cheat day

Cheat Days are Good Reminders!

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I’ve spent the last 24 hours absolutely eating whatever I want. Pizza for dinner, waffles (with honey and peanut butter – YUM!) and cheesy scrambled eggs for breakfast. Jelly beans and s’mores (yes, s’mores) for lunch.

jelly-beans

I decided to let myself go crazy for the last 24 hours and I’ve held nothing back. I hadn’t given myself a true “Cheat Day” in a long time: I’ve tried to live by the 80/20 rule – eat healthy 80% of the time so when you want a splurge here and there–the 20%–it doesn’t feel like a big deal.

So, for the last 24 hours, I’ve eaten what I’ve wanted right when I wanted it and let myself eat any quantity my hands/stomach/heart wanted.

What have I learned?

Sugar is overrated.

I have a headache. My stomach is queasy and off-centered. The more I eat, the stronger the cravings for more become. It’s this painful cycle of ups and downs and I can feel the damage in my limbs (they’re heavy and dragging), my brain (it’s totally cloudy), and my moods (crazy giddy to hate-the-world melancholy).

I’ve only been doing it for 24 hours and I’m already ready to swear off sugar for life.

While I’ve always believed in moderation (one Cadbury Creme Egg per day, please!), I think the occasional “go crazy” cheat day is a positive specifically for this reason. Today’s the prime example of why I try to squeeze in a true Cheat Day once every five to six weeks.

It reminds me that junk food is just that: JUNK. It makes you feel like CRAP.

It’s like putting unleaded 87 fuel into a racecar: the engine pings randomly, the torque seems lessened, and the overall engine runs with a stutter.

While it was freeing to scarf down anything and everything I wanted, it’s only 4:30pm and I’m already over it. I want a salad. I want some grilled chicken. I want to throw away every piece of clearance Easter candy I hoarded in the last two weeks and live on nothing but green vegetables and water for the next month.

I know, I know. I’m overreacting. Tomorrow, all I will think about during work will be my daily Cadbury Creme Egg and I’ll look back at these “24 Free Hours” as a beautiful memory. Right now, though, I just want some cucumber slices and a shot of pepto bismo.

I guess cheat days are good reminders of why we try to live a healthy lifestyle. I can’t imagine existing like this!

On that note–bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater!

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Remember that old adage from elementary school?

“Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!”

Never has it been more true for this yo-yo. Not only have I been cheating on my Paleo diet, I’ve been cheating with… you guessed it… PUMPKIN!

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks and it happens to be my greatest weakness:

This is the same sign that will adorn the gates of Heaven. Or Hell. Probably both, except it's calorie-free at the Northern gates.

This is the same sign that will adorn the gates of Heaven. Or Hell. Probably both, except it’s calorie-free at the Northern locale.

I normally try to avoid both pure sugar and dairy, yet I find it nearly impossible to this time of the year.  Late August through the holidays = kryptonite to us pumpkin-lovers!

Why, oh why, did a cruel Barista feel the need to introduce me to this decadent temptation two years ago?

I’ve been an addict ever since.

If you can resist the lure of these sirens, you're a f*cking saint. Image Source: http://media.northjersey.com/images/1028F_starbuckspumpkin40p.jpg

If you can resist the lure of these sirens, you’re a f*cking saint.
Image Source: http://media.northjersey.com/images/1028F_starbuckspumpkin40p.jpg

And, since I’m cheating with these dairy killers (even ordering the nonfat version with no whipped cream, it’s still over 260 calories for a grande – and I never get less than a venti!), I’m allowing myself to have my other dairy favorite:

SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!

SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!

Chobani Nonfat Plain Yogurts!

At least these protein-packed dairy-bombs feature far less sugar (just 7g!) and deliver a whopping 18g of protein – so it’s probably one of the healthiest of all cheats. Of course, dairy is normally eliminated from the Paleo diet due to the mucus-development that ensues and the gastrointestinal disdain your stomach feels for you after it’s passed through… but damn, it’s so good.

So, yeah, between PSLs and Chobani dream-cups (my new nickname for ’em), I’ve been cheating my way right to the scale the last 48 hours. Although, I don’t plan to weigh myself this week until Friday (I’m really trying to get down to 1-2x per week versus daily), so I won’t actually know what damage I may be causing to my Paleo weight loss success for a few more days.

On that note, I can really go for a latte before my workout tonight!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~Tori