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#1
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Rules for Cheaters
I'm a newbie to posting, so... a quick introduction: hi, my name is Alan and
I am a low-carber... I started low-carbing in mid Nov 03 at 251 pounds, been reading this group since then, current weight 214 pounds. I'm male, 33 years old, 5' 11" tall, further specs on request. I have a few ideas about cheating that I thought I'd share in hope that someone will find them helpful. I've never been successful at not cheating (though I've come a *lot* closer on low-carb than I ever did on low-fat). I've managed to lose weight anyway. I try to follow some rules for cheating. I hope this doesn't sound preachy, I assure you I'm a sinful cheater who should be in the pew, not the pulpit The 4 Rules of Cheating 1. It's not cheating. A diet is just the way that you choose to eat, and if you choose to put hot chips in your mouth, then they are part of your diet. Don't feel bad about the choices you make, or make different choices. I think the reason this rule works is because it helps prevents one high-carb choice from spiralling into a week-long binge. I remember, back in my low-fat days, feeling so bad about a high-fat choice that I would lose the will to continue eating low-fat. Either that or I would use it as an excuse to indulge in as much high-fat food as I could before the 'good' part of me got back in control. Nowadays though, five minutes after a high-carb choice I'm back on the low-carb bandwagon (when I'm not breaking my own rules, that is). 2. Try to overheat rather than meltdown. Making a high-carb choice needn't mean a loss of control. There's no need to gorge (hey, you'll be cheating again soon, no need to eat everything on the menu right now...). A rule of thumb that works for me is this: if a stranger wouldn't blink an eye at the quantity I'm eating, then it's probably OK for a cheat. Also, stick to your low-carb plan where it makes no difference - still order a *diet* Coke, if you drink a glass of water with every meal, drink one with your cheat meal etc. 3. Not too often. Choose your own frequency. The frequency that works for me is less than once a week. By which I mean never more than once a week, and if I'm doing it *every* week then it's too often. 4. Exercise. This one works for me. I do 30 minutes on the exercise bike every day. As soon as the weight bench gets here (it's on the way now!) I'm going to start weight training and HIIT cardio. For the last few weeks I've been trying to ease myself into HIIT with a couple of 1 minute sprints in my 30 minutes. This is called SHIIT ('Somewhat High Intensity...'). Oops, I'm rambling... Exercise is magic. These days I jump on the scales the morning after a cheat and find that my weight has gone *down*. I attribute that to exercise, since it used to move in the opposite direction... Also, when I jump on the bike after cheating I feel like I'm burning off the consequences of my choice. It 'resets' you psychologically (I find reading this group also resets me psychologically). I'm not saying that not cheating at all is not better. I imagine you'll lose faster if you can do it. Also... by calling it 'cheating' when I don't think that it is, I'm trying to do the same thing as those who insist on *not* calling it cheating, which is to defuse the word, to rob it of its power, so no need to call me on that This is just my experience of course. Everyone is different, so you might be too... HTH, Alan (251/214/165) P.S. I'm a bit long-winded. Didn't need to be told that, hey? |
#3
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Rules for Cheaters
Great write-up ... thanks for sharing that
John "am" wrote in message s.com... I'm a newbie to posting, so... a quick introduction: hi, my name is Alan and I am a low-carber... I started low-carbing in mid Nov 03 at 251 pounds, been reading this group since then, current weight 214 pounds. I'm male, 33 years old, 5' 11" tall, further specs on request. I have a few ideas about cheating that I thought I'd share in hope that someone will find them helpful. I've never been successful at not cheating (though I've come a *lot* closer on low-carb than I ever did on low-fat). I've managed to lose weight anyway. I try to follow some rules for cheating. I hope this doesn't sound preachy, I assure you I'm a sinful cheater who should be in the pew, not the pulpit The 4 Rules of Cheating 1. It's not cheating. A diet is just the way that you choose to eat, and if you choose to put hot chips in your mouth, then they are part of your diet. Don't feel bad about the choices you make, or make different choices. I think the reason this rule works is because it helps prevents one high-carb choice from spiralling into a week-long binge. I remember, back in my low-fat days, feeling so bad about a high-fat choice that I would lose the will to continue eating low-fat. Either that or I would use it as an excuse to indulge in as much high-fat food as I could before the 'good' part of me got back in control. Nowadays though, five minutes after a high-carb choice I'm back on the low-carb bandwagon (when I'm not breaking my own rules, that is). 2. Try to overheat rather than meltdown. Making a high-carb choice needn't mean a loss of control. There's no need to gorge (hey, you'll be cheating again soon, no need to eat everything on the menu right now...). A rule of thumb that works for me is this: if a stranger wouldn't blink an eye at the quantity I'm eating, then it's probably OK for a cheat. Also, stick to your low-carb plan where it makes no difference - still order a *diet* Coke, if you drink a glass of water with every meal, drink one with your cheat meal etc. 3. Not too often. Choose your own frequency. The frequency that works for me is less than once a week. By which I mean never more than once a week, and if I'm doing it *every* week then it's too often. 4. Exercise. This one works for me. I do 30 minutes on the exercise bike every day. As soon as the weight bench gets here (it's on the way now!) I'm going to start weight training and HIIT cardio. For the last few weeks I've been trying to ease myself into HIIT with a couple of 1 minute sprints in my 30 minutes. This is called SHIIT ('Somewhat High Intensity...'). Oops, I'm rambling... Exercise is magic. These days I jump on the scales the morning after a cheat and find that my weight has gone *down*. I attribute that to exercise, since it used to move in the opposite direction... Also, when I jump on the bike after cheating I feel like I'm burning off the consequences of my choice. It 'resets' you psychologically (I find reading this group also resets me psychologically). I'm not saying that not cheating at all is not better. I imagine you'll lose faster if you can do it. Also... by calling it 'cheating' when I don't think that it is, I'm trying to do the same thing as those who insist on *not* calling it cheating, which is to defuse the word, to rob it of its power, so no need to call me on that This is just my experience of course. Everyone is different, so you might be too... HTH, Alan (251/214/165) P.S. I'm a bit long-winded. Didn't need to be told that, hey? |
#4
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Rules for Cheaters
"Saffire" wrote in message
.. . Hi Alan, welcome to the posting side of the group :-) You're doing REALLY well -- keep up the good work! Thanks for the welcome and encouragement! I figured it's time I said something, since I'm starting to feel the regulars in this group are all old friends who have no idea I exist... -- HTH, Alan (251/214/165) |
#5
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Rules for Cheaters
"John" wrote in message
... Great write-up ... thanks for sharing that John Hey, you're welcome. I'm glad you appreciated it. -- HTH, Alan (251/214/165) |
#6
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Rules for Cheaters
Congrats on your weight loss...but as for the "Rules"...sorry...lol...but I
think you are justifying. Which is okay if that is what you want to tell yourself...I guess I just feel that it isn't a good idea to give justification to someone who may so far have been hanging on without cheating. Keep up the good work!!!! L Low carbing since 2/13/03 231.5/166.5/148-150ish |
#7
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Rules for Cheaters
Well, hanging on without cheating is the gold standard. I don't think
someone who was managing to do it would choose to throw it away because of my rules. But someone who does 'cheat' but is able to deal with it without blowing it up into something it doesn't need to be - that's a good thing too. -- Alan (251/214/165) "Stormswhysper" wrote in message ... Congrats on your weight loss...but as for the "Rules"...sorry...lol...but I think you are justifying. Which is okay if that is what you want to tell yourself...I guess I just feel that it isn't a good idea to give justification to someone who may so far have been hanging on without cheating. Keep up the good work!!!! L Low carbing since 2/13/03 231.5/166.5/148-150ish |
#8
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Rules for Cheaters
On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 13:06:40 GMT, "am" wrote:
Well, hanging on without cheating is the gold standard. I don't think someone who was managing to do it would choose to throw it away because of my rules. But someone who does 'cheat' but is able to deal with it without blowing it up into something it doesn't need to be - that's a good thing too. I agree. |
#9
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Rules for Cheaters
"am" wrote:
I'm a newbie to posting, so... Welcome, Alan. It looks like you have a plan that works for you. That is great. |
#10
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Rules for Cheaters
Nice post Alan. You're losing slowly and steadily so you must be doing
something right, eh? Good job. I hope you'll be posting more. -- -Bear Grrrrrrrrr ) 297/271/210 Highest weight 353 http://home.earthlink.net/~polarbear50/index.html |
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