Should I start over?

[mandya10]

So far I have never 'cheated'.  However, I have consumed Larabars and too much fruit (along with snacking throughout the day).  After reading more, I now know the Larabars are for 'emergencies' only, and that my brain doesn't know the difference between a snickers and a larabar!  I freaked when I read that because I've put a lot of time, money, and effort into this program.  Should I start over?? I'm feeling pretty crappy about my predicament...

 

Also, WHY is snacking strongly discouraged??

 

[jmcbn]

So long as you haven't eaten anything off plan then there's no need to start over - you just need to really reign things in now that you know where you've been going wrong.

Snacking is discouraged because i) your digestive system needs some down time in between meals, and ii) because it is around the 4-5hr window that your body will turn to your fat stores for fuel...

Hope this helps 

[mandya10]

Thank you so much for your response!  That does make sense!  Because I will be eliminating the larabars and some fruit items, should I expect new symptoms that would be off the timeline?

[jmcbn]

You might get some headaches & cravings because effectively you've been replacing your sugar habit with a fructose one - be sure to drink at least a half an ounce of water per pound of body weight daily, and up your fat intake.

If you do crave something sweet do not feed it with fruit - opt for protein & fat, it's the only way.

And remember that cravings are temporary - try some kind of distraction technique like painting your nails...