Remarkable Cheat Day
This Is The Guilt-Free Way I Broke 3 Low-Carb Rules
I went a little crazy yesterday.
Might as well confess right up front:
- I snacked.
- I binged on treats.
- I ate chocolate. Real chocolate. Chocolate made with the S word: sugar.
I am not proud of this. But I’m not wearing a hair-shirt, either.
Here’s what happened.
Post-Hosting Indulgences
After a weekend of venue-hunting, the mister and I drove my darling daughter, her fiancé, and her fiancé’s sweet mother to the airport. Upon returning home, I curled up with a big bowl of leftover stew and took a long well-earned nap.
When I awoke, I plated a double serving of cheese and crackers, followed by two chocolate peanut butter shortbread cookie bars and half-caf coffee. Later, I tucked into a bowl of mixed nuts before watching an episode of The Unforgotten with the mister.
In short, I ate all day long.
I wasn’t eating because I was hungry. I wasn’t hungry. I was 100% indulging myself after a successful weekend of hosting my future in-laws and all that entails: house-cleaning, room-primping, grocery shopping, treat baking, bulk cooking.
Against one of the cardinal low-carb rules, I was snacking. To be completely honest, I was eating as a reward.
Against another cardinal low-carb rule, I was not minding my portions. I ate what I wanted…and then returned for more.
Borderline gluttonous.
Clean Low-Carb for SAD People
Did I feel guilty? A twinge. A very tiny twinge. Very tiny. Because the good news is that everything I indulged in was from my clean low-carb repertoire.
Get this:
I had Standard American Diet (SAD) houseguests all weekend, a house full of SAD family and friends in the evenings, and I served only clean low-carb food.
And no one died.
No one even complained.
In fact, recipes were requested.
Yes, offering only my clean low-carb food required a little more planning than potluck or pizza, but it was so worth the effort.
Three benefits:
- I ate clean low-carb all weekend, per usual.
- I introduced others to clean low-carb food without fanfare or comment.
- Any leftover food was clean low-carb.
So even though I broke the no snacking rule and the portion control rule on my collapse-and-cheat day, I have virtually no guilt. Also no seed oils, no sugar, no flour, no additives. Just delicious clean low-carb food.
The Dark Chocolate Reminder
Okay, I said virtually no guilt.
Full disclosure: I did offer my guests one high-carb treat. In addition to water bottles and shelled pumpkin seeds, I placed Dove Dark Chocolate Promise candies on my guests’ bedside tables.
When I moved to change out the linens, I saw that…a few chocolates remained.
Against perhaps the top cardinal rule of low-carb eating, I knowingly and intentionally ate s-u-g-a-r.
I did. I dove into the Dove Promises. Just two. Nearly a day’s worth of carbs in those two bites alone. Clear violation of clean low-carb eating.
Two observations.
First, although I certainly enjoyed those chocolates, I did not enjoy them as much as I had expected. Even the dark chocolate was too sweet. I remember these as being amazing in my former SAD life. They were not. They were simply…nice. In future, I’ll easily remember that these are not worth the carbs.
Second: I was hungry an hour later. I was hungry!
I am rarely hungry these days. I eat to nourish my body, and I choose food that I enjoy eating. But I am never plagued by hunger. Those Promises triggered a powerful reminder: carbs make you hungry.
SAD souls don’t know the freedom from hunger we low-carbers enjoy.
Conclusion: A Lesson in Indulgence and Freedom
I know I preach. A lot.
But I am not perfect, and I don’t claim to be. That’s one reason I wanted to share my binge day with you.
However, even a cheat day can be a good day. Yesterday’s excesses were a reminder that we experience limited — no? — guilt when our treats are clean low-carb.
And my li’l stumble with the chocolates quickly reminded me of the big fat carb lie: Carbs don’t feed my body, carbs fuel my hunger.
I can make choices that serve my body, even when I’m indulging myself. I can remain free from hunger when I choose to remain free from carbs. I can, and I usually do. Usually. Progress, not perfection.
How about you?
Stay strong, wise, and good!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, not a scientist, not a nutritionist. I am just a late boomer sharing what I’ve learned on my journey to good health through good food.
