The "Whoosh Effect"

This article has been super helpful for me whenever it feels like the scale isn't moving fast enough:

http://100down.org/the-whoosh-effect/

I'm the type who weighs every day, so while I'm expecting periods of no movement, it still feels frustrating when it goes on longer than I want it to. Whenever that happens, I go back and re-read this article to keep it from getting to me.

It's only a matter of time... it's also nice to have a reason for a (reasonable) "cheat meal."

I am very skeptical about this rationale for a cheat meal. While it may work for some people, I suspect it's not a great idea for those of us who have been MO or SMO.

The author is very specific that this "cheat meal" should be 2300 calories of high protein, low carb food. For many WLS'ers, this is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

And honestly, whenever I've heard somebody on OH talk about a "cheat meal," it means "a meal like I used to eat before I had surgery." Donuts, pizza, high carbs, empty calories.

Not to mention that weight loss after WLS is very much a head game. It can be very difficult to wrangle this from an emotional standpoint.

Additionally, here's some good scientific research on why cheat days may not be as magical as one might think or expect.

https://greatist.com/health/cheat-days-explained

Some studies suggest that cheating "only ups metabolism between three and 10 percent for no more than 24 hours, making the little boost not worth the hundreds or thousands of extra calories."

One study found that metabolism was increased on a high-protein cheat (source)... and another said it was carbs (source). No consensus there.

Interesting. I'll be sticking with the protein path -- carbs are my heroin, not risking it.

For the most part, I'm relying on my body to do "the whoosh effect" on its own (it's actually doing it now -- dropped 3lbs since the weekend). It happens with or without the cheat meal, but knowing that one meal that makes me blow my calorie limit for the day, once every blue moon isn't going to really do much damage -- and could actually help bring on the next drop -- does help keep the guilt at bay.

I admit that the idea of "cheat meal" gives me flashbacks to Body For Life which had a "cheat day."

Cheat day was really just "learn how to binge really well" day because, hey, the diet allowed it! It was extremely unhealthy for me. :/

Yeah, a full cheat day would not work for me at all... way too much license there. One meal where I'm still keeping carbs in check, but I'm not going to worry about blowing my calorie limit is manageable though. I've been back to mindful eating since February and I've had 3 meals like that since then. I was a bit worried that the Easter dinner did some damage because the scale went up a bit, but then I was right back where I was the following weekend... I chalked it up to the sodium in the ham making me retain more water

Right, agreed that you need to adjust your definition of "cheat" to something that's more reasonable for your own behavior pitfalls.

I keep my calorie limit around 1,250/day, so for me, a "cheat meal" means that I won't keep it to that cap for that particular day... definitely not breaking any carb rules though. Not only does that risk opening the flood gates (cravings/mindless eating), it takes several days to get back into ketosis and I don't have that kind of patience with the keto sticks.

I don't really like the idea of a cheat day, or cheat meal. I know some people swear by it, but those same people are people who are super fit lol. Guys at my gym who are nice to look at sort of fit. For me, I can't imagine it. Sometimes I make a poor choice like today I ate a chocolate mini egg left over from easter that my grandmother gave me, but I could never spend a day or a meal of tons of chocolate eggs, or candy, or chips, or whatever. The thought of it makes me depressed, since every day before surgery was a cheat day and I cheated my way to 485lbs.

Yup, know how that goes. The only reason I didn't join you in the upper 400s was because I got the VSG. My highest was 360 -- that's when I started the research process. Had I not had the surgery, I would have gained everything I lost back and then some, as had been the pattern ever since I was 10. Hell, even WITH the surgery, I went from 282 back up to 341 because I spent years in "every day is a cheat day" mode. Done with that... I'm 3 months in and almost 30lbs down. I'm going to get there this time, damn it!

You can do it, I'm rooting for you!