“Food is like sex: when you abstain,
even the worst stuff begins to look good. ”
~Beth McCollister
As we reach the end of the 7 days of my Slow-Carb/Four Hour Body Diet experiment, I think I’ve learned a lot. If you are catching up on the posts and meals, here they are:
While I’ve decided to continue the diet on a modified basis, I think I can sum up what I’ve learned from that first week now.
CRAVINGS
I thought it would be a HUGE challenge to give up fruit entirely. I still think fruit is healthy and a crucial part of my daily intake. But when I stopped eating fruit for 7 days I didn’t find that I craved it like I thought I would.
I did struggle with “what should I have for a snack” when I couldn’t reach for an apple or banana.
I also started fantasizing about the upcoming berry season. I love strawberries, blueberries and raspberries and I can’t wait to eat them! No-fruit won’t be in my routine forever. I am looking forward to summer fruit and will eat it because it’s healthy.
I definitely craved sugar. Much like what I discovered on my Sugar Detox Week, I craved it more out of habit and less out of hunger. I wanted treats at the end of the night. Was I still full from dinner? Very. Did I need more food? Nope, not at all. But I still wanted some chocolate and a glass of milk! I didn’t have any and I missed it.
CHEATING
Did I cheat at all? Not really. I had some trail mix that was in my car that I eat after working out/swimming. I had some of that one day and realized “oops there are raisins and chocolate in this” once I stuffed a handful in my mouth. But I don’t really consider that cheating, or a failure. I just forgot.
On Day One I did have some chocolate and strawberries for a treat but it was the first day and I hadn’t been prepared to start yet (I got the days screwed up in my mind).
BINGE DAY
Around Day Three of the Slow-Carb Diet I started to think about the upcoming “Binge Day.” I fantasized about everything I would eat that day…burritos, sushi, chips, pizza, wine, ice cream! An orgy of horrible foods!!
That day scared me. It reaffirmed the fact that I completely DISAGREE with the concept of a Cheat/Binge Day. It made me feel like I was restricting something from my life, a punishment, and the binge was something that would be “naughty” and “bad.”
I stand firm on my dislike for having a binge day even after doing this diet for a week.
When the Binge Day arrived, I did go over my calories for the day but I didn’t “binge.” I didn’t lose my mind and eat everything in sight. The reason I ended up going over my calories was because we had a dinner party with dessert afterward. Had I skipped the dessert I would have been fine calorie-wise.
COST
This diet was definitely pricey. We spent a lot of money on fresh veggies but our Costco bill was what cost so much. The hummus, tons of eggs, bulk spinach, chicken, ahi tuna, ground turkey…it added up fast! Plus we went through our veggies like mad. Normally when we buy the baby spinach in bulk at Costco we end up throwing away some of it because it takes awhile to eat it. With this diet we went through the whole case of spinach and a bag of mixed green lettuce.
I think a diet like this would have been better done once we had our own vegetable garden and had easy, daily access to greens.
OTHER:
We’ve used too much of our Tupperware–which meant lots of cleaning to do. There were leftovers and having to pack a bunch of stuff for lunch meant lots of dishes. Before the diet I was eating fruit (no packages) and a Lean Cuisine (everything in one box). So this was something I hadn’t expected.
Our fridge was also PACKED. I will post before and after photos of our fridge soon. It’s nuts.
BOTTOM LINE:
I missed my daily coffee more than I missed fruit, and I missed chocolate more than any of it combined.
While I’m continuing the diet this week in a modified way (drinking my coffee again), I don’t think anything will really change. I don’t think the scale will miraculously show a loss for me and I don’t plan on continuing this diet next week. I am happy that Michael lost 6 pounds the first week and I hope his 2nd week shows more progress as well.
QUESTION: After what you’ve read these two weeks, is this something you would ever consider trying?
The Boyfriend
I’m actually finding it easier to do this diet as time goes on. I would have expected the opposite at this point but so far, so good!
Lisa Eirene
That’s great! I’m glad it works for you.
Carbzilla
Good reflection. This diet is not actually that different from other low-carb diets so it’s definitely something I’ve done before with mixed success.
I haven’t done Costco shopping in forever because it usually ends up being too much food for us, and, frankly, I can get better prices elsewhere. Today I got eggs for 99 cents a dozen and another grocery store will have that same special this weekend. Ground turkey has been Buy One Get One somewhere at least almost every week. And I totally agree with you about fruit. I have to be careful as to when I eat it, but I will eat it as part of a healthy diet.
I agree about the “Binge” day. That sounds like a recipe for trouble. It’s funny – some weeks when I lose weight it makes me more committed and some weeks it makes me feel like slacking off a little. But it’s always my choice, and I’m totally aware of how food will affect my weight.
Good for you for experimenting.
Lisa Eirene
I think for SOME things Costco is a good bet. But a lot of times if I clip coupons (not like your crazy tv show!) and do the Fred Meyer deals I can get stuff cheaper.
What hated most (besides missing fruit) was that I was pining for the Binge Day. I was thinking about it days in advance, fantasizing about all the food. That’s not healthy!
The Boyfriend
I forgot to mention that we bought some high dollar items at Costco. Like tuna and enough chicken for two months. I don’t think this diet is expensive at all. We’re just choosing to buy high quality proteins which I think is smart since we’re eating them more often.
Lisa Eirene
That’s a good point. And the steaks and lamb we got at Trader Joe’s this weekend were way more expensive than what we’d buy at Fred Meyer.
The Boyfriend
True. I don’t think it’s truly expensive in reality.
Lesley Lifting Life
I think as long as we’re eating enough, our bodies will get used to about any diet after enough time. But I think one of the hardest parts of this diet would be eating no fruit, it’s a quick go-to snack, and especially like you said, it’s hard to resist in the summer when everything’s ripe and fresh, and it is healthy!
Lisa Eirene
That’s one of the reasons I am going “back to normal” soon! Berry season! YAY!
Lori
That binge day really scares me. I can do one of those easily just on my own without the encouragement LOL!
It just seems weird to be so restrictive and then pig out. That can work for some people, but now that I have a healthy attitude towards food, I think it would set me back.
It certainly is good healthy eating, though.
Lisa Eirene
I agree Lori…still not a fan of the “Binge Day.”
The Boyfriend
In the book, an example of a binge day is given where someone consumed 6000 calories and 48 hours, weighed less than they did on their binge day morning weigh-in.
We’re not exactly going crazy on our binge days (heck, we don’t even like that term, we prefer cheat day) but we have plans to go a little further than we did last weekend this weekend. Well, I do since I too weighed less 48 hours after my cheat day weigh in. I don’t think Lisa will go nuts at all.
Lisa Eirene
I am definitely not going crazy on Binge Days.
cindylu
I get grumpy if I can’t have bananas. I can do without other fruit, but not bananas. And living without tortillas sucks. So, I likely would hate this diet.
Lisa Eirene
I’m with you Cindylu!
Diane Fit to the Finish
This would definitely not be the diet for me for a variety of reasons. I’m with Lori – no planned binge days. Even now, I can see that being dangerous for me!
Julie
No, I would not ever consider trying this. It took until my 40s to realize that elimination of certain foods always backfires on me.
I will certainly still stand behind his 4 hour work week book, though! THAT is some good stuff!
jaki
i had my first slow carb meal at lunch today. im thinking of doing the diet without the cheat day. i really agree with you.. cheat day scares me. im a vegetarian that only dabbles in eating fish when im craving it. so i dont think this diets gona work for me in the long run. but i really like the flexibility of this diet compared to atkins. i really liked your week long trial of the diet. i esp liked the wrap up post. i think you should try other ones!
Lisa Eirene
Thanks Jaki! I’m glad you enjoyed the experiment. You’ll have to let me know how you do on the diet.