To have a cheat day or not?

(Candy Lind) #41

Didn’t know anonymous would do that! Okey-dokey, then. :grin:

#42

Whether you call this a cheat, indulgence or going off plan, it does not matter. My comment is related to eating Sad, rather not simply eating too much broccoli or a sweet potato. If you want to cycle in and out of Keto as mentioned toward the end in Amy’s article, that is your choice but that is a different plan than I am on. I could not handle that. Getting back to the original issue, There are really two elements to a Sad indulgence. There is the concern about weight gain/ketosis/bloating etc. Personally if you are well adapted and do this rarely, I do not think this is a big deal in terms of weight gain or stalling. I mean once a month at most. I think weekly if you are not a metabolically healthy 30 year old is asking for trouble as there are carb craving that last even after you are back on plan but that is a choice.

Where I do have more of an issue is the idea that someone has chosen to continue to eat Sad. Even if it is once a week or once a month. This food is fundamentally unhealthy. Whether it is jelly beans or pasta dinner out with the SO, it is still Sad and it is still unhealthy and it delays your body really adjusting to this WOE (even if you have been fat adapted for months, you may still have healing) and is not nutrient dense the way a sweet potato may be.

For people who have trouble metabolizing carbs and are prediabetic or worse, there is no safe level of cheat type carbs (I do not mean eating extra nuts or brussel sprouts but rather flour cake, candy and chicken nuggets). Pick your poison. I do not mean that as a pun but rather for certain people that is exactly what it is. If your body is trying to heal, having a planned cheat day will drive up blood sugar and slow that process and may stimulate inflammation. Never mind that many of these items are not food but food like substances. Certainly anything made with cottonseed oil or containing a laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients is not healthy

it is very individual and for the metabolicly healthy 30 year old close to goal, whatever you want to do is fine, actually whatever you want to do is by definition fine for you, no matter your age but I will try really hard to stay on plan except when there is an experience that I can never replicate otherwise

(Dan Dan) #43

‘Indulgence’ has always been a part of my plan and happily so :smiley:

(Donna) #44

Exactly. My deranged metabolism screams when I have too many carbs/sugar. I had pie on Sunday - and have been starving! all week. Even after jumping back on keto. Lesson learned for me - it needs to be worth it…

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #45

Back in my drinking days, the answer was always YES!!!

Same in my sugar-burning days, too.

After 25 years of not drinking, I am well aware that the next drink could easily lead to a drunken binge, from which I might well never recover. I try hard to remember that the next spoonful of sugar might well do the same to my sugar addiction.

On the other hand, not everyone has a problem with alcohol or with sugar. You just have to know yourself and be honest.

(Karen) #46

Not a drinker, but for me, a little sugar is hard to stop at. Sugar is seriously addictive. I get, like, this explosion in my brain.

K

(Jeff Gilbertson) #47

I tell my wife, "as long as I refrain, I’m fine. But, as soon as I eat something sweet, the dam is open and ‘katy bar the door.’ "

And, she’s seen it first hand. If I give in and only have a small portion of cake, I’ll soon be back in the kitchen for the rest. And then, maybe have another piece … with ice cream. Half a cookie invariably leads to 3-4 cookies.

Once I start, I can’t seem to stop. It’s insane.

(Karen) #48

Sugar=crack. :dizzy_face:

K

(Jay Patten) #49

I do “keto cheats” (like an occasional chocolate fat bomb or keto brownie).

(I came for the weight loss and stayed for my sanity... ) #50

It took me 4 years of keto and tons of self reflection to get to that point. I know it’s not easy at all to get there but well worth it! :slight_smile:
I would also have one slice of the homemade flatbread at the Turkish guy and fall down the rabbit hole of carbage binging. Two years ago…

It also needs a lot of honesty when you try something you used to love, to see if you still love it or if you only love the memory of it.
Things I really don’t enjoy anymore are my ex fav Caramel ice cream from mövenpic, daim chocolate covered Caramel candy, Twix and all those other candy bars… Yuck.

I rather make an exception for grandma’s apples cake.
I assume it is not an option for everyone. But it is a possibility someone could explore. :nerd_face:

(Mother of Puppies ) #51

Jeez!!

I just realized I’ve been stuck in that rabbit hole for a while, after the intention of having “a few squares of dark chocolate” (ghirardelli intense dark sea salt soirée) turned into a daily bar or two for a week or two.

At least it hasn’t led to giant binges, but I’m outta control.

How do I get out? :thinking:

(I came for the weight loss and stayed for my sanity... ) #53

I would not have any for the next few weeks. also it is easier to replace a habit rather than giving it up.
How about having a cup of tea or keto hot chocolate or something.

Also ask yourself “Why do I want this chocolate so bad now?” Had a stressful day, ate or did something else that you associate with chocolate?

(Mother of Puppies ) #54

Come to think of it, my MAGNESIUM!! I’ve been MISSING it. OMG

Taking one now

(I came for the weight loss and stayed for my sanity... ) #55

and Zinc might help too if you are deficient.

(Steve) #56

Wow!! 75g net carbs and still stay in Ketosis!! That’s amazing!!! Of course n=1 - everyone’s “tipping point” could be different. People need to discover where that is so they know which line not to cross.

Me, I’ll hold off on finding my own until after I’ve attained all of my health goals (keeping well under 20g per day) - then I’ll experiment (and add some things back into my diet). :slight_smile:

That’s inspiring that you’re able to have that many…gives me hope that we can have more diversity in our diets and yet remain in this WOE. AWESOME!!! :smiley:

(Ken) #57

Guys, it eventually gets much better. After several years you’ll understand that occasional carbs or carb days are “no big deal” and have really no negative impact as long as you’re following an overall lipolytic pattern.

I’ve pretty much been through everything everyone here has been posting about, including being very fanatical at first. After it turns into a long term habit, really a lifestyle, it becomes easy.

(Adam Kirby) #58

So true… you didn’t f yourself up in the first place because you were eating occasional cheat meals!!

(Stephanie ) #59

Thank you everyone for all your input and personal stories. I think it all depends on the person and everyone has their own opinions and no one is right or wrong. What works for one may not work for others. Some feel very strongly about not having “cheat days” but that doesn’t mean the ones who do indulge are any less then them. Were all on the same journey so lets all remember again that what works for one may not work for another and were all in this together!

#60

Perfect. Allowing myself to know that I can eat whatever I want was the first step to start recovering from my compulsive and emotional eating. IMO, my health is my business only. We have to evaluate for ourselves what it’s best for us. Through research, experimentation, self knowledge and self acceptance.

(Dan Dan) #61

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