I had years of experience recovering from emotional eating issues; so I've had A high carb meal and gotten right back to on plan eating. We're not saying it can't be done... we're saying a whole week of wallowing in it will have consequences, even if you get right back to plan.

And don't forget that your body will now react to carbs, and you might not like it. If you are a bloated & gassy companion making frequent restroom visits it can make a vacation less than festive.

I did that, coincidentally in October. Went on vacation, took a week off. Up to that point I'd been nearly TWO YEARS "cheat" free. Lost most of my excess weight. I was cruising, no cravings, eating well, feeling good. Then I took that week off. Complete derailment, it took me until mid-May to finally get back on track, during which time I gained back a huge quantity of weight.

Yeah, some people can jump off the wagon and right back on. But lots (I suspect most) can't.

I've only recently started correctly doing low carb (about 3 months ago), so I'm definitely no expert, but I had 3 "cheat" days during memorial day weekend (heavy drinking (vodka) after not drinking for about 1.5 months, BBQ with too much BBQ sauce, so no cakes or ice cream or anything like that but definitely induction no-nos), and I gained 4 lbs. I lost it all in about a week of doing strict induction afterwards. Wasn't too hard getting back into it. My biggest cravings were for alcohol, but they soon went away. I've been doing strict induction since and am back to my 2/lb week loss average. Just my personal experience, though.

So there are two sides to this issue. One is from a purely scientific standpoint, it may make no difference. According to Atkins level 1science, it doesn't. But once it gets stuck in our heads that "an exception won't hurt" then it's only a matter of time before the exception becomes the rule.

I remember a few days ago someone posted an article that people who maintain weight loss over time weigh themselves frequently indicating a certain helpful paranoia. I'd bet that's true. Better to go overboard than to be overly relaxed about it.

I think for most people that is true. It should take you about as long as it took the first time.

Once again, I will say that this is totally a personal choice. Mindset is a huge factor for me. I lost 56 pounds doing LC, maintained for couple years, then my mindset changed, and life got in the way, I stopped LC and gained it all back plus. This time, I refuse to deny myself a day here or there, or a vacation off LC. I do know that I MUST get right back on LC once the special occasion is over though. I think I might have finally learned my lesson. YMMV

I have been back LC days, lost 5 pounds of the 7.5 I gained with taking the week off. Today was so much better with hunger, in fact I was not even hungry for breakfast today. I truly believe that this was mostly water weight, no way did I gain 7.5 pounds in one week.

I really wish you all the best in whatever choice that you make for yourself.
You can do this!
Rox

Thanks everyone. After reading this I consider myself lucky to not be an emotional eater.

its more than emotional, its a physical need, its chemical, its an addiction. I can't tell you how many times I looked at the cake mix clear up on the top shelf yesterday. it wasn't an emotional need, it was my addiction talking to me.

I know I don't eat because of emotional triggers. On the other hand, my mind is proficient at blowing off warnings and is quite able to give all sorts of valid justifications to myself for making some pretty rotten food decisions for prolonged periods of time. So there is that.

You and me both. Every time I make my 3-year-old a PB&J, I smell the sandwich and remember what it tastes like. Or when I make the cinnamon rolls for them on weekends... It's a strong siren call, and I must always pull myself back and say "Oh no you don't! Don't even think about it! "

I'm in a good mood, and then the addiction puts on his Loki-god-hat and starts whispering in my ear. It's getting easier to ignore, but the reaction will always be there to some degree.

I've always called that the 'carb magnet'. Years ago, I walked into the kitchen shortly after dinner and saw my 3 year old standing at the pantry door with her eyes fixated on something on the top shelf. When I ask her what was she up to she said "I'm still hungry". I walked over to see what she was staring at. It was a box of chocolate cake mix - turned so she could see the photo of the scrumptious looking final product. Her brain was screaming for something and that cake was the answer. She could not take her eyes off of it. I knew then that the poor girl was just like me.

Poor thing! My oldest son is like me, too. Always hungry and always has the carb-radar on... He's going to struggle. I'm hoping my influence on him will set up a model of coping mechanisms he can take with him once he's an adult. He is already overweight but my husband wants us to wait until he is a teen before we move him to a more carb-reduced diet. Not my preference, but marriage is a partnership.

When I was hungry I used to gravitate to the pantry. I found the habit easy to break though.

The key point here is that we had just eaten dinner. She was not really hungry. That was carb craving written all over her face. Believe me, it takes one to know one. The other members of my family are not like this. When they have a meal, they are satisfied. There is no magnet drawing them back into the kitchen 30 minutes later.

I remember talking to a guy I knew who had just got out of drug rehab. He was a normal kid until one day he tried crack cocaine at a party. He told me that after 1 hit, he was hooked. As soon as the satisfaction of a hit wore off - he became fixated on having another one. It is all he could think about and his life pretty much fell apart until his rehab.

Now I've never actually done crack cocaine - so I can't be certain how valid my comparison is -- but I'm pretty sure that when I eat carb loaded food, my brain reacts in pretty much the same way. Fireworks go off and as they start to fade - the cravings for more fireworks kicks in. And just like a drug, the only way to stop the cycle is to kick the habit completely. But if carbs are your drug, what in the heck are you going to eat? I agree with Jessdamess. Those that have carb cravings are in for a struggle.

Simply gauging by the full gamut of responses you received in this post - it is obvious to me that we all vary widely in how we respond to stepping out of plan for a little high-carb vacation. For me, it is like a drug addict relapse. For others, it appears to be no more than a blip on the progress chart. I suppose the only way to find out how you will respond is to try it.

Keep in mind that I never went off plan without intending to get right back on the horse when the cheat period was over. Most times I did manage to get back on plan. Once I managed to keep this up for nearly a year and lost 90 pounds. But eventually, some weekend "cheat" turned into a week long cheat, which turned into a month off cheat - and then it was pretty much over for the plan.

Carbs are sugar
Dr Hyman - Sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine