Cheat Days?

How many of you incorporate a cheat day? The two times I was the most successful in a regular diet I used a cheat day. It gave your body a break and you got to eat some of the things you were missing. It doesn't really work too well for a VSG patient, BUT there is some science behind it. Basically your body gets carbo loaded for one day an then back to a low carb and you end up burning more fat. I will try to find the article I read and post it here. For now I would like to know if you use a cheat day and is it helpful?

I wouldn't consider it. :0)

When I was strictly following an Atkins diet -- and lost about 80 pounds - I did not eat any white food (flour, sugar, rice, etc) at ALL -- except for a single bite of something on very, very rare occasions -- and it had to be a food that was so super special that I might never get a chance to try it again.  I didn't take a "holier than thou" approach or look at it as "cheating" - -I looked at it as making a very selective choice about what I wanted to try.  So overall, I didn't "plan" to cheat.  But if something that I felt was "worth it" came along, which was rare - I would have a single bite or two of it.  Luckily, I had (LOL, and still have!) a husband that I could take a bite from or hand off the plate too -- I didn't care if he threw it away.  I knew that if I held on to it, I'd take a few more bites, etc.

How'd that work for me? GREAT!  

So how'd I get back here?  I stopped following that super special bite approach, and decided that I needed a few extra carbs to get my metabolism going -- and that did not work for me! I slid down that slippery slope of of having a little much here and there -- then a little more - and well, I'll get back on plan tomorrow -- and tomorrow never came or "on plan" never lasted more than a few days.

I slowing regained most of my weight back -- over a course of about 5 years.  So it crept on, and every day, I'd tell myself I'd get back on track -- but never did.

The couple of special bites now and then -- when it was truly something unique -- did not trigger the desire for more.  I was satisfied and didn't feel deprived because I was making the choice and using a set of rules that I thought was reasonable.   But once I added a few extra bites now and then, it was downhill from there.

This time around, I am looking back at that experience, and plan to follow what worked for me in the past. I know a cheat day will never work me.  While it seemed to work for you in the past, I would seriously look at what made you go from "success" to VSG, and make sure that the cheat day didn't contribute. 

I used to be roll my eyes when I'd read posts from "fanatics" who lambasted people for "cheating" -- but in retrospect, I believe you don't know if a cheat day will help you or hurt you -- and the odds are stacked in favor of hurting you.  

But what is a cheat day to you?  A regularly scheduled day where you plan in advance to consume something that you have worked into your meal plan and that doesn't send you over your daily calories?  I'm not sure I'd call that a "cheat".  I'd call that incorporating a variety of foods into your plan.  Just be careful about incorporating something that is a trigger or adds lots of calories!

Best of luck on figuring out what approach will work best for you now (during weight loss) and in the future (maintenance)!

Let me be blunt: **** NO

There is all sorts of bulldhit " Science" behind just about anything from miracle cures for baldness and impotence to Lindsay Logan's acting career. There is science behind using dried crocodile dung as an intravaginal contraceptive. Doesn't make it advisable.

The major task we all have during weight loss is developing a healthy relationship with food. Spending a day a week splurging on any crap you want is not going to help you do that. It's going to do the exact opposite by making your restricted days harder, especially if you are carb sensitive.

Here's some science for you. Obese patients typically have fewer dopamine receptors in the brain. Sugar and carbs trigger dopamine release, or pleasure. Since we have fewer receptors our bodies want more and more dopamine to get the same response a normie would have. Sugar literally triggers the same response in us as cocaine does in Brittney Spears.

The result? We don't stop with just a few treats. We go for the whole bucket. Then we wa**** down with some more. It takes days for the effect to get out of our system. On your plan, just as soon as you go through carb withdrawal, you would restart the whole process.

That's torture, not making it easier. At 600-800 calories a day you will lose just fine sticking to a high protein, low carb plan. Many of us do.

A couple of years back I did the Body for Life Challenge, and the cheat day kept me going for almost 6 months. I guess with VSG I was thinking along the lines of eating veggies and pasta, rice maybe not focus for a whole day on protein. I wasn't thinking cookies and candy, but then again I didn't say that either. I mean we are limited in how much we can eat so I was thinking maybe normalizing our diet one day a week might be a good thing.

Thanks for your input!

Pasta, rice = carbs. Carbs = sugar=cravings.

Eating carbs will also break you out of ketosis. That simple sugar from the carbs is what your body will burn for fuel instead of fat.

The protein is the one thing you need that you are not getting from your supplements. Saying you are not going to focus on protein for one day, is like saying you are not going to focus on breathing for one day. Why purposefully deprive yourself of what you need.

With the sleeve you have a new lifestyle not a new fad diet. Time to live the lifestyle.

Point taken. Your protein versus breathing argument is a bit dramati****rtainly cannot argue with your success. You are right. 

I think after a couple of years after VSG some people let up on the extremes...I think it takes time to be able to do it and to really learn a moderate approach to dealing with the new tummy...
I have no idea how it will work...but I guess your thoughts make sense to me.

I also think people on here tend to be very focused on carbs and protein...for me, it's not about that, it's about portion control...if in 2 years, I'm out and want to eat two nachos, or a piece of pizza, I'm going to...it's not going to get me back to where I am now...but who knows how I will feel in a few weeks/months!

It's really about changing your approach to and relationship with food.  Portion control and restriction really should be the very last thing you depend on to control your weight.  It's really easy to eat around the restriction.

 

if I want something off plan, I work it into my plan.  I hold myself accountable for it, and I make sure tat I meet my nutrition goals before indulging.  I also make sure that I do the hard work and examine my motives - am I eating to satisfy an emotional need?

 

Thats how you get to long term success, not using fad diet techniques and defiant thinking.  Things look very different on this side of the table if you follow the program of after care - counseling, groups, exercise, etc.  the food becomes fuel for your body not fuel for your soul.

Just an overall comment, Rob, you Rock.  I agree with every world you posted here.