. Very rich and yummy, and not so high carb that I binge.

:roll:

Check out the recipe section if you feel like cheating. There are meals in there that would make you feel like you're cheating but they are perfectly legal.


Vikki

A cheat implies that you are going to get away with something, but you never do.

I believe Dana Carpender or Laura Richards calls it a Planned Indulgence.

Just don't take too many of them!


Beth

We have cheat night once a week. And it's not even a real cheat. Well it is.. but we don't binge and go out of control.

Last friday night cheat was having a scoop of vanilla ice cream with diet pepsi at our local ice cream place. It was just enough to make me feel like I cheated.. but not so bad that I gained weight from it.

I would NOT be planning on cheating so early on... if at all.

When I had been on Atkins for several months, and felt that I knew my body and cycles well, I would occasionally allow myself to cheat - but just a little, never a free-for-all.

And I did continue to lose weight.

But if you are still far away from your target weight, and not yet at the point where you have eliminated your cravings, and really can say that Atkins is a way of life, rather than an effort you feel committed to (or not?), I sincerely believe that planning your cheats is simply a way of not really committing to a new way of thinking and eating.

I want to second what atiaran said - in spite of my success, I let myself over-cheat at one point, and spiraled out of control. I am just now beginning to get back on track.

So please forgive me if this sounds harsh, but I honestly wish you total success, and to me that means sticking to the plan.

Good luck, and come back often for support if you feel you need it :)

Okay, I admit it has been a while since I read Atkins book. But when I was doing Atkins before (I stopped for numerous reasons including having a baby and gained back all weight +60 pounds). He talked about the other LC plans that allow you to eat carbs as long as you finish with in an hour. Something about the kind of insulin that is released right away, and then a different kind after 75 minutes. He said that if you plan to cheat, make sure to finish within an hour.

I just got the book out again for refference. It is under Mini Binge. I guess he really doesn't condone it. He says if you want to try this you should be close to you goal weight and watch very carefully to make sure there are no adverse effects. He does say "If a carbohydrate happens to jump into your mouth uninvited, you can do considerable damage control by finishing it before the hour is up."

That being said, when I didn Atkins before, I had a "planned binge" once every two weeks, and I was sure to finish it within the hour. It worked well for me, but I can't vouch for everyone.

This time, I am not even craving anything I can't have. Thanks to this site and it's many ideas and recipes.

I've found that the Zone is far easier to plan cheats on - I think that, overall, it's a bit easier to commit to, as well. If you realllyyyy want that Snickers bar, you just have it with grilled chicken as part of your meal. Of course, it's better to have veggies or fruit on the Zone, but the book does give great cheat instructions :daze:

I did it about 8 years ago and lost 35 lbs, which have all stayed off.

I will just add in one thought on a cheat day, for one day of cheating it will take you three days of introduction to get back into ketosis! Guess you have to ask yourself, "Is it worth it?"

I cheat with a big double hamburger and fries every wednesday night. If you have self control and can handle it go for it. Listen to your body not what everyone tells you. Hell this is life and you only live it once. If you feel like cheating once in a while go ahead. I usually am on induction all the time anymore. I have gotten used to it myself. If cheating helps you stay on the plan I think you are a lot better off than the old way we used to eat. Just my two cents :)

It does seem that if you let yourself have what you want once in a while, it might prevent you from really going off the wagon (as long as it is planned!). That might be a personality thing - certainly is my personality to stick with things that allow for a little bit of flexibililty - and actual chocolate once in a blue moon! Some people do better with all or nothing, tho.

my cheat
 

I have a daily cheat--two hershey kisses. I love chocolate and find that is the one thing I really miss. By eating two kisses every night, I feel like I am keeping it under control.

It might slow my weight loss, but I won't have a WOE that doesn't allow chocolate. Besides--better than a big chocolate binge once a week!