Do I Ever “Cheat?”
/Weight Loss Fluctuations (4.7.2025 to 4.13.2025)
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You know, we use words in weird ways sometimes. Some are lovely and comforting, like 'cherish' or 'tranquil.' Some are edgy and sharp. Think 'irascible' or 'grunge.' Some are just cool-sounding: 'Onomatopoeia' or 'quidnunc,' anyone?
Then there are words to which we ascribe negative and cutesy connotations, sometimes simultaneously. "Cheat" is such a word. To cheat is considered a bad thing, right? From hiding a card up your sleeve during a poker game to buying someone else's (better than you would write) term paper and turning it in as your work to that biggie—stepping out on your partner.
And 'cheating' is now often used to describe food choices that we may know don't serve us well. Naughty, naughty, You cheated on your diet!"
At the same time, we've allowed making not-so-great decisions to be imputed as "cheating," where cheating is benign, harmless, or even an adorable guilty pleasure. Food advertisers have gotten in on the trend, beckoning us to go to their fast food restaurant, their section of the grocery store, or their food delivery app that is no further than the tips of our fingers for our "cheat meal … Maybe two!" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
I began following the ketogenic protocol on January 8th, 2014. I had spent decades employing the wink-and-nudge approach, which resulted in obesity, worsening metabolic health, depression, and a feeling of defeat. I had given up trying to lose weight. So many times in my past, I made stabs at reversing all the badness of how I felt and looked. Hell, some years, reversing things felt out of reach. Stopping the trend towards 'everything worse' would have felt like success.
But on that gray January day, I knew if I didn't make profound changes, I'd pass a tipping point health and psyche-wise and might never return. I searched for how to not take insulin for Type 2 Diabetes—which surely was in my near future—and saw the "white coat video" of Dr. Eric Westman of Duke University telling patients at his clinic to lay off the carbs. (Ok, he didn't put it like that. I'm summarizing.)
Since that morning, I have not 'cheated.' I've not backslid, fallen off the wagon, self-medicated with chocolate, used food for comfort, or any other little self-serving, fantasy phrases we have all used to give ourselves a pass. Reminder: I gave myself many 'get out of jail' cards over three decades. But I didn't pass 'go' or collect a metaphorical two hundred dollars. I just kept getting heavier.
Don't wait if you're ready, as was I, to get a grip on myself regarding food. If you've tried before and 'strumbled' (yes, a cutesy portmanteau from a morning video snippet on my private Go Keto with Casey Patreon group), try again. I don't know how many times I tried in the past before it stuck for me. It doesn't matter. I just know that I don't 'cheat' on myself and my health and happiness.
BTW, if you find yourself tempted to cheat, smiling slyly to yourself, ask how you'd react to your kid cheating on an algebra test. Or your romantic partner checking into a hotel with someone else. Not well, I assume. Let's not think of cheating as innocuous but for what it is: Hoodwinking those around us ... and ourselves.
As always, if I can do this, you can do this. I promise.
Disclaimer: I’m not a medical doctor, researcher, or Ph.D., but instead, I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths, and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all. I welcome questions, comments, and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!
