Question for the long haulers

MetalMama · Question for the long haulers

Do you ever take a meal off - or have an off-plan treat?

I know all the dangers of cravings and possible side effects but I have trouble wrapping my head around NEVER having that old favorite treat again.

I'm just wondering if anyone has successfully been able to have a 'cheat meal' perhaps a few times a year and then hop right back on plan.

Today is my birthday and frankly I guess I feel like I've been doing so well, I'd like to treat myself to something strictly forbidden tonight. I keep flopping back and forth on the idea. On the other hand, why would I want to stray and risk my success...

Anyway - just wondering if anyone has done this with success.

Thanks!

jeff

I use to do that my first few years, but not for the last 3. I use to have a piece of cake if it was one of my kids birthday, or something like that. Some people may be able to do it maybe a few times a year. But for many it is too slippery of a slope.

When I feel like treating myself, I stay on plan, but treat myself to something I normally wouldn't. Maybe I'll get the best looking piece of meat in the store, regarless of price. I can see maybe having lobster, or some other tasty, expensive treat.

By the way, Happy Birthday! Toast

(mine's tomorrow}

Bobi

I'm like Jeff...I basically eat what I want when I want, I just don't like sweets, breads, veggies (except the occasional tomato, pickles, red roasted peppers, and sauteed onions & peppers, and livers, chicken & beef). I don't drink alcohol anymore, except an occasional Rum & soda on Christmas and New Year's Eve, Yup

but do have an occasional Splenda-sweetened soda. LOL

Lynne

first of all...... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUU!

secondly... when you want to splurge, it's usually within the boundaries of how you've chosen to eat... just a little side trip to liquor or maybe a brownie... but i've not known many people to splurge on something so large as a pasta dish, mashed potatoes and dessert...
i've yet to meet someone that fully blows their boundaries..

we are the select few that cares enough about our bodies to know the rationale behind total gorging on bad foods.. i just think it's ingrained in us now that we've learned proper eating...

don't you?
do i make sense?

Lynne

wow..... lots of Pisces on here..

Bobi

Yes...METALMAMA...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR METALMAMA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOUUUUU!

Lynne

i have to do this again.... lololol

we have had to go against what society has taught us that the foods we've eliminated are good for us.. we have bucked the system and in doing so, we had to change our way of thinking...

so when we get into a position where we think.... "wow, i can go off plan and eat anything i want...." what that does is challenge our new way of thinking.. and i think, more often times than not.. we stick to our way of eating because it took a lot of practice to get here..

and we know we're in it for life.

but i will be honest.. put a half gallon of chocolate trinity ice cream in front of me and all thoughts of healthiness go out the window.....

Bobi

See Lynne, that is where you and I differ, Chocolate, Trinity or otherwise, Ice Cream doesn't do a thing for me! However if my kids make home-made ice cream, I will have a spoonful and throw the spoon in the sink!!

I've been on this WOE since August 18, 2005...Maybe there's the difference! LOL

jeff

Yes Bobi, I think the amount of time we've been at it does make a difference.

MetalMama

Thanks so much for all the birthday wishes and sound advice.

In the end I did go off plan today but like Lynne said I didn't go overboard. I ignored the temptation to eat a baked potato and hot buttery rolls with my steak and instead indulged in some dessert. I even left some in my bowl which has got to be a first!

It would have been nice to sit here filled with pride because I didn't stray at all from my new WOE but I still feel good that I didn't go my usual 'cheat day' route of eating everything and anything in sight.

Hopefully this experience will let me know that every once in a while I can stray without getting completely derailed (as has happened so often).

Tomorrow will be the proof - back on the bus for me - who's got the bacon lube?

y0u

Dean

When I would diverge, I would either choose between wine or sweets. Since sweets costs less, I usually would go that route. I finally figured out that when drinking a bit of wine on a regular basis (thanks for that tip, jeff Wink

), I could easily stay away from sweets. Of course, then I felt I was drinking too much, so I gave that up and ended up in the same place. Sad

Anyway, it seems some use booze to stay away from sweets and some use sweets to stay away from booze. Bonkers

I'm sure there are very few who can totally abstain from both on a consistent basis. That's a rarity, really it is. I've been workin' on it, but, it is not as easy as it sounds. There are times, especially under stress, that I get cravings for one or the other.

BTW, Happy Birthday, MetalMama! Congrats

Renee

Why do carb cravings always return?

Dean

Might just be that some of us have used carbs for so long to manipulate our chemistry that whenever certain stressors or other emotional cues arise, it is just so hard wired into our brains to reach for these substances. I did it with smoking cigarettes for many years. Once I quit, it took me over a year to get past the cravings. I don't have those cravings now, but, glucose is something that we actually need, and have used so much in our lives, that it is probably much more addictive.

Renee, why do you think they return?

Renee

I don't know. I almost thought I'd be hearing that, eventually, you stop having them.

Stress = famine = take action to store calories?
Is it worse in late summer and fall, when the body is trying to store fat for winter? That's when bears chow down on ripe fruit and put on fat.

Dean

Yah, stress = run like hell from a predator, too. So, get lean and mean and you can outrun 'em. It may have to do more with how we deal with stress, but, yah, stress is really a big key to the whole pack on the fat deal. Body fat is a protective thing, and, it could be argued that many create the hormonal conditions (including the carb craving triggers) to store fat so they will be safe. Maybe some hold onto fat because of their oppression in society. Maybe some lose it easier because of their dominate position in society. It aint all about carbs, that's for sure. Would be nice and simple if it were, huh? Wink

Lynne

last night i went out with a gang to an Irish Pub for Beatle music, company and food..
I ordered a steak and it came with two sides..
the steak was over $20.
$21 put a lump in my throat.
So when she asked me what 2 sides I wanted, i opted for a double salad with bleu cheese dressing..

As it happened, the steak was quite good and I only ended up eating 3 bites of the salad.

But my head was thinking... I should justify the expenditure..
Isn't that insane?

I could have just told them to hold the sides.. ferchrissakes!
Bobi, I've been eating VLC for 36 yrs...
Sugar has always been my demise! lolololol

Dean

Lynne,

I really think that, for whatever reason, there are those who are more susceptible to sugar, or alcohol, or nicotine, or caffeine, etc. I know there are some that find it hard to totally give up wine or coffee, and yet others can do it with no problem. Likewise, there are those who could care less about sugar, while others struggle with it all the time. It's very possibly genetic. Nicotine and sugar use runs in my family. I know lots of families where alcohol use runs in theirs, and many of the family members are users of it.

Heather

I seem to sway between sugar and alcohol, if it's not one it's the other. I never mix the two, for some reason, I can't. I lose so much weight, so fast when I drink which can be a cause me to want to drink just to lose weight. Not good. Or I can use alcohol to kill the sugar cravings. Crazy. That's just me. Roll Eyes

Kim

I went off plan a couple of weeks ago when I had to go out of town for a seminar. All the food was served and none of it was on plan, so I just decided to go ahead and eat it including the cake at each meal. Then I visited with some relatives overnight in the same town before leaving and just ate the food I was offered including the pie. I ate off plan for 4.5 days and it was 2 more days after that before I could drag myself back on plan. Sugar is a real downfall for me. I didn't have a car at the seminar, was in an unfamiliar town, didn't see any grocery stores around and couldn't leave the seminar during lunches or dinners to eat something else so that didn't help at all.

Kim