How "bad" is a rare "starch binge" ?

Edward Friedman · 12-18-2007, 07:38 AM

MY WOE is free of grains and starchy vegetables...usually. Every now and then, say once per month or once every two months, I find that I heartily indulge in the very stuff that I know is "bad" to eat regularly. Last night it was a HUGE quantity of pasta. Last month it was ziti-pizza. When this "urge" comes upon me, it is a powerful (addictive,) craving.

I seem to recall in Protein Power, Drs. Eades discussing paleo folks now and then coming across a bee hive full of honey and gorging.

I would prefer not finding myself in that zombie-like state of thinking "F#@!$ it ! I'm gonna have some ! " Is the right move at that point to have some fat (say a coconut oil treat,) or animal protein to quell the craving?

Thanks,

Eddie

Garrett Smith · 12-18-2007, 08:12 AM

I'd say you have three options:
1) Enjoy the binge. Relax.
2) Keep some starchy Paleo-friendly foods around for just that occasion.
3) Fight it with all you've got and eat meat, veggies, and fat until you aren't thinking about it anymore.

Troy Archie · 12-18-2007, 09:35 AM

Rules for eating un-paleo "bad" foods:

1. Eat only the highest quality.
-If you're going to have a pizza, make sure it's amazing wood fired pizza with only the best ingredients. Same goes for chocolate, burgers or whatever your weakness is. Plus you'll be much less inclined to go overboard eating a $5 chocolate bar than a $0.99 king-sized Snickers.

2. Eat with others.
-It's a hell of a lot more fun and healthy to eat un-paleo "bad" food with a pretty women or good family/friends and extremely unhealthy to eat a pizza alone in your bachelor pad apartment.

Garrett Smith · 12-18-2007, 09:57 AM

I agree with Troy's suggestions. Although I will say that, much like my alone morning workouts, I do actually really enjoy having a good beer by myself. I'm positive it's only because my job involves talking with people all day--I need some time to not be asked questions or be expected to be on top of my game ALL the time.

I definitely believe in the high-quality cheat foods. Not only are they more nutritious in general, they also tend to come in smaller servings/packages.

At the very least, get in a heaping helping of veggies with your cheat food.

Troy Archie · 12-18-2007, 10:44 AM

Yeah I do break my rules too Garrett. Sitting back, watching a hockey game with a beer or wine and some chocolate alone is a great thing too. What I was more or less getting at was simply enjoying doing these things. I was way too susceptible to mad mad binges in the past, inhaling insane amounts of shitty food and unable to stop untill I started to do what I had mentioned above. I also think quitting the zone helped too.

Edward Friedman · 12-18-2007, 11:41 AM

Thank you Troy & Garrett,

Garrett, funny, I did add some great veggies to the "later" bowls of pasta, just at the point where I knew I was in for the binge, as a "let me see if I can add some better quality food to salvage this otherwise pure-pasta act of gluttony."

What would you consider, "some starchy Paleo-friendly foods around for just that occasion" ?

Thanks,

Eddie

John Seiler · 12-18-2007, 12:05 PM

Agreed. To me, the whole point of this grand exercise, watching what I eat eat experience is to improve the quality of my life. That means balancing out things you 'should' do and things you want to do. (Best of both worlds is when they are the same.) Heck, it probably evens out if you alleviate the stress from worrying about NEVER eating anything "bad" or feeling guilty if you do. From a more pragmatic standpoint, many people can end up feeling cheated if they never do the things they want. For them that means they ending up canning the whole program.

Garrett Smith · 12-18-2007, 12:10 PM

Eddie,
Are there any that you know of that you like? Sweet potatoes? Is it only starch? Or does sugar fall in there too?

For me, sweet potato chips from TJ's really helped for a while. I've recently taken to eating two small Fuji apples when I start making dinner.

I'm personally partial to binges at AYCE sushi places. The rice may not be Paleo, but it gets the "carb" job done without gluten, seaweed gives it some veggie kick, and there are no nightshades if I stay away from the "spicy" rolls. Fills my binge need (relatively inexpensively) and doesn't violate things too badly. Try to minimize the collateral damage...

If you can keep some cheat foods around and not eat them, good on you. I actually can't, that's why I don't buy them unless it's the weekend and I'm going to eat it then and there.

But in all seriousness, a once-a-month or every-other-month binge is not a problem at all, IMO, especially if you don't have any pre-existing health issues that you are trying to fix.

Edward Friedman · 12-18-2007, 12:36 PM

Thanks again Garrett,

...and again, funny ! You mention sweet potatoes...There are literally only a handful of foods I don't like. Sweet potatoes, olives, radishes and...uh...I can't remember the remaining two

I guess the aspiring perfectionist within needs to relax about occasionally finding a bee hive, as long as it is not too frequent.

All the best,

Eddie

Mike ODonnell · 12-18-2007, 02:21 PM

Nothing bad about anything "rare"....go out and enjoy...if you overdo it and feel like crap the whole day or next day then that will be plenty motivation not to do it again anytime soon. The body needs variety....so a day of splurging will actually probably be a benefit to your fat burning and muscle gaining goals.

If I splurge...you better believe it is pizza and beer...or wings...and I do splurge....yet I find keeping lean and keeping muscle easier.