Cheating.
deanna198888
Posts: 64
I have been paleo for just over 4 weeks and so far have not had much temptation to eat bad. I have split a gluten free brownie twice with my husband and had some ranch dressing but besides that I have been pretty good except I allow chocolate and dairy. I have been doing low carb due to insulin resistance so I feel like that helps keep me in line more. I have been wanting pizza lately, and have been thinking about planning a cheat day. If I do so, what should I expect? Feeling horrible the next day? Also, could there be any benefit in having a cheat day? I know it will kick me out of ketosis but I have read where some people say they have actually lost from a cheat meal and with lowcarb I have heard that sometimes carb loading is helpful.
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My advice is do not do it if you can avoid it. I went off plan this last weekend and am still paying for it. Nothing I ate tasted anywhere near as good as I remember it did. I lost my energy and slept rather poorly. I also gained fifteen pounds, mostly water I know, and after two days am still five pounds up. If I had it to do over again I think I'd just fast instead. I like to imagine the GI effects would be significantly less.0
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If you're going to carb load, it's best to do it on a heavy workout day. In addition, I would do it with mostly paleo friendly foods.Anything else, you may regret (as stated by previous poster). However, if you're going to have pizza, I wouldn't make the whole day a cheat day. I also wouldn't make a habit of it. I do understand that sometimes ya just want the real thing. =p0
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Whenever I cheat I always feel awful after. Headaches, tired, bloated, heavy, and mood change. As previous poster said, it never tastes as good as you think/remember. Since you include dairy in your diet I would suggest maybe trying a cauliflower/coconut/almond flour pizza crust instead and satisfy your craving but still stick with your diet?0
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Look in the forum here, there was just a paleo pizza recipe, at least for those who include dairy. I went off on memorial day after a week and a half of paleo and it took me four days to get restarted and then another four before I felt energetic again. Not sure if it was worth it so soon and also gained weight back and still trying to get rid of it.0
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depending on how u react to certain foods will determine how u feel the next day..if I were to eat real pizza I woul be very ill and it would take me at least a week to recover.I don't think it's worth it.
there are great paleo versions of pizza,here is one example..it's not the same,for me it's better!
http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/2012/tomato-olive-thyme-focaccia-bread-gluten-grain-free/0 -
One of the reasons, if not the biggest reason ppl go paleo is because of the body's reaction to grain and wheat. If you cheat your body will not be able to completely detox from the grain. So in the end it might seem harmless but you just put more toxins into the body plus you'll feel horrible afterwards. Don't cheat but if you really want pizza make a paleo one
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I cheated once, after about 3.5 months. It was vanilla ice-cream with crushed meringues and crumbled chocolate flakes. It was really not worth it. It didn't taste that good for a start. But I felt like crap for a week after, got a wee reminder of the acne on my back and face that had cleared up and to top it all I got a bad cold.
So if you don't cheat you'll feel better. And if you cheat once, you are unlikely to want to repeat the experience, because going back to feeling that bad is not fun.0 -
I had pizza a couple months back...felt like crap for a few days after. I'd say it's defintiely NOT worth it. I'm goign to make that coconut flour crust pizza tonight.0
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In my not so great experience, but experience nonetheless...don't wake up that sugar monster. Even if it's pizza, there is sure to be some sort of sugar in the sauce or the crust and once you open that door it is hard to get it closed again. I am just now starting to get things back under control after over a month of binging and unhealthy habits. Just don't do it. Make some paleo pizza instead.0
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In my not so great experience, but experience nonetheless...don't wake up that sugar monster. Even if it's pizza, there is sure to be some sort of sugar in the sauce or the crust and once you open that door it is hard to get it closed again. I am just now starting to get things back under control after over a month of binging and unhealthy habits. Just don't do it. Make some paleo pizza instead.
The paleo pizza crust just doesn't sound appealing to me. I really want some pizza and a steak hoagie from this place that I love. I don't know how long I am going to be able to resist the temptation, its been pretty strong for a few days now. I went paleo cold turkey and had no issues so I feel like one cheat isn't going to send me into a binge. My husband has been doing paleo with me and had a few pieces of pizza at work and said he didn't feel any different at all afterwards so I am hoping maybe I am like him and wont feel like death afterwards. I feel like the major changes I have seen in my blood sugar alone are enough to keep me from letting one cheat lead me back to my old ways. We have been tossing around the idea of allowing one cheat meal per month, I have seen that some people do an 80/20 so wouldn't a cheat meal fall into that 20%?0 -
Unless you are celiac or have serious gluten sensitivity, 1oneor two slices should not make you feel too bad. If you eat 3-4 slices, plus garlic knots, plus cheesey bread, you will likely feel like crap immediately and for a few days.
I agree with the other poster that a good run or exercise session can help get you past it.0 -
I think when you get to the point where you're asking questions just for agreement, there isn't much anyone can say to change your mind. It sounds like you've already decided despite most comments urging you to try a Paleo alternative. Hopefully it won't spiral out of control and you'll be able to get back on track after your pizza. I'm not being mean, we all do it. I just hope you don't overestimate your willpower!0
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I say go for it. Then you'll learn what we're all talking about.
Seriously, that's how I learned - from past mistakes!! :laugh:
When I crave pizza now, I either just eat the toppings, or make a cauliflower crust, or just put the toppings on a salad (pepperoni, cheese, mushrooms, peppers, etc) to get the same taste. The gut bomb/headaches/general discomfort from eating wheat is not worth it to me, anymore. But I learned my lesson the hard way. I don't even crave bread anymore, or pasta or baked goods (other than cookies!).0 -
The best Primal Pizza recipe I've tried is called Pizza Puffs I think. Look up the website StuffIMakeMyHusband.com
They are made in muffin tins with cream cheese, eggs, other cheeses and pepperoni and we dip them in pizza sauce. My kids like them as well or better than actual pizza. One caveat, they are best hot, so if you make more than one batch like we do, go ahead and eat the first batch while it's hot, don't wait!0 -
I've learned my lesson the hard way again and again too. It does sound like you've already made up your mind to do it, so do it and see! You never know. When I did Atkins back in middle school I was swimming 2 hours a day, so when I would splurge on pasta once a week I'd still see losses. Now, I have a desk job and ride my bike three times a week to work and back (20 mins round trip) and lift twice a week (like 45 mins). It's not the same. I also feel the effects of my "cheats" now. I get bloated, can't sleep at night but nap all freaking day, get headaches, cravings return, bathroom breaks are not fun, the list goes on! I'm still trying to get back on track after a pizza outing with some friends a few weekends ago!! It really wasn't worth it. I craved the garlic butter they put on the crust and all that jazz, but I could have easily made a huge bowl of pepperonis, melted cheese, olives, tomato sauce, and garlic butter and eaten that right up!! (I will say it's harder when it's a social situation...avoiding the topic of "why are you scraping off the toppings??")
I also recently made a meatza (ground sausage as the crust) and it was FANTASTIC!!! You have to try and remember what it is about the pizza that you really loved the most. Was it the crust? Or was it all of the awesome toppings, greasy cheese, herb-tastic sauce, etc! I know for me, whenever I crave pasta or pizza, I made what I would have put on top of the pasta or crust and eat that...and I feel so satisfied! It's backward, but it works. And then I don't feel like crap.
But if you're going to keep wondering, then do it and see!0 -
I think when you get to the point where you're asking questions just for agreement, there isn't much anyone can say to change your mind. It sounds like you've already decided despite most comments urging you to try a Paleo alternative. Hopefully it won't spiral out of control and you'll be able to get back on track after your pizza. I'm not being mean, we all do it. I just hope you don't overestimate your willpower!
I never posted this to be persuaded not to cheat in the first place and I never asked for a paleo alternative, I was planning on doing it when I posted and was asking what to expect. And the only question that I asked was about 80/20 and a cheat, which had nothing to do with getting people to agree with me. There are people who do 80/20 and I was asking if a cheat was considered the 20%.0 -
I think when you get to the point where you're asking questions just for agreement, there isn't much anyone can say to change your mind. It sounds like you've already decided despite most comments urging you to try a Paleo alternative. Hopefully it won't spiral out of control and you'll be able to get back on track after your pizza. I'm not being mean, we all do it. I just hope you don't overestimate your willpower!
I never posted this to be persuaded not to cheat in the first place and I never asked for a paleo alternative, I was planning on doing it when I posted and was asking what to expect. And the only question that I asked was about 80/20 and a cheat, which had nothing to do with getting people to agree with me. There are people who do 80/20 and I was asking if a cheat was considered the 20%.
I follow the 80/20% because I have a glass or two of wine with my dinner and some non-primal/paleo ingredients or foods a couple times a week. But I don't go hog wild when I do. You just have to figure out works for you!!!
I wish I could have a slice of pizza, but since I have a wheat allergy I can't. So I make portabella pizzas or pizza stuffed peppers and that's close enough for me.
Good luck,
Anita0 -
i am 95% paleo, I cheat once in a blue moon, and it never ends up satisfying in any way....ironically, so its really rare when I do.0
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I have been paleo for just over 4 weeks and so far have not had much temptation to eat bad. I have split a gluten free brownie twice with my husband and had some ranch dressing but besides that I have been pretty good except I allow chocolate and dairy. I have been doing low carb due to insulin resistance so I feel like that helps keep me in line more. I have been wanting pizza lately, and have been thinking about planning a cheat day. If I do so, what should I expect? Feeling horrible the next day? Also, could there be any benefit in having a cheat day? I know it will kick me out of ketosis but I have read where some people say they have actually lost from a cheat meal and with lowcarb I have heard that sometimes carb loading is helpful.
you have only been paleo for 4 weeks and by your post you have already cheated several times. any time i had a cheat I felt like crap fora several days after, have significant bloating and gas and constipation..if you do cheat...why not save a cheat for something special (anniversary dinner, party, etc.) not just a normal day eating pizza on the couch. good luck
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I just read in Primal Blueprint (great waiting room material) that it takes three weeks for your body to adjust to primal eating. Have you managed three weeks straight? What I'm getting at is that you might not have much of a reaction to pizza at this point. However, if you do commit to primal/paleo eating and stick with it for some time, from what I've read, your cravings will disappear and when you do eat something with a lot of gluten/sugar you'll notice it in terms of bad feelings -- bloating, energy crash, renewed cravings, etc. At least, that's what I'm reading from people who've been at this for months or years.
I've only been doing paleo/primal eating for a little over three weeks, and I am not at all tempted to stray from the guidelines, but that's because I was doing the "paleo autoimmune protocol" which also eliminated eggs and nightshades, and when I strayed, simply by eating tomatoes and peppers in a yummy paleo spaghetti sauce (over spaghetti squash), the joint pain was so crippling for two days afterward that today I could walk through the store and smell baking bread and not even want the stuff.
Back when food didn't punish me so terribly (yeah, feeling sleepy after eating? I could deal with that. Intense pain that won't go away no matter what position I'm in -- walking, sitting, lying down -- not so much) I had a terrible time trying to stick to healthy eating. I was tempted all the time. I was never able to stick with a diet or "healthy eating plan" before, but I sure can now.
So I guess what I'm saying is, if you really feel like you have to have pizza, your body probably hasn't adjusted to fat-burning instead of sugar-burning yet. At least, that's what it sounds like from what I read today in Primal Blueprint. I had food cravings early on, but after nearly three weeks they were gone. I'm not even hungry most of the time these days.
Enjoy your pizza! (We're going to a pizza-fueled event tomorrow, and I still need to figure out what to pack for my meal. I can't do just the toppings as I reacted so horribly to tomatoes the other day...) But when you do go back to the Paleo/primal/I forget exactly which you were doing, I'd encourage you to give it a fair chance. The 80/20 idea, I suspect, is so that perfectionists (like me) don't get discouraged at falling off the wagon. If you stray a little, you haven't blown the whole deal, and thus you can't use it as an excuse for a three-day binge (BTDT). It's not an exact plan to follow, as in you plan to eat paleo 80 percent of the time and sort of mentally demand that you also get 20 percent off the list. It's more like a cushion or allowance for human error or just plain life.
Sorry if I sound like I'm lecturing... happens sometimes when I'm just thinking out loud and trying to figure out just what it is I'm thinking.0 -
Ooo, I forgot another thing I was going to say. I learned from Carbohydrate Addicts Diet that you can minimize the impact of carbs on your insulin response if you cram the majority of carbs ingested in a 24-hour period, into less than one hour, and then make the next meal super low-carb to get your body back on track. The idea was that your body produces insulin for the current meal based on the amount of insulin the previous meal required.
A friend who's been doing paleo a lot longer than I have used this method to minimize the effect of cheats. She told me, though, that it usually re-ignited her cravings for a few days or even weeks after, and she eventually decided it wasn't worth it.
Anyhow, it might minimize the damage you do with your pizza. Just a thought. Not encouraging anybody to make a practice of it. I did Carbohydrate Addicts for years but could never stick to it because the cravings never went away.0 -
Just out of curiosity.....what would happen if for whatever reason, you switched back to eating a non-Paleo diet? Would you gain a TON of weight because your body would have switched to fat burning instead of sugar burning? I'm talking about even if you only eat moderate carbs...not going overboard. Is this maybe why I've heard people who fall off of Atkin's gain a TON of weight back?0
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Just out of curiosity.....what would happen if for whatever reason, you switched back to eating a non-Paleo diet? Would you gain a TON of weight because your body would have switched to fat burning instead of sugar burning? I'm talking about even if you only eat moderate carbs...not going overboard. Is this maybe why I've heard people who fall off of Atkin's gain a TON of weight back?
No.
If you overate after switching from Paleo, yes, you would get fat very quickly due to the caloric density of most processed foods and baked goods.
Caloric surplus = weight gain. Deficit = weight loss.
That, or they were chronically undereating on their diets and suffered metabolic damage. Something like that.0 -
Ok, thanks! Some of these posts made me a little nervous!0
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Just out of curiosity.....what would happen if for whatever reason, you switched back to eating a non-Paleo diet? Would you gain a TON of weight because your body would have switched to fat burning instead of sugar burning? I'm talking about even if you only eat moderate carbs...not going overboard. Is this maybe why I've heard people who fall off of Atkin's gain a TON of weight back?
From what I'm reading in Primal Blueprint, there are ranges of carbs -- for example, under 50 (daily) is fast-burning weight loss, good in short bursts but not in the long run because you're missing the nutrients in the fruits and veggies you're not eating. 50-100 is what Mark Sisson calls the weight-loss "sweet spot" where he says you'll lose an average of 1-2 lbs a week, slow, steady and healthy. Then I think he says 100-150 is maintenance? That doesn't stick in my brain so well as I was more interested in weight loss when I read his carb chart. You can find it at Mark's Daily Apple website. Over a certain point (150? 200?) is what he calls something like the danger zone, where you'll get weight gain.
He says himself that he's prey to the occasional scoop of ultra ice cream, but it certainly doesn't look like he makes a habit of it, from the photos I've seen. I guess it's a matter of balance. Don't know, I'm not there yet and even if I stick closely to this way of eating (and I'm very motivated at the moment, though my knees are infinitesimally better this morning), I have months to go before I need to think about maintenance.0 -
I cheat, probably too much to really call myself "primal", but as long as I don't go crazy it doesn't knock me out. Granted, my cheating is in small amounts. I don't eat half a pizza or anything like that.
You might get mad carb cravings, however. If I eat too many carbs I can get them bad and they are pretty unpleasant. That is one of many reasons I try to stay lower carb. It does seem to depend on what carbs though. A sweet potato doesn't give me carb cravings, but bad/processed food does.0
