In response to my blog of a few days ago, about whether or not a certain famous doctor did or didn’t suggest that cheating on one’s diet is a good idea, a reader sent in the (disappointing) answer, along with a link to the article in question, entitled, Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight.
Understandably, if one is trying to follow a manner of eating that leaves them hungry all the time and eating bland, boring and unbalanced meals, of course they’re going to want to have an out now and then.
The issue I have with this approach is that it infers the presumption that there aren’t any ways of healthy eating that are both conducive to long term weight loss, then maintenance, as well as eating an enjoyable, balanced diet made of food that actually tastes so good and makes you feel so energized that you really don’t have those old ‘cravings’ and ‘urges to cheat’.
I’m not speaking only on my own behalf. Yes, this does applies to me and to the Paleo lifestyle, but also to countless people around the world who’ve found they’ve been able to reach their optimal health, body weight, energy level and control of a vast variety of health issues through eating what we’re meant to be eating.
Some of the most interesting snippets that stood out in that particular article:
- “Going off your diet once in a while stimulates the thyroid gland and can “wake up” your metabolism” (Really?)
- “If you’re trying to lose weight, limit total calorie intake to between 1500-1600 calories per day.” (And this is a blanket statement regardless of height, weight, activity level and gender?)
- “Swap regular bacon for extra lean turkey bacon” (Because fat is so bad for us…)
- “Carbs increase levels of serotonin, which make you feel full and reduce your desire for more carbs throughout the day” (Funny, I thought carbs increased your blood sugar when eaten on their own and caused an insulin surge.)
- “Frozen yogurt with almonds or other nuts will give you an instant boost to help you combat the post-lunch energy dip that often occurs around 3 p.m. Almonds and nuts add a good source of protein. By having your sugary snack in the afternoon, you’ll be leaving enough time to burn it off before you go to bed.” (Um… if you’re having a post-lunch energy dip, that screams blood sugar drop to me… in which case you haven’t likely eaten a proper balance of the macro nutrients at lunch time).
Ok, I’ll stop here. Please do try and think outside the box, though, and be open to the idea that you can actually eat healthy, delicious, balanced, Paleo foods, all the time and not want to ‘cheat’. A little gluten here and there, a touch of soy and a bit of dairy aren’t a good idea, even a little bit of the time.
Paleo is not a diet! Its a lifestyle. That’s why the concept of cheating does not correlate to this case. It would be like saying I cheated on breathing. That doesn’t make sense. Just like saying I cheated on Paleo. It doesn’t make sense. Its your genetics. Your way of life. It’s how you are meant to live, eat, do.
I know “cheating” is a bit of a divided subject in the paleo world but after keeping a spreadsheet for several months on my body reshape endeavor I have to say, at least for me personally, the cheating day has been a tremendous success. To be honest, “cheating” for me is more of a paleo-ish breakfast (maybe eating my son’s leftover smiley face chocolate chip pancakes from IHOP), my lunch is without question cheating, and I am typically back to a paleo dinner as my wife and I cook for the week on Sundays so our kitchen is overflowing with amazing food. I will then likely have a frozen yogurt or some ice cream for desert. In truth I don’t even love the foods so much as I love the freedom to choose to eat this stuff or not. I cannot imagine doing a full-bore “all day” cheat but a meal to two meals once a week seems to be healthier for my mind than anything else. Furthermore, while I do not typically feel sluggish at all during the week, there is no denying that the energy I have on Monday (day after cheat day) is a) different and b) a bit more powerful. I try to do my multi sport training on Monday as I tend to find I have a bit more energy then.
From a science standpoint the weeks I have opted to not cheat at all due to not being in the mood or what have you have been the flattest weight loss weeks for me personally. Same can be said for the Monday energy spike which goes missing sans cheat. These absolutely could be a coincidence but my experience has taught me that consistency is likely not coincidence. I likely will continue the habit until it either proves to stop yielding consistently desirable effects or I grow bored of pizza every now and again.
Again, I can absolutely see how this topic can divide the masses but I would love to hear your feedback on why you oppose the concept. Aside from this day my wife and I are nearly perfect little cave people and truly love the lifestyle. Can paleo and your cheat day not live together harmoniously?
I think it’s a question of degrees. While I actively live the lifestyle, I won’t “kill myself” if I occasionally succumb to “peer pressure” or accidentally eat a salad that had some dressing made with soybean oil. Instead, I’ll chalk it up to a lesson learned and avoid that same situation again. While we shouldn’t eat these things consciously, we shouldn’t dwell on things, either.
Also, when speaking to our friends and family, we should avoid being dogmatic. Think about the big picture. If our friends or family cut out dairy, processed sugars, and/or grains, it probably is counterproductive for us to get into an argument if they forgot to ask the grocery store if the beef they bought is grass fed, or if the salad dressing had some canola oil in it. Let’s be realistic first, and then gradually get people to improve their diets. My own route has been quite gradual over the past 3 years or so. At this point, I’m about 95% of the way there. Even at less than 100%, I can feel the benefits already.