Blog

1

What's your take on cheat days or cheat meals? I'm dying for some fried chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits O_o

flag
5 
Go for it! Don't deprive yourself if you feel the urge. One meal isn't gonna kill you. Hell, if you are in the Denver metro area, I would join you. – RaiseFitness Jul 22 at 21:16
2 
There's definitely some paleo friendly and damn tasty fried chicken and mashed potato recipes out there. – Mscott Jul 22 at 21:22
Well, i cheated,i had fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and coleslaw. I'm regretting it now though, i feel bloated as hell and not feeling too dandy. I will not cheat again, at least not for a while. – Alvaro Jul 23 at 5:33
2 
If you can keep it to one cheat meal, then fine. Sometimes the pain helps to remind you why you do this. Some people find that one cheat leads to another (me). – Dave S. Jul 23 at 11:44

10 Answers

5

To have a planned meal of eating something not paleo say for a special occasion at a restaurant is a lot safer than giving in to a random craving for no good reason. When I have cravings for random foods I find a paleo recipe which I can make to satisfy that craving. Sometimes just the act of looking up the recipes is enough to keep me from falling off. If I do end up making it, that typically works to satisfy the craving.

The other thing I've always found helpful to deter me from cheating or being lazy and going to a restaurant for convenience or cravings is to always keep my refrigerator filled with expensive (to me) meats and vegetables and fruits because if I have stuff that I've spent my hard-earned money on sitting at home I have less interest in spending more money for crappy food out in a restaurant and risking my good stuff going bad. I hope that makes sense.

link|flag
great answer, Thank you – Alvaro Jul 22 at 22:29
5

Paleo-friendly and DELICOUS fried Chicken

Oven 350 (Cook time is 30 minutes) 2 Chicken breast (or whatever you want 1-2 eggs for egg wash Utz Pork rinds - They are Pork skin and Sea Salt Electric food chopper

Pulse the Pork rinds into a "flour/meal" Egg wash chicken roll in "Breading" Cook for 30 minutes

Change underwear

As for Mashed potatoes - Mashed cauliflour/parsnips/sweet potato? With a ton of Kerrygold

link|flag
1 
Sounds delicious! – Alvaro Jul 22 at 22:14
1 
ground up pork rinds?? that sounds amazing!! – Heather Jul 22 at 23:43
facebook.com/… Here's one of my recipes, Pork Rind crusted Eggplant – Alvaro Jul 23 at 5:37
My wife makes chicken cutlets using pork rinds. I like the touch of bacon flavor. – Dave S. Jul 23 at 11:46
4

If you're not craving something that will give you immediate consequences (bread if you're Celiac, soy if you're allergic, etc) then go for it once in a while!

Sometimes I really just need a big bowl of black bean soup, so I eat things with beans a few times a month. Sometimes I really want a smoked Gouda, gruyere, and sharp cheddar grilled cheese on rye pumpernickel swirl, but I'm gluten intolerant so I try not to give into that nearly so often.

link|flag
4

Cheat meals are a bad idea for me because they lead to cheat months.

I consider it a "deviation" not a cheat though, because I mean, cheat just sounds silly.

link|flag
Hahaha. "cheat months" - good one. – Dave S. Jul 23 at 11:48
1 
starting to come out of a terrible week...so bad...I am day 1 back to paleo ... it's a downward spiral of one "cheat" after another and cravings and hormones and emotions are all over the shop – mzrdnan Jul 23 at 14:32
4

To cheat is to act unfairly to gain an advantage. You gain no advantage apart from satisfying a temporary craving (like an animal), and it will only serve to increase such cravings in the future, instead of them going away (which they do, in time).

Do what you wish, but at least be honest with yourself :)

link|flag
"To cheat is to act unfairly to gain an advantage." Woah, I have never thought of cheating with food in such a literal manner! Really interesting. – Julia Jul 23 at 1:02
So, then, eating paleo is like cheating all the time. – Dave S. Jul 23 at 11:47
No, paleo gains you an advantage, but not unfairly. – Karen Jul 23 at 14:37
4

I can't do it. My body and brain responds to carbs like a recovering alcoholic or addict would to their substance of choice. One wouldn't tell someone in recovery to have a drink now and then.

While I'm now fat adapted, some part of me thinks to carbs every day.

Granted, that's the way I'm built/cursed. If one can handle it, sure.

link|flag
2

Where are you in your goal/ Do you have a goal?

Paleo is different for everyone and I for one really enjoy that aspect...many paths up the same mountain.

Depending on what you need Paleo to help you accomplish, you're either still moving toward your goal which there is no set time or date since, you’re the only one currently looking to achieve your goal…or you’re conducting a self-inflicted control study to establish what your body is now capable of contending with IE.. Chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits, because after you've eaten it, you'll know quite quickly if you'll be eating that again.

I know this might simply come down to a matter of semantics, but I hear people talking about cheat days who follow no particular way of eating, they just eat what they want anyway and still have cheat days mind blown

I’ve also read some tasty sounding gravy ideas for those potatoes; let us know how it turns out for you!

Truth.

link|flag
Actually my goal, i'm already enjoying it, is to live a healthy and happy life. Regularly i'm 100% Primal, but lately i've been getting this kind of cravings. – Alvaro Jul 22 at 22:12
3 
Indulge! I think of it this way...Paleo man may not have had honey every day, but I can almost guarantee that if he/ she found a hive they'd suck every comb as though it held the cure for cancer until it was gone...everything in moderation, whether that be self-imposed or natures roulette table. Truth. – TruthinessInc Jul 22 at 22:20
1 
"...as though it held the cure for cancer" I am so going to have to remember that line! :D – Varelse Jul 22 at 22:46
2

I don't plan cheats because it is too hard for me to get back on track. If you can give in to your cravings and be done with it, go for it!

link|flag
1

Dip the bird in coconut flour/egg, season it up & fry it in coconut oil. Use a ton of butter for the potatoes.

link|flag
1

Almond flour + sea salt+ pepper

Egg bath of egg+water+ franks

You will thank me later

link|flag
Franks as in hot dogs? – MathGirl72 Jul 23 at 14:13
Frank's red hot? – Alvaro Jan 7 at 3:26

Your Answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.