In my time using Slow Carb as my nutrition plan, I’ve had a definite love hate relationship with both Cheat Day and Restart Day. Cheat day is that day where you get to eat whatever you want. You binge up a bit to increase your caloric in-take, and trick your body into NOT letting your resting metabolism drift too low. For folks starting the journey, it serves as an emotional respite in the week. You just have to be good Sunday – Friday, and then you can take a breather! However, for novice’s and emotional eaters, the Cheat Day can often turn into two days, and a series of micro cheats throughout the week. That’s not good.
That means that RESTART DAY, that day after Cheat Day can be hard. Emotionally, you are challenged to GO BACK to the grind. You probably will be the MOST tempted on Restart day, especially if you didn’t statisfy that craving you needed to get satisfied. In my case, this week it would be, Chili Cheese Fries.
So, how do you evolve past this double edged sword? Well, first, and foremost. Accountability is one way. My partner sent me a ‘start it right’ text this morning, which I replied to with my own tweet with a photo of my breakfast this morning.
Second, find something FOOD WISE to look forward to on Restart Day. For me, I make a simple treat for my regular Slow Carb breakfast. I buy some wild mushrooms from the Farmer’s Market, sautee’ them with garlic and sage and some butter, and serve them with breakfast. It’s an ‘upscaling’ of breakfast that I LOVE to eat and love to make for the family. So, I have something fun food wise to look forward to. I can see the value of my nutrition plan in a different way. This helps me shed the ‘fun’ of cheat day and look forward to the ‘fun’ of a week of Slow Carb. So, what might work for you? Trying a new recipe? Buying ‘the good’ nuts at Trader Joe’s, or perhaps a nice bottle of red wine?
Third, be reflective! In many way, it took you a moment of reflective clarity and courage to START something like Slow Carb in the first place. Especially if you use food to satisfy emotional discomfort. Addressing your weight and obesity is NOT easy. You took a big step STARTING SLOW CARB. Each week, you somewhat re-start that process again. You have to re-discover the resolve you had initially. But hopefully, this time you now have this new confidence. You’ve seen changes. You’re fitting into clothes again. So, take a moment, perhaps a few minutes to reflect on the things you are grateful for, the things that made you want to change your life in the first place. Relish them, find the Joy in them.
This process is hard, but it doesn’t have to be devoid of joy. Find the Joy in Restart Day! What do you do to make Restart Day a success? Sound off in our comments section, or perhaps, you can reply with a tweet with the hashtag #restartday.