The most recent group online coaching meeting (July 14, 2020) hosted by Dr. Tro’s Medical Weight Loss & Direct Primary care centered its discussion around resisting temptation vs. replacing and also touched on a blog post about cheating.

Dr. Tro Kalayjian, DO, and Health Coaches Amy Eiges and Brian Wiley also spent a significant portion of the call discussing the issue of straying off plan and why doing so is a bad idea for most.

The more than 50 participants on the Zoom call heard Tro, Amy and Brian give practical advice and tips, along with scientific studies that demonstrated how they can prepare their defenses to avoid going off track. They also learned about relevant studies, one from David Ludwig and another study from Japan, explaining the negative effects of high-carb meals and what they do to the body.

Tro, Amy, and Brian discussed the fact that we all deal with overeating on occasion. Brian shared his experiences with going of track with high carb meals early in his journey that he attributed to not having replacements for when cravings hit and Amy shared a recent personal story about how she almost ate an entire Lily’s chocolate bar and jar of peanut butter, showing that you can lose control even on low carb.

The following key messages were emphasized throughout the call:

• Cheating low carb may be a helpful tool, rather than cheating high carb
• Replace what you can’t resist
• Regular low carb “fat bombs” and “treats and snacks” is probably not ideal for weight loss, but likely helpful during stressful times instead of high carbage
• Periodic (a couple times a year) low-carb cheating has helped Brian stay so slim for so long

Participants had the chance to ask questions (directly on the Zoom call, in advance via email, or through Zoom chat), and Amy, Brian and Dr. Tro took turns responding. The participants and leaders shared some victories, struggles, strategies and shared great insight on their own journeys:

• Participants were asked if they believed overindulging a little on keto treats was cheating? Almost all the hands went up, indicating that most people did consider that cheating.
• Dr. Tro Amy and Brian explained that although most keto treats are not weight-loss foods, the adverse impact is much less then high-carb versions. so choosing them over a high-carb version could still be considered a win.
• One of the best things you can do if you’re thinking about eating something unacceptable, is to buy yourself some time. For many people, simply buying some time is a difference maker.
• Everyone looks at the scale as a report card, but it’s not. Your appetite is the #1 report card. Your ability to fast is the second report card. Learn about tools like drinking seltzer for volume and buying time to let satiety kick in.
• Watch for patterns that trigger cravings or hunger, and then develop defenses because this will eventually help appetite control and make intermittent fasting (IF) easier.

The following studies were shared during the meeting:

• Body mass index trajectory patterns and changes in visceral fat and glucose metabolism before the onset of type 2 diabetes – Weight, A1c, glucose and fasting insulin all RISE before a diagnosis of diabetes, meaning our standard diet is obesogenic and diabetogenic, a clear reason NOT to cheat – https://www.nature.com/articles/srep43521
• Effects of a low carbohydrate diet on energy expenditure during weight loss maintenance: randomized trial – Another reason not to cheat is that David Ludwig showed that metabolism increases by 200-300 calories per day by STAYING low carb versus eating high carb
• Effects of Dietary Carbohydrate Content on Circulating Metabolic Fuel Availability in the Postprandial State -This study shows why Brian likely felt horrible after eating high carb cheats – there was lower blood total energy.

July 21 Group Coaching Meeting Topic:

The topic of the July 21 meeting is Cheating Recovery: How to recover from a “cheat” meal, day, week or longer. Dr. Tro and health coaches Amy Eiges and Brian Wiley will lead the discussion.

Health Coach Amy Eiges has also written a useful blog post detailing her experiences recovering from cheat meals and cheat days.

Here’s how to join the Group Coaching Program:

You can sign up for the Group Coaching program now for just $10 per month. For a one-time cost of $150, first-time members will benefit from an introductory 1-on-1 session with a health coach, and receive a general plan and a scale. Upon signup, you will receive access to the weekly online teleconferences, and all the benefits of working with our experienced, knowledgeable, and certified group coaches.