Yes, I said HATE. The dictionary defines 'cheat' as deceiving by trickery or swindle. If I eat a high carb food who am I deceiving or swindling? I am not hurting anyone else.

It's not a matter of 'cheating' on this WOE, it's a matter of choices. Sometimes we make choices that are not on the plan. Sometimes these choices are OK and sometimes they are not. I have 'chosen' to eat croutons occasionally, have had a cookie occasionally (only 1) and have even had real cheesecake. These were not 'cheats.' They were choices.

We have to realize that our choices have consequences. I can choose to eat a high carb food occasionally and not go on a binge. Perhaps others cannot.

This is way of life for me. Dr. Atkins said we were to enjoy this WOL. Enjoyment is not obsessing about every morsel that goes in my mouth. This WOL is about learning what my body can handle and what it can't. I have to learn how to eat for life and not feel like I am on a diet.

I have read so many posts from those who are obsessed and freak out if one bite of an illegal food hits their mouth. This WOL is supposed to be enjoyable and not stressful.

I just had to vent.....

Well Said! I have always wondered who would come arrest me if I chose to eat an "illegal" food?

That gives me hope! I'm not yet on Atkins (I'm starting on Monday) but I feel better about it all after reading your post barb. You're right, it's not cheating, it's enjoying life! Why should we have to suffer!

One thing though...like I said, I'm new here and I'm still reading the book.... what does WOE and WOL mean?

I agree!
WOE = Way of eating
WOL = Way of life

i, too, agree!! "Cheating" implies guilt and no one needs more of that.

Eating one or more high carb foods IS a choice. If i make the choice to eat a high carb food (haven't felt the need yet), then i don't think i would post it here, except in my journal. The choice i made would only be a disappointment to myself. Then it would be time to focus on getting back to low-carbing.

Talk care and Have fun!!

I've hated that term used around LC for years! It is a matter of choices. It shouldn't carry some degree of judgement if you choose to eat X. I think as you become more comfortable with LC and really do see it as a WOL and not a diet this becomes less of an issue.

Carbs aren't evil. It's a matter of choices. Remember when we though fat was bad for us ?

You hit it right on the head!!! We do make choices and I have never thought of it that way

Speaking of Cheesecake. I made a LC cheesecake for 4th of July. No one could tell the difference! It was awesome!

I will disagree on this one, partially.
When you start the 2 week induction phase, you are promising yourself to give this a go. At this time, and only at this time, if you choose foods that are not part of the plan, you are breaking the promise to yourself. You ARE cheating yourself, or actually "betraying a promise made to yourself". The induction phase is not the "way of eating". It is the phase that gets you acclimated, both physically and mentally, to the period where it is all about choices. I think if more people followed the induction phase without cheating, betraying, or otherwise going off the grid of allowable foods, we would see a lot less posts about people who say "Atkins doesn't work" or how they didn't lose weight during induction".

Atriana,
I agree with you on the induction phase. For me that was getting my out of control eating back into control. If I read her right I think she is speaking of after induction and being educated on this way of life eating plan.

I agree with the original poster.

I can choose to eat better or not, and have better hours, days, weeks, or months. I can choose to lose or stay at the same weight, just as I (subconsciously) chose to gain for the last four years.

The "cheating" thing makes me feel defensive and bad, and plays to my own neuroses about eating. My mother used to sneak eat ALL the time. She had food hidden all over the house. She was constantly pointing out to me that she was "starving herself" so she deserved this: piece of ham, piece of cake, extra cookie, etc. She ate in the car, encouraging me to join her, so there would be no evidence by the time we got home from the grocery store, etc.

I had lunch with someone the other day, and I had a really good atkins meal, with one bite of chocolate. She said, "I didn't see anything." She meant that she wouldn't tell anybody (including my DH we were about to see), and she wouldn't harp after me. I told her it doesn't matter if you TELL on me or not. My growing big butt will tell on me. My carb intake was still low for the day, and even if it wasn't, it's me that it hurts. If I eat the wrong thing (I almost said cheat) the worst thing is that the cravings come back.

As my DH and I work on this WOL/WOE together, we've noticed that there are sorts of different reasons/neuroses/justifications that throw us off. For him, he needs to call it cheating, to remind himself to get back on. For me, if it's called cheating I just want to pack it all in and give up.

This weight thing/ eating thing is just so personal. Whatever psychs you up and doesn't psych you out is what counts.

When I choose to eat a potato chip or an Oreo cookie, I do not consider it a cheat. I work my carbs around them. If a cookie equals 16 grams of carbs, I count that along with whatever other carbs I choose to eat. I plan everything around a lc woe even if I choose to eat something not on the list. As a low carber, I eat low carb no matter what it is I may choose to eat. I never ate this way before. In my pre-lc days, I ate all the carbohydrates I wanted and then some. Now, if I eat something not on the list, I am still in control of my carb intake. I am not a cheater.

Black57

Thanks for venting Barb...

I have been thinking about this for a couple of weeks now.
I am slowly getting myself over the 'guilt/cheat' idea. I have come to believe in this WOE as a WOL for me. It is more like I dare myself to NOT make a higher carb choice, and it seems to work.
That said however, I am learning not to beat myself up about it if I DO eat something (almost said forbidden) higher in carbs...
Getting the negative thinking out and the positive in is probably the hardest thing about it.

Anita

I have to agree with Artiana. Maybe even harder!! What would you say about person triing to quit smoking and has a cigerette or the AA member that has a drink?

I have Quit Smoking and I have Quit Drinking!!!

Now I have to change my way of eating!! If I let slip it will be all over for me!!! Maybe that is just me. It happened once before - I lost 40 lbs - then starting upping my carbs and lost control - it all came back!!

Not one peice of starch or white sugar has pass my lips in over 30 days!! As of today THIS IS MY WAY OF LIFE!! No Cheating!!! I want to live a better life now!!

Thanks, guys, for all the great posts.

Atriana, you are right. I should have stated that this does not apply to induction. A clean induction is absolutely necessary to get the body working correctly.

What got me going on this were the people who felt so guilty. Guilt can sabatage this WOL. We have enough psychological problems attached to food already.

Rick, I don't make LC cheesecake (my favorite dessert) because I would eat the whole thing in 1 day! That one piece was a 1 time thing which I choose not to repeat (it didn't taste that good anymore).

Happy LC life, everyone!

I should have stated that this does not apply to induction. A clean induction is absolutely necessary to get the body working correctly.

With induction taken to be an entirely separate thing, I agree with you totally. After induction, a cookie is just a cookie, it is not a cheat.