What to do when you make a mistake. page

[Laurel730]

I know this is prolly a stupid question but I will ask it anyways. What can you do if you cheat and end up eating bread and butter and sweet potato fries. I prolly should of kicked myself for making this mistake b/c it could of been avoided but I lost control and went for the bread and the fries. What can you do once you make this mistake? Do I exercise a lot? Do I fast the next day? Or just continue on my primal journey as much as I can?

[Primalvore]

I drink a good amount of water and herbal tea (peppermint or ginger). I fast every day until 1 PM, so if I feel like crap I usually am better by then anyways .

Sometimes, if I eat too much at dinner (like have a big meal out) or eat something non-Primal, I'll naturally do a couple of lower calorie days. I physically feel like eating less after whatever the offense was because I have a sensitive stomach, I do not do this to create a calorie deficit.

In my opinion, once you've eaten something you feel you shouldn't have, take it in stride and write it off. Know you made a mistake. Keep a food diary, if you can. And the next day go back to eating 100% primal, as you normally would. Just don't punish yourself emotionally and physically by restricting food when you feel hungry!

[Grumpycakes]

Continue on as if it never happened.

[Stabby]

First, it is important to fail less completely and utterly. You should have just gone for the fries. I eat sweet potato fries every day, although I don't know if yours had bad oils on them. Sweet potato is a fine food unless you are trying to do something specific like stay in a state of ketosis, but otherwise they are far better than bread. If you find yourself authorizing cheating behavior, just shift the cheat to something less dire.

What I think might help you now is going to a quite place, going into a state of meditation and letting the notion that it is fine, so long as you don't do it again any time soon float around your head for 10 minutes or so. Or however long you need. Don't punish yourself but be reasonable with yourself and resolve to do better.

And also resolve to cheat at some point in the future. But resolve to plan for it and make it a positive cheat. Bread inflames and damages the gut and isn't positive. Periodic carb blasts can actually increase circulating leptin. Now that is positive, but not something you should do every day if you are trying to stay low carb.

Not quite carrying on as if it never happened, but certainly not beating yourself up about which is what Grumpy Caveman seems to be emphasizing most.

Ginger tea is also a swell idea. Very good for a damaged gut/

[Adrianag]

Call the Primal Police!!!

No, don't beat yourself up. Just get back on the wagon at the next meal. End of story.

[Owly]

Starve yourself for a month, run 50 tabata sprints, and do penance on your knees in front of a copy of the Primal Blueprint book.

But really, don't freak out about it. Look at what happened and why you decided to eat those things, see if that's something you can change (or want to change), and go on with your regularly scheduled primal lifestyle.

[paleoforlupus]

Don't freak out!!! We all do it now and again, just get back on track and move forward

[kurite]

When I started eating paleo and I cheated I made myself feel like crap and it ruined my entire day. That was a stupid mistake. I haven't cheated in months but I learned that if you just let it go and start eating paleo again without overthinking it that is the best thing you can do for yourself.

[Laurel730]

Thanks guys you are all awesome! I plan to get a food diary, meditate and as of right now trying to lower my monthly bills so I can spend on better quality primal eating. I appreciate all the positive feedback, it's great to be part of a supportive community.

[Max[imilian]]

First, it is important to fail less completely and utterly. You should have just gone for the fries. I eat sweet potato fries every day, although I don't know if yours had bad oils on them. Sweet potato is a fine food unless you are trying to do something specific like stay in a state of ketosis, but otherwise they are far better than bread. If you find yourself authorizing cheating behavior, just shift the cheat to something less dire.

What I think might help you now is going to a quite place, going into a state of meditation and letting the notion that it is fine, so long as you don't do it again any time soon float around your head for 10 minutes or so. Or however long you need. Don't punish yourself but be reasonable with yourself and resolve to do better.

And also resolve to cheat at some point in the future. But resolve to plan for it and make it a positive cheat. Bread inflames and damages the gut and isn't positive. Periodic carb blasts can actually increase circulating leptin. Now that is positive, but not something you should do every day if you are trying to stay low carb.

Not quite carrying on as if it never happened, but certainly not beating yourself up about which is what Grumpy Caveman seems to be emphasizing most.

Ginger tea is also a swell idea. Very good for a damaged gut/

Well said Stabby.