Transformation 2011 - Day 13

It’s a rare occurrence that my cheating day coincides with a non-workout day.  But that’s what’s happening today.  Truly a hedonistic and luxurious day. LOL

I posted an article that I read about Obsessive-Compulsive Eating. I know I have struggled in the past with eating disorders and I have to be very careful not to fall into many of the traps he outlines in his article.

I have been doing my ‘cheat day’ for a year now. And it really does help keep me on track the other six days of the week.  I have been known to over-eat on cheating day, but (let me repeat) that’s not the point. The point is to use this day on the other six days as a way of justifying not satisfying that craving for cheesecake or ice cream sundaes.  Knowing that I can have cheesecake on Saturday allows me to choose yogurt instead on Wednesday.  This is the benefit of today.

In his article, he averages out his calories per day by including his indulgences on his cheat day.  And I don’t believe it works that way.  I actually notice myself being leaner on a day after my cheating day.  Also the day of indulgences refuels me to be on track for the following days.

The most important day is the day after the cheat day.  It is tempting to continue eating junk, but on Sunday, my body is in such a state that eating low carbs is the best.  

This is probably a good time to remind my readers that this is not meant to be advice or a prescription.  I would need to work with you and assess your situation and your needs before I could make any official recommendations.  This whole blog series is just meant to be a glimpse into the way I work and my philosophies, as well as a means for my accountability.

One of the things I strongly advocate to ensure the best results from any program is to be accountable to someone. Whether it’s your trainer, a loved one, a group or class, or just simply a journal that no one will see but yourself, creating this system of accountability is not only motivational but can be very educational as well.

I’m not claiming that what I’m doing this month is exactly perfect. I’m making plenty of mistakes along the way.  And I may not have been as aware of these mistakes if I weren’t writing everything down.  An important thing is that I’m learning from them. But the most important thing to notice is that, despite my mistakes, I’m still making positive changes and progressing in the direction that I want.  So, I want to point out that making mistakes does not mean making no progress.

It’s better to do your best and enjoy being human. 

So...

I started today off with a cherry scone from Amy’s Bread.

And then a few hours later, I had a cashew bar.  Man, those are sweet.

It’s so interesting how my palate has changed to redefine what I consider sweet.

Around 1pm, I had a burger at Blackburn Bistro.  I didn’t get the fries, though, because they make those curly fries that have some sort of seasoning salt on them, and they always mess with me. There must be garlic on them.  My friend also suggested to me that maybe there is MSG in that seasoning mix.  She might be right.  Anyway, I got the salad instead.

Then at about 2 or 3pm, while watching the movie “The Social Network” I had a bag of salted popcorn.

At 6pm I made dinner, Filet Mignon and half a large acorn squash, with a salad made of cucumbers, radicchio and chick peas with olive oil and vinegar.

Then later, after the show, I treated myself to a chocolate bar and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream.  I know that a pint of ice-cream is a ridiculously indulgent treat.  I don't care. It's my cheating day. 

By the way, I just learned that Ben & Jerry's is going to change the name of my favorite flavor of their ice cream from Chubby Hubby to "Hubby Hubby" in support of, and to raise awareness of, the freedom to marry and equality in marriage rights.

That was fun.  Ok, back to healthy choices tomorrow.