Are you a cheater?

[Songwriter]

Just curious about what you think about cheating. I have often thought that if you eat "right" almost all the time, you could "cheat" once a week and be okay. But, when I had those thoughts, it was for a low-fat diet. Now, I'm on PP plan. Like, eat as perfectly as you can six days a week and eat whatever one day a week. Like Mexican food? Pig out.

I have no idea if this is feasible, especially with a low-carb diet. It might swell you up like a toad frog. I dunno.

Or you could say once a month.

So far, I am doing very well, sticking to my PP diet, Phase 1, and it has not been too hard. I have resisted cheating. My goodness, discount a MEAL, what about a SNACK? One candy bar or piece of pie and carbs are through the roof.

As for sweets, I bought some Cool Whip and I get a finger full sometimes. Can't be much carbs. I guess that is okay. Bought some no-carb jello yesterday. In my family, we have been raised with dessert after a meal is just part of the deal. My mother has a huge sweet tooth, not good. But I'm doing pretty well with that now.

What about cheating and PP? I am not as interested about weight loss as I am good health but weight loss / maintenance is a big factor in that, as well.

[Mitra]

I think it depends on how good your body is at managing blood sugar. Of course, if blood sugar control wasn't a problem at all, you probably wouldn't be here! If you eat more carbs than your body can deal with properly, then your blood sugar will go up for a while - until you release enough insulin to get it back down again. High blood sugar causes a lot of problems, and it seems that very high levels for some of the time can be more damaging than slightly high levels most of the time. Dr Mike blogged about this (http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/?p=239) a while back.

When you cheat there is a price to pay. It's up to you to decide which treats are worth it and how often.

[cmcole]

I don't like the terminology, "cheating", just because it's somewhat demeaning, and opens the door for a whole lot of ideas/attitudes.

I don't know where I heard it, but "planned indulgence" to me is a better term/way of thinking. (if you read the thread where Gabe & Billie planned to have chocolate cake with a guest, and limited their carb intake throughout the day to accommodate, you will understand, perhaps).

That being said, there are many low carb alternatives to the high carb items, and it is a matter of planning and mindset.

SF Jello is acceptable to most people. REAL Whipping cream, rather than Cool Whip would, to me, be a better choice (no trans fats, no "edible oil" products, etc.)

Check out the recipe section - I bet there's something there that may fill your need for a "little something".

Personally, I prefer not to choose the high carb chocolate bars, etc., but look for alternatives when I need something like that. Even the high cocoa content bars (75%, 85%, 99% cocoa) by Lindt and others are, to me, an indulgence, as I only need one small square to satisfy the "urge" to have chocolate.

Of course, bakers cocoa whipped in the whipping cream and eaten like a dessert is an option, too (with or without sweetener).

As someone who is also interested in good health, I just choose not to stick too many processed foods in my mouth. Of course, your experiences may differ, and you may be fine with limiting yourself to the "real" stuff in small quantities.

Hope that helps, somewhat.

[Songwriter]

very high levels for some of the time can be more damaging than slightly high levels most of the time. Dr Mike blogged about this (http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/?p=239) a while back.

Hey, interesting article there. Darn it.

Actually, it might be worse on you psychologically if you let yourself go completely nuts sometimes. Maybe just two or three bites but not eat the whole plate. Maybe the more you go off diet, the harder it becomes to stay the course.

[Mitra]

People seem to vary - some find it easier if they don't have any at all of certain kinds of food, because they can't have just one or two bites. Others (I'm in this camp) do better with just a taste from time to time, rather than waiting until you feel totally deprived and eating a whole plateful. You have to find out for yourself which approach is best for you - and if you do decide to eat small quantities, you have to watch very carefully that a little bit occasionally doesn't drift into a moderate amount regularly.

[gitfiddle]

Songwriter, I'm not good at moderation. I have found some trigger foods that I have to avoid at all costs, but some seem to be negotiable. I try to avoid anything that will leave me with several days of cravings that can derail me. Of course, the only way to tell that is to try it. It's a calculated risk.

If I focus all my energy on how much I can get away with, I'm missing the freedom that I have to eat well and enjoy life. I'm also setting myself up for a binge. Been there, done that, etc. Good luck to you!

[Missy]

I'm a taste a bit at a time girl...a well planned taster at that....which is very rare, and only IF I'm fully in control of myself! Or I can get carried away...and I don't want to do that to myself.

The best thing I've seen to do was to journal my food so I KNOW exactly where I'm at to allow or deny myself that questionable food choice. Many times, it's way beyond what I'm willing to allow. But, that's just me.

If I know it's "off plan" I personally like to KNOW how much "off plan" I'm going FIRST...then just eat it and regret it later.

[BeccainSC]

Very interesting... I was planning on an indulgence later on this month, pizza during football that I promised my girls during October. I read the blog Mitra linked to and now I'm wondering about all that. Of course I have no idea how that will affect my ability to stay on plan afterwards as I don't think I've every managed to stick to it as long as I have this time.

Definitely has given me something to think about.


'becca

[LisaS]

I've started eating pizza tops (scraped off) and quite enjoy it now without the crust. For me if I were to indulge, I could happily eat 1/4 slice (just the edgemost part) with crust and several tops. Add a salad and some additional protein and I'm really very satisfied nowadays on pizza night.

You might think about trying something similar if you don't want to try one of the homemade pizza crusts (my next culinary adventure :) )

[LisaS]

As for sweets, I bought some Cool Whip and I get a finger full sometimes. Can't be much carbs. I guess that is okay. Bought some no-carb jello yesterday. In my family, we have been raised with dessert after a meal is just part of the deal

and cmcole responded: SF Jello is acceptable to most people. REAL Whipping cream, rather than Cool Whip would, to me, be a better choice (no trans fats, no "edible oil" products, etc.)


the other night, J. made himself a latte (instant espresso, SF vanilla, lc milk + a dollop of SF sweetened whipped cream (whipped from scratch) -- and then he tasted a spoonful of the leftover whipped cream and it was delicious - so he brought me the rest in the bowl and said "you've got to taste this" - about 1T total - it was just the perfect dessert.

so - if you want something readymade - you might see if there is SF Whipped Cream in a can - or whip up your own. It won't hold (over days) w/out a stabilizer, but it only takes a few seconds to whip it up fresh. Or get one of those home aerosolizers (is that a word) so you can control the ingredients and do just a little at a time.

Good with a few frozen or fresh berries too. or SF jello (if you like the brand of sweetener in the SF jello you can find).

[lizi145]

For me, it depends on how well I've been sticking to the plan AND on how long I've been sticking to the plan. If I've been a saint, I may allow planned indulgences...that is, not going crazy....maybe an extra 30 ECCs for that day. I know that my body is fine with that one time every few months. Otherwise, if I go crazy...I'll gain a few pounds back within a day. Then, I kick myself for eating too many carbs...and it taking a few days for my body to readjust.

[BeccainSC]

Lisa I was considering eating just the toppings (though around here that's not much), but I think I know myself well enough that I would succumb to the crust so was just going to plan on it. I guess I'll see how it goes. Have an "indulgence test drive" just to see what happens. Kinda funny really, gonna be good as gold (well maybe silver) for turkey day and then pizza 2 days later!

That's still a few weeks off so I may change my mind, but I can't see me ordering for them and not having any, my will power just isn't that strong!

'becca

[LisaS]

I'll confess I eased into the "topping only" thing. At first I scraped it off the pizza and onto a Wasa or Kavli cracker - slice for slice. Kinda like a low-carb cracker crust. Next I had 1 topping on a cracker and the other topping(s) just plain with a fork. This last time - no cracker, just toppings - and a single bite of a "pizza bone" (those edges that get left sometimes :) )

[gitfiddle]

I'll confess I eased into the "topping only" thing. At first I scraped it off the pizza and onto a Wasa or Kavli cracker...
Girls, there are lowcarb tortillas that make great pizza bases for 5ecc! One would make a medium meal and you could possibly rationalize two if you were starving. Tumaro makes them in different flavors, like salsa and multi-grain and garden (oniony). Carb-down flatbread comes with 8ecc and is larger and thicker and makes decadent pizza (IMHO).

[BeccainSC]

I think you're missing the point... the whole point of pizza during football is to stay out of the kitchen! Order and have it delivered! I do all sorts of things with my tortillas the rest of the time. ;)

'becca

[gitfiddle]

I think you're missing the point... the whole point of pizza during football is to stay out of the kitchen! Order and have it delivered! I do all sorts of things with my tortillas the rest of the time. ;)

Oh, okay! :rolleyes: I just work a little differently. I order their pizza then pop my own in the oven while they go get the takeout one. It also gives me a chance to incorporate some veggies among the cheese and meat. :D Scraping the topping onto a Wasa didn't sound good to me, but my Wasas are the rye variety. I guess it was Lisa who was going to try making pizza crust, at any rate.

Now I'm off to try a crustless pizza.

[cmcole]

It's still a matter of how you categorize things.

Accommodating, compromising and adapting are not (my opinion) cheating. Eating off plan, without it being a plan would be. Planning for an indulgence is another matter. It may be off-plan, but it's something that you've planned for, and adapted the rest of your menu to accommodate.

Does that make any sense, or am I just a rambling fool?

[BeccainSC]

It's still a matter of how you categorize things.

Accommodating, compromising and adapting are not (my opinion) cheating. Eating off plan, without it being a plan would be. Planning for an indulgence is another matter. It may be off-plan, but it's something that you've planned for, and adapted the rest of your menu to accommodate.

Does that make any sense, or am I just a rambling fool?


Makes perfect sense to me. If you know it's coming and go into it consciously it's much easier to control than an unexpected binge.

Had I given in to the begging the past 2 Saturdays for pizza, that would've been going "off plan", planning to do it on the 25th, making it a special occasion. I will probably plan the rest of my day along the lines of the Carb Addict diet, protein and veggies/salads during the day and then have the pizza eaten within an hour then back to PP on Sunday.

'becca

[Mitra]

In conceptual terms, you're right that a planned indulgence isn't the same as a "cheat" or falling off plan - but in metabolic terms it has just the same effect, so still needs to be limited in size and frequency.

[cmcole]

That is true, Mitra.
I would never suggest that it be a "regular" occurrance - but an exception to your menu, for a specific time.

And, if you happen to over-do it, then turn yourself around and get right back on plan, using Gabe's quote regarding finding out where you slipped, and working at forming a way of preventing its reoccurrance.

[Mitra]

I'm all in favour of occasional exceptions :). For instance, I'll definitely have a real (if very thin) pizza when we're in Rome next year. But by keeping it to a specific occasion (and one that doesn't happen very often) it stays as a rarity.

[Bogie]

I basically just don't do sweet stuff anymore. But if I do, I do it RIGHT. I've been growing toward "no fake food" more and more.

My big downfalls are crunchy, breads, and beer...

[joanneb608]

Songwriter, I would have to concur with Gitfiddle on the temptation thing. :(

I personally find when I'm on PP the BEST thing about it, is that after a few days, I really don't feel tempted to go off it, I think it's because I don't get hungry and I quit craving sweets. I highly recommend the supplements that the Eades suggest, because they seem to WORK. I believe in the chromium connection, it may not work overnight, but I think it does after a week or so, I normally have a terrible sweet carby tooth and I just don't with this way of eating.

I guess if you REALLY want to plan to go off for one meal, or whatever, some people can do that sort of thing and be fine with it. I guess I don't trust myself entirely to do that 99% of the time. My problem is always to get back on the stick at the next meal. I tend not to. Once in awhile I enjoy just some sweetened whip cream even if it's right out of the aerosol can, it's not much calories and hardly any carbs. 2 Tablespoons is plenty, if that much. Sort of like your coolwhip thing.

Stay tuned in here Songwriter and you'll have plenty of support:D!!

[bluefish]

It depends on how good your body is at managing blood sugar. Of course,
when I cheat there is a price to pay i loveeeee to decide which treats are worth it and when i feel like having a forbidden meal adventure.. hihihi