Loss on a cheat??

[Candi]

Yesterday I had a cheat. Was my second time in the almost 2 months I have been on atkins. I went to lunch to a deli with some co-workers. I ordered a Turkey, bacon and swiss sandwhich with a salad. Wellll, I had every intention of taking the meat and cheese off the bread. But when the sandwhich arrived.. I saw that just wasn't really possible. It was on toast and the cheese was throughly melted into the bread and the bacon was melted into the cheese.. I could have ate the small pieces of turkey but I was pretty hungry. So I sat there for a few minutes debating rather to eat it or not. Finally I said screw it.. everyone has had it happen to them and its only the second time in 2 months. So I ate the two pieces of bread my sandwhich was on. Well I was feeling a little bit quilty about it it last night because that right there was 26 carbs.. and I have been doing induction since the beginning so that was well over my 20 carbs... So for dinner I just had some chicken dipped in sour cream. I was certain I would wake up to a gain.. I just knew I would. needless to say I was a bit suprised when I woke up to a 2 lb loss.. from yesterday which for me is alot.. because usually its about .5 every 2 days I have been at a steady 2lbs a week loss.

It's funny because this happened the last time also. THe last time I cheated.. It was labor day weekend over a month ago.. I had a piece of pizza.. And the next day I woke up to a 3 lb loss after feeling bad and afraid I would gain. I thought then it was just a concidence.. but it happened again yesterday.

Curious if anyone else has actaully lost on a cheat like that??? Is it possible to have your carbs to low so you don't lose??

[JeanetteJ]

Hi Candi,

I was wondering the same things awhile back. What someone told me made a lot of sense. If you haven't been eating enough, maybe your body had gone into starvation mode. Then, the extra food can get you out and you'll see the surprising loss.

Anyway, don't feel to guilty. Don't be to hard on yourself. When I cheat like that, I come home and contnue cheating. Once I start I can't stop, so I'm trying to avoid those breads. But you ded great with the chicken and sour cream. Just get right back on track.

Anyway, it does seem a bit odd, but sometimes it seems like I lose more when I cheat than I do when I'm strict. More than a bit frustrating, it's been almost a week without seeing the scale move and it's only my second week! (I lost 8 punds the first week). I almost want to cheat to justify it, but I'm not going to!

Anyway, yes I think quite a few people have lost on a cheat like that. But it brings up a new question I have, maybe someone can answer. Is weight loss delayed? Meaning, about the inner workings of the body. Maybe weight loss one morning has nothing to do with what you ate yesterday, but how you've eaten the passed few days. And weight gain has nothing to do with what you ate yesterday, but maybe what you ate two or three days a go? Just a question.

Jeanette

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by Candi
Curious if anyone else has actaully lost on a cheat like that??? Is it possible to have your carbs to low so you don't lose??

Yes, its possible to have your carbs too low. It is more likely that you're calories are too low though. Having read your fitday menus and Live Journal, I saw that you're eating about 1200 calories and very little fat. Undereating will cause slower weight loss and stalling. Listen to what your body is telling you; up those carbs and calories and the steadier loss should continue.

Nat

[Muse]

You know, I have a theory on this that really can't be proven. But it seems to me, when I have spoken to trainers in the past...and I've even read it somewhere. That our bodies sometimes get in a rut...a routine, if you will....and the only thing to shake it up a bit and drop the weight (when on a stall) is to shock the system by either, eating the "wrong " thing or changing or even stopping the exercise for a few days. I have heard over and over that this works for some people.

I'm not recommending it by any matter or means, I'm just wondering if perhaps there is some truth to it.

Anyone have any thoughts here?

Muse

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by Muse
That our bodies sometimes get in a rut...a routine, if you will....and the only thing to shake it up a bit and drop the weight (when on a stall) is to shock the system by either, eating the "wrong " thing or changing or even stopping the exercise for a few days. I have heard over and over that this works for some people.Anyone have any thoughts here?


Yes, of course, Muse.... lots of thoughts ;)

Our bodies can adapt to much, look at how long we spent eating next to nothing trying to lose weight.... it learned how to get by on very little. Some research indicates that it can take as little as 2 weeks for your body to adapt to a new way of eating. Even Atkins suggest a 'reversal diet' for a few days when you've reached a stall (a REAL stall, 6 weeks of no loss of inches or weight.... not one of those "1-or-2-weeks-the-scales-havent-budged-stalls" ;). ) Reversal Diet being eating low fat/ high carb to shock things and then going back on Induction.

Nat

[r.mines]

I'm going to try the Reversal Diet, which Atkins covers pretty thoroughly, after Thanksgiving. I'm going to do 3-4 days (if I can make it that long!) on low-glycemic, high carb foods - beans, oatmeal, whole grains, veggies - and then straight into a meat fast (Induction, but with no dairy, and no veg, though I might allow myself small quantities of veg). But I've been low-carbing for almost a year, and have been stalled for over six weeks.

I'll post every day in my journal, if anyone's interested in a blow-by-blow account.

Rachel

[Muse]

Hey Nat, you know more about my program than I do LOL!!! ...You Protein Power Planner you!

I think that's fascinating actually. Going to look it up myself, thanks.

r.mines, I'm going to enjoy reading your journal on this phenomenon....good luck!

Muse

[Natrushka]

Originally posted by Muse
r.mines, I'm going to enjoy reading your journal on this phenomenon....good luck!


Many of us will be reading along, Rachel. Best of luck to you.

Nat

[LC Sponge]

There is truth to the theory that change makes a difference.

There was a time when I stopped taking the *fat burners* (CLA, Chromium Picollate(sp?) and ACV), because they seemed to have stopped having an effect. Months later, out of the blue, I thought "Why waste them? Might as well take them till the bottles are finished (spent enough $ on them)".

Lo and behold if my weight loss didn't pick up.

So to further the *change* theory, we also build up resistance to things and need a break from them for them to have an renewed effect.

PS I've done the reversal diet. I was a little disappointed in the short term, (and scared to death because I gained 6 pounds while on it, but persevered nonetheless). Then when I went back to induction, I lost the 6 (not too fast tho) but couldn't really tell if it made any real difference in the long term.