Cheat Days

maria_antoinette

ok so i have not been on this long and I am extremely close to goal weight... super happy.. love this diet... carb cravings are pretty much gone.. unless i think ALOT about it..

I am use to yo yo dieting with high carb diets and very use to cheat days which always resolve the day after by going back to routine...

how about on Paleo? what happens if one night you eat pasta with wine? do you blow up like a balloon and then it goes back to normal when you continue routine or does it take longer or does that maybe NOT EVEN HAPPEN ???

Maria

Akimajuktuq

I don't have "cheat days". I just eat. No matter what, I never eat wheat and the more unhealthy food I eat the easier I store fat and the more trouble I have returning to my healthy lifestyle. I do drink red wine but mostly just when I am on holidays.

I think your attitude/mindset would be better if you weren't focused on calling occasional indulgences "cheat days". Besides, one food that is non Paleo, and well-enjoyed, is better than an entire day of crappy food.

Yes, recovery from short side-tracks take me quite a long time. But I'm older than you so... Yes, I "blow up like a balloon" easily but I don't have that kind of self-talk; it's not very helpful. :noway:

rap5781

It really depends on your cheat meal. I've noticed when I have a cheat meal after a couple of weeks doing strict Paleo, that I have some GI issues and bloating. This usually goes away after a day or two though as long as you don't continue eating the stuff.

maria_antoinette

I am so good to sticking to routine....but if a friend comes from out of town ( like on friday of this week,, lol) , then i find myself wanting a margarita and a nice meal at a fancy restaruant which might include dessert for dinner.. which is soooo NOT paleo.. so I am a little scared of what will i wake up to on saturday...... (however, I will do it anyway )....

I am curious to find out what happens on paleo regular calories vs. high carb very low calorie... in hi carb i blow up but i adjust and in 2 days, back to normal.. its sooo not confortable... .. just maybe an extra 500 calories.. ( this is what years of calorie deficit does to someone ).. NOT A FAN of what i did.. Grateful to have been able to maintain the 130's for the past 10 years.. but tooo much suffereing.. not enough fun...

so i am hopeing this is a long term solution to eat more , be MORE healthy with better food and be able to INDULGE OR CHEAT on special occiasions like maybe once a month..

maria_antoinette

in ref. to bloating.... i guess i just have intolerance to anything not paleo.. because for the past 10 days on paleo i have not had 1 stomach issue...

maigsy

My question would be - if you don't have any stomach issues now, and you know you will if you eat that dessert, is it really worth it?

Most nice places have great paleo options - a roasted chicken with veggies (and I'll sometimes have the *gasp* taters), or a steak with veggies? Yum.

maria_antoinette

My question would be - if you don't have any stomach issues now, and you know you will if you eat that dessert, is it really worth it?

Most nice places have great paleo options - a roasted chicken with veggies (and I'll sometimes have the *gasp* taters), or a steak with veggies? Yum.

yeah the meal is not the problem. its the alcohol and dessert.. i might skip dessert.,,, i really cant handle it stomach wise- its not even the weight gain from it.. its really the pain from eating it that i get after... i cant even drink wine anymore without sweating and nausea... sometime tequilla works better... just a little... i guess its my age...

Quinnstinct

You probably have to live and learn on this one, you are excited and losing weight on paleo and with that will come the other amazing positives of eating paleo- skin improvement, better sleep, decrease in stress, body healing, ect. and as your experience becomes more holistic I think you will either a. not want to cheat or b. cheat and learn what you can and can't do.

Everyone's decision what to do and follow is their own and I'm glad you've come to find and start paleo- it's about learning and experience and what works for you.

MelisMusing

My advice is tread lightly. Some "splurge" foods can be intense trigger foods. That being said, all things in moderation. If you have a hard and fast rule about wheat, don't break it. Wheat can really do a number on you. Otherwise, one nice meal, or a glass of wine is not going to undo all of the good work you've put in eating well and getting some exercise.

The thing I have found about eating paleo/primal is that it is a learning process and the longer you do it, the more you learn about your body and the effects those splurge moments have on you. You figure out what your happy balance is- because we all have our own happy balance. For some people it's strict, especially if they are AIP or have Hashimotos, ect. For others, a 80/20 approach is balanced enough that it works.

Listen to your body- enjoy yourself, and don't have any regrets. Negative thinking can be just as poisonous as eating something that isn't good for you.

butterbear1980

I hate the idea of "cheat" what does that even mean. Yes some people will east a piece of pizza and have 5 days of pain bloat and inflammation, a rash, etc. Other people are totally fine. You'll just have to play around with it to see which one you are. I know too much about food to eat something I don't consider a food. I'm done saying clean food or real food. I only eat food. Its just my perception of what is food has changed a lot. I'm not tempted to eat fruit loops anymore than I would be to go out to pasture with the cows and eat grass.

maria_antoinette

Yeah I just cant handle certain foods anymore anyway... but friday night I did have a margarita, some chicken and spinach and a few bites of the creme brulee and did ok.. but i was not like DYING to cheat.. the nice thing is the PALEO after a while TAKES AWAY the cravings......