[donnakd]

When I went in yesterday I was seen by the newest counselor--a young(mid twenties??) man who is very personable. He has been there a few months, but it was my first time to see him--two times lately I have been in and saw the disappointment in client's when they found out he wasn't there. Anyway, I told him I was having trouble staying on plan--that I will do good for several days, then get off-track and ruin all my progress. He gave me some different advice--he said to stay strictly on plan, but have 2 "cheat" meals a week--midweek and weekend. Just wondering what ya'll thought of his advice!!

[amylou7777]

Although I've never heard of a counselor telling clients this...I think there is something to be said for it. When you can plan to be off and look forward to it, it makes cheating less likely. The hard part for me is once I "cheat" it can sometimes trigger me to go off plan for 2-3 days!! Which ruins your loss. But I did notice that in the beginning when I would be SUPER POP for 2 weeks and then have one day off, it would get the scale moving again. Something about keeping your body guessing. You just have to figure out if it works for you and always remember not to go overboard!

[Angie]

If I have something coming up, like a dinner with friends, I like look up a menu ahead of time. That way I can eat a 'normal' meal and not stand out as dieting, then I plan the rest of the day around that. I still can't choose a hamburger and fries, and stay on plan, but I can choose some pretty good things. I'm not sure if that's exactly what he meant though.

If he means feel free to pick up a burger and fries at the drive-thru once or twice a week I think you'd have a hard time meeting a 2lb per week goal.

[pamatga]

if there were other people who are following that same plan if they have done that? I guess, I would like to talk to someone else and find out if they followed his suggestion and if/how it worked for them. It might also give you some pointers on just how much of a "cheat" meal you are talking.

Let's say, that you decide to order pizza mid-week and then go to a buffet on the weekend, which I used to do on my old food plan. It was "great" for maintaining the weight I was but it did not move the needle on the scales downward. Looking back on that, I also think it was giving me the mental "excuse" to want to cheat "just a little" other days as well. What's a little nibble, what's a little piece, you know what I mean?

Is there something inherently difficult with the food plan that you are following? Have you ever thought that you might need to change the plan you are on? I did after I researched other plans. I needed more structure and less carbs. Now, I am losing again. I am not tempted to "cheat" and when I want something sweet, I have something sugar-free. Have you tried a protein snack when you feel the urge to splurge? That is at the core of the South Beach Plan and it definitely curbs those cravings.

I never thought I would say this but I am finding that the more strict of a food plan that I follow the better I follow it.

I am a little skeptical and I think that myth of jogging your body to lose is just that--- a myth. I just wish people would get it that there is only one way to lose weight---eat less than you did before, which for most of us was a lot! And then become active. This is not a gimmick. It is chemistry and science.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out for you.

[Katy66]

It is surprising that a counselor would say something like but not altogether a wild idea. For me I have to sometimes allow myself to eat a small portion of a favorite food, otherwise I would feel deprived and end up binging. Perhaps the "cheat" meal doesn't have to be completely off plan just one of those things that are supposed to be consumed infrequently. One thing that I do for myself is after a good loss at my Friday weigh in we will go out to dinner at a fav restaurant. I stay on or close to plan but feel like I've splurged a little

[missrocky73]

I do this at times and you can still lose weight. Just don't over do it.

[Kimphin]

When I started LAWL (the first time) in 2004 (?) the plan included "weekends off". They were phasing it out when I joined, but I think it was essentially the same idea - allowing some leniency on the weekends rather than going totally off plan and not getting your stuff back together until Tuesday.

I thought it was odd that they touted that back then.

I've found that one planned cheat does not make a disaster. Getting back OP as quick as you can is important.

[marzbe]

I actually got the advice from both COD managers when I still had one to go to. I was told to go to dinner, order a drink and a burger and not worry about the exchanges.

It's about shocking the metabolism. After a while the body can become used to the same foods, it's the same principal as mixing up your food choices.

[jamiam]

I had a dietician tell me the same thing - your body gets used to the same # of calories and adjusts your metabolism to accomodate the less calories. She actually recommended a "cheat" meal each week. By "cheating" alittle, your metabolism can't adjust so you tend to lose more. There are several studies done on this. I find that when I have a off program meal and go right back on program, I lose more. But everyone's metabolism and bodies react differently.

[shshshhh]

When I was on Body for Life (couldn't stick to it, not the fault of the plan) you took one whole day off. That day was my personal undoing, but that was me. My sister goes to a dietician and she "has to" have one cheat meal a week and she lost more that way. Think the trick is the size of the cheat meal, not to go totally crazy, but like others on this board suggested, plan for the "cheat". I think it would work if you had a slice of cake with an OP meal, or a couple of slices of pizza for a meal. I would be careful not to go too overboard, like others said, you would potentially undo all the good.

I like the idea, let us know if you try it how it works.

Roberta