Controversial 'Planned Splurge' Strategy Needs Clarification

Hey everyone! I'm back in Spartanburg, South Carolina now after spending a week in west Tennessee. It's good to be home at last and a return to normality (whatever that is!).

It looks like my previous post about my "planned splurge" on Tuesday has caused quite a stir among many of my regular readers.

"Diet King" Adam Wilk wanted to know if I had dessert on my "planned splurge." Yep! I sure did. I ate about 15 of their cinnamon sticks.

Regina Wilshire wanted to know if I was "exaggerating" about the amount of food and drink I consumed on my "planned splurge." While I can occasionally hyperbolize to make a point, Regina, the numbers I provided you are exactly what I ate. Am I going to be punished with lashes from a wet noodle now?

Duncan Margetts is worried that I am "heading for fat-land again." Here's the highlight of what Duncan wrote:

"Your splurge meal perhaps demonstrates that deep down you still don't have the degree of mental control over your food intake that you're going to need to stay slim into the future. Food appears to feature all too prominently in your life."

Wow, Duncan! I'm so glad to know you care so much about me that you would give it to me straight. I REALLY appreciate that more than you can know. But you need not worry about me regarding the mental aspect of my weight loss and weight maintenance. I am in COMPLETE control of what I put in my mouth and with the number of carbohydrates I am allowing myself to eat.

If food appears to be a big part of my life, then it is simply for my enjoyment as I continue down this lifelong journey to remain healthy. I still weigh myself daily and keep a very close eye on any abnormal increases so I can take immediate action. It has worked for the past seven months since I lost my 180 pounds and I expect it to work for the rest of my life.

I could probably never do one of my "planned splurge" meals ever again and that would suit me fine. I really have overcome my desire to eat that way on a normal basis and am content with the deliciously satisfying foods I get to enjoy while livin' la vida low-carb. So why do I still do it? Because I can. The freedom that comes from that is greater than you could ever imagine if you have suffered with weight your entire life.

Again, THANK YOU Duncan for caring enough about my physical well-being to educate me about the effect my "planned splurge" meals have on my body. I can appreciate where you are coming from and gladly listen to your opinion because I respect what you have to say. We're both fighting this "food monkey" and will be forever and ever amen.

My low-carb recipe friend Kalyn Denny noted that she recently used the "planned splurge" strategy on a trip to California where she ate a burger and fries. Kalyn said she does this "every few months," especially when she is traveling and away from the kitchen she uses to whip up those great-tasting recipes she makes. She even had a small bowl of watermelon despite the fact it is loaded with sugar. Kalyn said she "felt out of sorts all day" and wished she had instead eaten a sugar-free fudgesicle! Now you're talking!

Finally, good ole Levi Wallach over at Twelve Black Code Monkeys chimes in with similar comments to what Duncan wrote me. Here's his comments regarding my "planned splurge" strategy:

"You do have to admit that you are intentionally bombarding your body with the stuff that you KNOW caused you problems in the past and you KNOW is bad for you, right? I understand you have a different philosophy in that this is supposedly keeping you from eating this more often, but is it because you eat so much that you get sick and so then you associate carbs with that sickness? Is that the healthiest way to control cravings? Seriously, I'm never craving junk with carbs. The only time when I start craving is when I actually eat a bunch of carbs. It's like the longer I've gone without the more distant that memory is and the more distant the craving is."

Those are all excellent points and let me address each one. I know the foods I choose to eat on my "planned splurge" are bad for me if I make them a regular part of my dietary intake. That's why I got fat to begin with, so I know it all too well. While I don't necessarily get "sick" from my "planned splurge" meals, I usually feel hot with minor nausea. Since it is only one meal, it does not have a lasting impact on my weight or the way I feel. After a few days of livin' la vida low-carb and regular cardio, my body is back to normal again and even in ketosis sometimes.

I don't recommend this strategy to anyone who still battles with cravings or food addiction because it could cause you to stumble. That's why I don't want anyone to misunderstand what the "planned splurge" is. It helped me stay on track on my low-carb lifestyle during my weight loss phase and is effective for me to keep the weight off. I will very likely phase out the "planned splurge" strategy very soon because I no longer need it. But I throw it out there as an option for people to consider if they think they are being deprived of a favorite food while low-carbing it. The "planned splurge" takes away that excuse from them for not doing low-carb.

THANK YOU to everyone who expressed an opinion about my controversial "planned splurge" strategy. Like I said, it may not work for everyone, but it worked for me. I don't pretend to be an expert on the best way to lose and maintain weight loss. But I will gladly share what worked for me and the "planned splurge" was a major part of my 180-pound weight loss success. If it can help somebody finally lose the weight to overcome their obesity problem, then it is worth offering it as an option for them to try. You have to remember that so many people are desperate out there and feel like there is no hope for them to lose weight. We know better and will be here to help them when they ask what worked for us.