Low carb and cheat days?

silverharp

Quick one, was listening to a radio piece a week or 2 back, author of a book called "4 hour chef" I think and the guy was was advocating what sounded like a low carb/Atkins diet with the added twist of having a cheat day once a week.

On the cheat day he said to the effect of it doesnt matter if you eat 3 pizzas and go through tubs of icecream. Is there any science to this? I could imagine that once the insulin rush wares off etc that your body might pick up where you left off whereas having a small of of "cheats" everyday might keep your body in weight gain mode and lead to general over eating?

from a low carb perspective I could think of better things to do with a cheat day then eating tubs of icecream but leaving that aside is there method in the madness?

El_Dangeroso

Tim Ferris is a bit style over substance. I read an extract for the book on the kindle and was a bit disappointed.

Re: 'cheat' days, I think that every calorie restrictive regimen - which is what low carb is - needs to be interrupted occasionally, if nothing but for sanity.

However a cheat day is NOT a binge day. I would definitely see eating multiple pizzas as a binge.

Mellor

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

However a cheat day is NOT a binge day. I would definitely see eating multiple pizzas as a binge.

That depends on the persons requirements and the reasons really.
Dieters might use this day to break form and save sanity. Sacrificing that days deficit for long term adherence.
On the other hands, lots of lifters follow a similar idea. A refeed once a week to help recovery, repair/build muscle, restock glycogen etc. These guys have a pretty high maintenance, so a couple of pizzas (or similar) refeed/cheat day could well be acceptable.

I've no idea who the guy on the radio was. But a "cheat day" is nothing new, its certainly not his idea. There are different reasons behind doing it but Cheat day, Refeed, refuel, carb-up etc are all essentially the same thing.

silverharp

thanks I forgotten his name, here is his blogsite. The way I'd look at it if you have 6 days without rice / pasta fruit etc. it would be such a relative treat to have oatmeal, fruit and even a McD's meal or pizza.


http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-of-fat-in-30-days-without-doing-any-exercise/

Rule #4: Take one day off per week

I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.

aFlabbyPanda

I followed the 4HB guide for a number of months with good success. I found the first cheat days were a little excessive. I went mental eating all I could see. However after a few weeks I began to get fed up with feeling so ill on the Sunday night/Monday morning that I ended up finding a more sensible cheat day usually just a single meal in the end.

El_Dangeroso

Mellor wrote: »

That depends on the persons requirements and the reasons really.
Dieters might use this day to break form and save sanity. Sacrificing that days deficit for long term adherence.
On the other hands, lots of lifters follow a similar idea. A refeed once a week to help recovery, repair/build muscle, restock glycogen etc. These guys have a pretty high maintenance, so a couple of pizzas (or similar) refeed/cheat day could well be acceptable.

Yep but they'd most certainly be an exception to the rule. And Mr. Ferris, is suggesting you 'make yourself sick' you eat so much, if that's not a description of disordered eating I don't know what is.

Mellor

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Yep but they'd most certainly be an exception to the rule. And Mr. Ferris, is suggesting you 'make yourself sick' you eat so much, if that's not a description of disordered eating I don't know what is.

It sounds like he's taking it to a ridiculous
extreme for attention.
I was posting about the idea in general, and how it can work.

silverharp

Just an update to pass on my experience, decided to give it s go and it seems to suit me. Strict low carb during the week and sat the cheat day. Takes to wed to get back to sat weight and then drop half to one kg til next sat. Kick sat off with a luxury bowl of porridge and take it from there, normal family meals otherwise and a few extra treats. Combining the cheat day with exercise is a good thing to do and drink lots of water during the week to keep everything moving
From memory he has a cheat week every couple of months so while on a two week holiday I'll basically keep to it for 1week and e;ase up for the second. So far I have only broken it by having a rice type
meal on a Friday or occasional fruit during the week