The other thing that was mentioned, and which I applauded, was that there are folks who get so obsessed and freak out if they forget to pick the carrot shreds out of their bagged salad (EXAGGERATING HERE), then stress about if they will be "kicked out of ketosis". There is just no reason for anyone to be hard on themselves! There is a huge variance in what some coaches allow as compared to other coaches, so as far as I am concerned there IS NO SET IN STONE 100% OP, unless you are going completely by the sheet. If that is what your intention is, then don't pay any attention to the posts asking what other people's coaches will allow, or what works for them. You might just hear something that you are not comfortable with. Does that make sense??? The other point was, I believe, is that I don't believe anyone has intentionally posted that others SHOULD cheat, for any reason. In fact, there have been many, many posts from people who have, and have regretted it! But the fact remains that there are a few who have slipped; have learned something valuable about how their body reacts, and have incorporated that knowledge into their life-long eating plan. Should those people not post about what they have learned? (I guess this is kind of what purple just said, but more eloquently than me!)

Very well said also!

Im so glad i started this thread, i love that there are soo many varying views. Again, i put this here, to let people know its ok if you didnt stay on program, it might even be helpful for your body, but that if you do get off program, you need to get right back on. Which is the way eating for life should work.....No need to get bashed over the head for eating off program, by yourself, or others....

Oh and P.S., i noticed that some of you have stated that you never go over the 40 carbs alotment. My clinic only allows for only 24 carbs per day, this would make you all cheaters... :-P J/k, but i think its kind of strange the varying amount of information we al recieve from state to state, clinic to clinic.

I think that it is 40 total carbs and 25 net carbs (subtract off the fiber). But believe it or not...for some people it takes almost 100 carbs or more to get kicked out of ketosis (trust me...I have put this to the test).

Here is the thing...your post says it all...so those who don't like this...should read the thread. But trust me...maintenance is all about cheating and then jumping right back on...it is really something we must learn how to do properly....I was so freaky 100% for my first five months, but the last year and a half...my tune is very different. Learning how to eat for a lifetime is the tough part, we have to have those fun cheat nights and then wake up the next morning and be very focused and not let it continue.

I have a great 6 martini night at a wedding Saturday...and danced for 4 hours straight. I took a few bites of food not on protocol...not too bad...but woke up Sunday morning and went boot camp style.

Keep focused and your goal will be here before you know it.

There's some interesting information on this thread but, for the most part, I don't need information on how or why to cheat, lol! I can come up with all kinds of support for that in my own head. I read 3 fat chicks IP to get inspiration to stay OP and learn new, interesting ways to prepare foods that are within the protocol. I, unfortunately, am not 100% every day but I'm not proud of that. I wish I were 100% because that would ease my mind and remove all doubt. It's risky for me to cheat because that's how I got to 268 lbs. Many head games about eating high carb, nutritionally void foods were ruining my life and yet still couldn't STOP!! What I need is support for sticking with it.

I just cheated and was feeling really bad, this thread helped me realize that it's OK to be human, make a slip and get back on. Thanks to the other "slippers" for making me feel like less of a failure.

I have been a dieter for many years and I definitely agree that sometimes a cheat does help jump start your system. I have seen it happen for me many times in the past. BUT, on the other hand, I don't think it's the right thing for every person. As navydocmom said above, everyone is different and what works for one might not work for another. I think that a "cheat day" will help break someone out of a plateau, but it should ONLY be considered if you are someone that can get right back OP the next day without problems. I've actually committed myself to 8 weeks OP and then I am doing a "cheat day" followed by another 8 weeks OP. I don't think Sccrkeepr was trying to encourage everyone to cheat...just sharing an opinion and an experience. And I definitely think there is truth behind what was shared. JMO.



Week 1 WI: -6.6
Week 2 WI: -2.4

You look really great keep up the great job.

YOUR PICS ARE INSPIRING!!! 7 more pounds to go?? You look GREAT!

I'm glad there's a subject on going about this, I'm new to the program, just starting week 3 today, actually. It's been surprisingly very easy for me, although there has been a few slip ups with "Cheats", being 21 I find the dreaded alcohol and trying to be in control in social situations is probably the most difficult thing I've encountered so far.

That being said, the amount of guilt I have the next day is enough to make me get back on 100% the next week. But, as many have said whatever works for you works for you! I'm glad to have stumbled upon such a wonderful and supportive forum! It's been fantastic trying all of your brilliant recipes (and lurking quietly ;))

I can't understand why some people are being so judgmental. This is where we come for support and to encourage others, not to bash people!

First, I absolutely DESPISE the fact that going off plan is referred to as "cheating" by so many people. Aren't we doing this to make a lifestyle change? Three years from now when you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, anything... if you have cake, are you going really be "cheating"??? Come on, get real. This is LIFE.

We're all here for the same reasons. To be healthier and to get support from others following the same protocol.

I had pizza a few weeks ago for dinner... because I WANTED it. Guess what... I lost 3.9 pounds that week! I've only gone "off plan" twice since I started and I'm losing every week. I can get right back on 100% the day after I've had a meal that wasn't 100%.

Again, this is LIFE... not a "diet", right? Aren't we supposed to be teaching ourselves to make better decisions, to pay attention to what we're putting into our bodies, so that once we reach goal we can continue to do the same without IP?

Live and let live. Don't be so judgmental. There's no place for it here.

Just my 2 cents...I was one of the ones that was so afraid of any type of cheat or slip-up, mainly because my coach and some of the posts on this board scared me - I would pick the carrot shreds off my salad, I would go without dressing because the restaurant only had balsamic vinegar, etc. I went through a whole summer of sitting through weddings, work meetings and other social events sticking to 100% OP. And it was depressing. I saw how important food was in my life, and I realized that's what made social events fun to me - the food and the drinking. That was a huge realization for me. I realized that's how I got to be overweight, and began dealing with my own "demons" so to speak - trying to make things like that fun without the focus being on the food.

Fast forward a little bit to a few weeks ago - my husband and I have not been on vacation in a couple of years. We had our first baby 7 months ago, and had a chance to go out of town for the weekend - just the 2 of us. I planned to go off plan for that time - I didn't want to call it a cheat. It felt amazing! I really enjoyed myself, and my husband had more fun too. Come Monday morning, I get right back OP and haven't slipped since, not even tempted.

I guess the point of all this rambling is that it's possible to go off plan and get back on. It's about being happy and healthy. I know I will lose the rest of the weight, but I will also not deprive myself from having fun on special occasions. That's really the key, and to me, it's a look into maintenance - can you eat what you want, have fun, and then go back to eating healthy the next day? That's what the rest of our lives will look like, and for me I'm happy I got to practice that while in phase 1 and with the help of my coach.

As others have said, every person is different. Personally, my issue was not that I ate too much during special occasions- my issue was that I made every day a "special occasion." Friday night? It's the weekend, have to have pizza! Bad day? I deserve this bag of M&Ms. Mom is staying over for the weekend? Gotta make sticky buns for breakfast and make her feel welcome! My trouble was with the day-to-day, not the once-per-quarter.

I have two "off plan" occasions coming up. I know I am (probably) going to go off plan, and I know that I am going to go right back on the next day. These are actual special occasions coming up, and I am going to allow myself some latitude those days. I am not going to gorge or use it as an excuse to "catch up" on things I haven't had. I will attend the event, choose something to eat that I will enjoy, and not feel bad about it. If the things on offer allow me to stay close to plan, then even better. I will not have a bag of Skittles on the way there or the way home because it's "Cheat Day." In other words, my plan is to behave like all of the other people at the party, and not use the all-or-nothing approach that has always been my downfall.

Just my $.02

Lets face it...realistically speaking...a cheat is NOT going to just make you gain several pounds of weight over night. It may make you gain water weight from introducing carbs..but like someone else said..this is real life..However..just because you do cheat"call it whatever you like" there is obviously a few things that happen right? You cant deny the fact that more then likely you will kick yourself out of ketosis..just like you cant deny the fact that it might be harder to get back OP and you cant deny the fact, that in the longterm..over a longer period, you might not lose as much weight as you possibly could have, if your interupting the ketosis process and calorie cycling like that...

Trust me.. im an ex cheater... I cheated 9 times on this diet and all 9 times i stopped the diet altogether and it was months before i started again...This is my 10th time and the first time i have not cheated...and i have had more success then i ever have..

I get the fact that real life happens and sometimes its appears more favorable to cheat, then to try and stay OP..

Okay whats my point?: There are positives and negatives...do the negatives outweigh the positives? Or is it vica versa? You have to decide for yourself..

ps: To the OP ...saying that you cheat and you feel sooooo good..almost sounds like you are saying it with a rebelliousness...just an FYI that it might be taken like that to some to suggest that you are rebelling against the program.