I'm Planning My Cheat Day

[Blessings]

Thank you guys for the encouragment and suggestions. I loved the ROTFIP. I have never heard it before.

I just watched America's Funniest Home Videos and saw that most of them would be me on gluten.

I just wish it would all go away. I probably won't cheat on purpose but it's just not fair to get accidentaly glutened and suffer for nothing good. I just want to try it and see. I've been trying to do the diet for a year and really do feel so much better.

I get tired of gluten/celiac being the center of conversation even if I won't talk about it. I don't even like to go out anymore. I don't like to be the center of attention.

I have tried so many pizza crust that I don't care for. My next one is the Namaste brand. My dtr bought me a cookbook 1000 gluten-free recepies and the flour mix was yucky. I do love my Pamela's flour but so expensive. I will look at the site you suggested.

I will think of something good to celebrate with. I don't think my hubby will let me cheat anyways. He says he would have to move out for 2 weeks if I do. Hmm

Thanks agin for the boost.

[tarnalberry]

I'm being laid off from my job June 19th, and I've love to cheat, but I've got some hiking I'd like to do, and the physical effects of gluten (even if mine aren't bad) are not appropriate when you have to bury your waste (or cart it out in blue bags!), and pack out your toilet paper! /eww!

[EazyE]

Yeay for you! That sounds awesome! I love that you planned each of your favorite things. Enjoy every bite. I hope you don't get too sick. I did the same sort of thing for my birthday and it was sooooo worth it! I was only sick the following morning and I would do it again! Don't let these people get you down. They mean well but ometimes they get too sensitive.

[Welda Johnson]

Hi Blessing,

I see where you get your name! I feel blessed right now that I suffer tremendously whenever I ingest any grain, any milk or dairy, egg whites, yeast, maltodextrin, modified food starch, casein, whey or msg. Since age 8 I've had severe asthma, bronchial infections, pneumonia, colitis, an ulcer, depression, anxiety, and on and on--until I learned to eliminate the above mentioned foods (I'm now 64 so it took a lot of years to figure out what was going on).

See, when I read your post and those that followed, (especially the one from the person who had no symptoms), I remembered clearly how my attitude used to be one of negativity when thinking of Celiac, and I also remembered that I now feel "blessed" to have such symptoms, because this reaction to food that we all have keeps us on the straight and narrow. Hey, I'll bet you look years younger than your counterparts (been to a reunion lately?) and in time you'll even FEEL better. For what more could we ask?

I even saw Celebrity Apprentice last Sunday night, and one group made gluten free spaghetti and won their round. Now that's progress! Recently I asked my 75 year old doctor, who I've been with since 1965, if he knew of a doctor who specialized in Celiac (I've created some student materials and wanted to contact a doctor who was knowledgeable). "Who has Celiac?" he almost shouted. "I do!" I responded. He was so kind--he had his son print reams of material on Celiac and made sure I got it before I left his office. I didn't have the heart to tell him I had written material myself, but these instances all remind me that WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS, not only with this disease, but with helping educate others about it. Maybe one day soon we'll start testing all babies for Celiac, as they do in Italy. That would certainly be progress.

So glad you started this thread. Thanks. Welda

[one more mile]

Anyone else get so fed up and tempted and plan their cheat?

Not tempted at all. Spending two years in bed and not knowing why is where I came from. Right now I am having fun figuring out how to make and buy safe alternatives. It can be done, QVC and Open Original Shared Link make an awesome breaded chicken. Ben and Jerry's has an allergy food listing guide that has a whole page of gluten free ice creams. That is close enough to cheating for me.I cannot give back this new life that I have found.

[spinsterwitch]

I have serious moments of grieving and craving gluten foods. I never thought it would be that bad when I started cutting it out...then one day reading a description in a novel about fresh baked bread, I almost started crying. I fantasize about having Bakesale Betty's Cinnamon Rolls (I'd affectionately nicknamed them Crack) most of the time. But I am supremely blessed to live only 7 blocks from Mariposa Bakery where I can get all sorts of good gluten-free baked goods.

[Takala]

I'd be perpetually broke and 50 lbs heavier if I wasn't 2.75 hours away from Mariposa !

[lovegrov]

Although I've never purposely cheated in more than 7 years (OK, I did have one non-gluten-free, non-wheat beer, which really has virtually no gluten), I can understand the desire to do so. And the reality is that a VERY large percentage of people with celiac do cheat purposely at least once. I was very, very ill, the memory of which helps keep me straight.

As for cancer "brewing" in your intestines or elsewhere, there's no way to know, just as with lung cancer or other cancers. While eating gluten our chance of developing cancer is indeed elevated, but still really tiny. And I can't imagine that one cheat will trigger cancer that wouldn't have happened otherwise.

This is not to approve of cheating. Just adding a little perspective.

richard

[emcmaster]

One cheat day will probably be all that you need for the next few years or the rest of your life.

I never feel tempted to cheat if I'm feeling good. The only time it is tempting is if I have been accidentally glutened.

[samcarter]

One cheat day will probably be all that you need for the next few years or the rest of your life.

I never feel tempted to cheat if I'm feeling good. The only time it is tempting is if I have been accidentally glutened.

Yep, it's easy to think, "Oh, I already feel gross...why not?" I did this today. I ate a piece of cheese from my son's plate without thinking, and feel gross, and so I ended up eating some Pringles (the wheat starch always gets me). So I'll have that lovely effect to look forward to. I can't believe I was so dumb.

[Judyin Philly]

I'm being laid off from my job June 19th, and I've love to cheat, but I've got some hiking I'd like to do, and the physical effects of gluten (even if mine aren't bad) are not appropriate when you have to bury your waste (or cart it out in blue bags!), and pack out your toilet paper! /eww!

Tiffany, sorry about the lay off but i do undertsand the reasons for staying.........'clean' with your diet

What a great attitude.

Judy

[msmini14]

I saw this post come up the first time and I knew this would get a lot of reaction lol. It is sad that a person who knows they shouldnt do something still does.

Have you ever cheated before? If not then I say go for it. I hope you learn your lesson.

I cheated well over a year ago. I ate gluten 1 month after being gluten free and will never do it again, I was so ill. Was not worth it at all. I am glad I did though because I learned not to ever eat gluten on purpose. I couldnt even imagine what kind of reaction I would have these days, I dont want too.

I joke around sometimes and say oh I am just going to take 1 bite, but I wouldnt ever do that. Besides my dh and I eat so good, we experiment in the kitchen all time and love every bite of it.

Do I miss being normal at times? Of course I do. Would be so much easier, but this is something I need to cope with because it is a life change.

Is your family supportive of you being gluten free? Do they understand?

I wish the best of luck to you

[Generic]

I planned my cheat day, but it will never happen. I always said that if I was put on death row, that for my last meal I would eat nothing but gluten. But with my luck, I would get a last minute pardon. I would be begging them to kill me any way!

[msmini14]

I planned my cheat day, but it will never happen. I always said that if I was put on death row, that for my last meal I would eat nothing but gluten. But with my luck, I would get a last minute pardon. I would be begging them to kill me any way!

haha that is a good one!

[CeliacMom2008]

OK, I don't have Celiac and I know the psychological portion of Celiac is probably the hardest part. I'm so much better on the day to day stuff with my son than I am when I start thinking things like, "he's NEVER going to be able to __________." So I know my "choice" to eat gluten free most of the time doesn't come with the psychological baggage that HAVING to eat gluten free comes with. Despite that I'm going to step in here...

For all of you who think you're missing something wonderful out there, you're not. Our brains have a strange way of distorting our memories. If you don't believe that, think of child birth. If our memories were 100% accurate the world would be filled with a lot more only children!

Speaking of Sonic...I had Sonic for the first time this past weekend. My mom and I were out and about and decided to stop in for a quick lunch. I ate about a 1/3 of the chicken wrap I got and pitched the rest with my mom saying I could get something that tasted better when I got home.

The night before my husband and I went out to an Italian restaurant for our date night. We both ate about 1/2 of our meals and then joked about what food snobs we've become now that I cook!

And last night our family was in need of a comfort food kind of night. So despite it being a Monday, we did our pizza and a movie night (except it was a school night so "movie" was really just something on TV). I made pizzas and it was a fabulous meal.

I can't tell you how many times my husband and I have eaten out and been so disappointed. I never would've believed it a year and half ago - especially because I was NOT a good cook by any means!

Anyway, I just wanted to share that it's not as great out there as you remember it. It's a case of the grass looking greener (and note that I didn't say that the grass WAS greener - it just looks it). The convenience of eating out is the only thing really green!! And I haven't found a way to paint that little ditty into a rosy picture. Not being able to stop just anywhere when you need it stinks!

If I were planning a way to celebrate some time off work it would be - gluten-free cinnamon rolls for breakfast (the kind I make for holidays that leave me with a stomach ache because I eat too much and they are oh so sweet) and gluten free pizzas for supper (I'd probably make my 2 favorite kinds). And probably PB&J on Pamela's pancakes for a picnic lunch while hiking or doing something else fabulous that I couldn't do because of work.

I hope for healthy eating and feeling great for all of you!!!

[Gemini]

I have resigned from my job as of June 1st and am planning a cheat day. I am stopping at Fargo's Pizza and having a few bites of pizza then on to BK and a couple bites of a chicken sandwich then on to Sonic and a couple bites of a sloppy burger and possibly some original crusty skin from a piece of KFC chicken. I am not taking my hubby or kids and I am going to enjoy each bite. They can have my leftovers when I get home. My hubby bets that I don't make it home b4 I have to GO. I will then live with my two weeks of misery and go back on this rediculous diet and make the best of it till the next time I get accidentaly glutened.

Anyone else get so fed up and tempted and plan their cheat?

Ummmm....what a shame that your consider this a ridiculous diet! I know it was a life saver for me and I eat better, with more variety, than most people I know. I never miss anything I used to eat but I also was not heavily into fast food before I was diagnosed so there are very few foods I actually "miss". I could understand feeling the way you do if this were 1985 and there was little to no gluten-free food anywhere but today? We have so much at our disposal, I completely do not understand the cheating thing. Maybe you will be lucky and become so violently ill, you'll lose your desire to cheat and can move on to better things.

[luvs2eat]

I chomped down a heavenly thick slice of the homemade bread I could only make for others about a year after going gluten-free (or THOUGHT I was gluten-free... peeps here set me straight right quick!) and had NO reaction!

I was elated... and spent a lot of time thinking I might "plan" a cheat, maybe once a month.

But, as I REALLY embraced gluten free eating... I became more and more sensitive and would no longer consider cheating than I would jumping in front of a bus!!

[mattathayde]

i understand the want to cheat and i consider it some times but i never feel it is worth it for me, some people are less sensitive, to me the idea that having to screen my shampoo for gluten is ridiculous but then i look at a friend who is also a celiac and she doesnt even eat gluten free at all (at least white breads and tortillas dont bother her GI but i can see issues in her that i know she cannot see).

as to those that keep talking about all these great tasting gluten free alternatives please tell me where i can get a decent hamburger bun that has the same consistency and taste of the soft smooth buns or where i can get cookies that taste like soft batch, or heck even a tortilla that tastes decent cause everything i have tried either doesnt taste good, has a bad texture and just crumbles or just tastes off.

im a college student and there is plenty of stuff i wish i could eat, like sub way, 5guys with the bun, quiznoes, basically anything in the dining hall or the food court we have, i dont care about the beer part of college cause i dont have time to waste it partying. yes i eat better now but cooking is one more thing i have to do in an already busy schedule being an art major. maybe i just havent looked around enough to find good alternatives but the only place here that really has a good amount is whole foods and that is a 2 hour excursion for groceries by the time i drive to WF, drive back, go to kroger to get the things i couldnt get at WF, and come back and even then there is only so much and frankly their gluten-free bakery is horrid on all but the pecan pie i tried.

any way to the OP, its your choice, you know the consequences by now, you know how you will react, and do what you want, most people here wont do it and honestly i dont think i could justify it for my self, and some will rant and rave about it but its your life, make your choices

-matt

[Mike47]

I have resigned from my job as of June 1st and am planning a cheat day. I am stopping at Fargo's Pizza and having a few bites of pizza then on to BK and a couple bites of a chicken sandwich then on to Sonic and a couple bites of a sloppy burger and possibly some original crusty skin from a piece of KFC chicken. I am not taking my hubby or kids and I am going to enjoy each bite. They can have my leftovers when I get home. My hubby bets that I don't make it home b4 I have to GO. I will then live with my two weeks of misery and go back on this rediculous diet and make the best of it till the next time I get accidentaly glutened.

Anyone else get so fed up and tempted and plan their cheat?

Go for it if you think you can take it. I would definately take some digestive enzymes with that good tasting poison. Good luck. Your gonna get sick.

[eringopaint]

OMG - I would never intentionally eat gluten!

If you are feeling deprived buy or bake a bunch of GLUTEN FREE treats... brownies, muffins, cookies, pizza and eat as much as you want. Enjoy - no guilt, no sickness.

There are many amazing gluten free foods like...

365 brand brownie mix are the best brownies I've ever had. non-celiacs LOVE them.

Kinnitoos by Kinninnick are identical to oreos.

I bake bread and muffins every week... nothing like the smell or taste of fresh baked goods.

Gluten is poison. period.

[melmak5]

Did you ever see the SNL skit for adult diapers called "Oops I Crapped My Pants"?

The thought of gluten makes me think I could do similar ads.

I have a friend who is lactose intolerant and we call it EMERGENCY FACE.

(That look you get where you need a restroom ASAP and you don't want people to know but then have to break out into a modified sprint.)

There are lots of recipes and alternative products and encouragement for you to stay gluten-free.

That said, only you can want to do it and make that happen.

If you are going to cheat, I recommend access to a private, well ventilated toilet for the post-cheat. Be prepared, be very prepared. (This is not the time to buy the cheap tp either. If you are going to splurge on junk food consider the fluffy 2-ply as well.)