ARE cheat days Necessary?????

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 02:12 PM

ok we all love cheat meals/days.... but how important are they in a cutting diet??? i mean if you are continually losing wait and have not hit a plateau then is it still necessary to cheat.... i always feel like my cheat meals hinder my goals but if they are necessary i am not gonna complain! Would it be better to only cheat every other week or something or is a good idea to cheat 1ce a week...

and when i say cheat i mean all i can eat at my favorite mexican restaurant or 20-30 wings at hooters... 1 meal not a day

**XxElitexX** · 02-18-2005, 02:14 PM

most of all, cheat days are for just some relief from your diet, in no way does it "help" you lose weight, actually it hinders you. But it is mostly to keep you going and not crashing on your diet and motivation.

**Blown_SC** · 02-18-2005, 02:20 PM

If you cheat once in a while, it does help you stay disciplined....
Also, by changing things up, it will help to jumpstart your metabolism...
When dieting I usually cheat once a week (usually 1 meal, sometimes more)...

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 02:20 PM

so should i cut out the cheat meal if am strict enough on my diet???

**Blown_SC** · 02-18-2005, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by getbig888

so should i cut out the cheat meal if am strict enough on my diet???

Are you disciplined enough to do so? I wish I was....
Some people prefer to go for weeks without cheating, it all depends on your goals and level of discipline...

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 02:23 PM

i would definately rather cheat/ but i can go weeks on my diet without cheating if it will help my gains...... but i am afraid my metabolism will adapt to the diet if i throw out my cheat meal!

**Panzerfaust** · 02-18-2005, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by getbig888

so should i cut out the cheat meal if am strict enough on my diet???

Once agian that is up to you, are you making progress? Do you wanna cheat?

It all boils down to personal preference, i cheat 1 meal a week and i feel like i **** well deserve it when it rolls around.

I like to keep sane as well, cutting can be a bitch sometimes.

**Blown_SC** · 02-18-2005, 02:24 PM

I have never seen any scientific proof showing the differences between the two... but, for me, cheating once a week (one meal)... is def. a good way to keep in line...

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 02:27 PM

I am still making progress in my diet with having one all out cheat meal a week. i was just wondering if throwing that out would have a drastic effect?

**Blown_SC** · 02-18-2005, 02:32 PM

IMHO, it shoudn't make a drastic difference bro........

**zuke** · 02-18-2005, 02:35 PM

i think the cheat day/meal helps, but its JMO

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 02:43 PM

should i cut down on my cheat meal any???
example cheat meal::: 1 cup cheese dip with nachos.... and a chicken quesadilla and a chimichanga
or
;; 20-30 wings from hooters and ranch dressing...

**LeanMeOut** · 02-18-2005, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by getbig888

should i cut down on my cheat meal any???
example cheat meal::: 1 cup cheese dip with nachos.... and a chicken quesadilla and a chimichanga
or
;; 20-30 wings from hooters and ranch dressing...

That's fine bro...... most people eat a lot more than that for a cheat meal

And as for the original question, cheat meals are NOT necessary, however they do benefit the dieter IMO. Not only for the recharged metabolism but it keeps you mentally sane, which is 90% of the battle when dieting.

**Hot-Rox** · 02-18-2005, 03:06 PM

GB - I think the real question is how serious are you the rest of the week? Are you eating 6 to 8 small macro balanced meals per day? Are you keeping every work out appointment, cardio session, and eating every scheduled meal on time with balanced nutrition? If you are, your cheat meal serves both a real physiological and psychological purpose. The increased calorie intake keeps your metabolism from shutting down, and the cheat meal is a well deserved treat for your discipline during the rest of the week.

Originally Posted by getbig888

ok we all love cheat meals/days.... but how important are they in a cutting diet??? i mean if you are continually losing wait and have not hit a plateau then is it still necessary to cheat.... i always feel like my cheat meals hinder my goals but if they are necessary i am not gonna complain! Would it be better to only cheat every other week or something or is a good idea to cheat 1ce a week...

and when i say cheat i mean all i can eat at my favorite mexican restaurant or 20-30 wings at hooters... 1 meal not a day

**chuck89gt5.0** · 02-18-2005, 03:24 PM

Think of it this way the majority of guys who compete cut out the cheat day in the final 4 weeks of prep.

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 08:03 PM

yea the rest of my week is perfect i guess i will just keep cheatin if i absolutely need too... i just hate eating those greasy, fried, and tasty foods!!j/k

**bigbodyjosh** · 02-18-2005, 08:58 PM

i love cheating....too bad i cheated too much and can't anymore Ah shucks

**Cry0smate** · 02-18-2005, 09:26 PM

I really think it does help tremendously. The way I see it you have two choices.

1.) Cheat once a week for : Sanity, keeping your leptin levels in tact, and for personal reward for a job well done all week

2.) Calorie fluctuate with clean food at least one day a week if you happen to eat the exact same thing everyday. Just whatever you can do to make sure you don't slow your metabolism. I don't think I could do this honestly. I like to reward myself here and there and it keeps me motivated.

I could be wrong but this is my take on it.

**AnabolicBoy1981** · 02-18-2005, 09:30 PM

Increased consumption stimulates leptin and leptin is one of the most fat burning substances the body has. When on a strict diet, leptin is low, but splurging within reason can give it a jolt. You have to experiment with what is too much cheating and what is beneficial.
For instance, 4 taco bell chalupas, casadillas, nachos w/ cheese and half a mexiacan pizza was too much as a cheat meal for me trying to cut up. However, a trip to the china buffet(all you can eat), sticking to as much meat and shrimp as i can(even the fatty meats and somewhat fried shrimp), and a few forkfulls of different carbs(fried rice, Lo main) and a few fried things(some fried cocnut shrimp, fried chicken, etc.) but just a few, seeems not to hurt, as long as i don't go overboard. I takes a while to learn your bodies limits. Im still learning mine.

**getbig888** · 02-18-2005, 09:39 PM

thanx for all the input bros// i am still experimenting with what works 4 me and yall are helping me make the right decisions!

**bigsd67** · 02-19-2005, 06:25 AM

my feelings on cheat days are like this...during my first 6 months of cutting i had an all out cheat day and eventually got it down to 1 or 2 cheat meals on a saturday. then i dieted for a contest and cut out all cheating for 8 weeks (with the exception of two very planned carb up days that consisted of no more than an extra serving of oats).

I found that after not cheating for so long i really stopped craving anything bad and can now go the whole weekend without overdoing it (even during a bulker). I never really felt good about cheating anyway due to the guilt of being a glutonous pig. I felt like cheating hindered my goals and now I am definitely happy with only having a few extra servings of healthy foods. JMO though.

**Kärnfysikern** · 02-19-2005, 09:45 AM

For me they are necessary. A mental must have. The cheat days is what I long for, what I dream of and what I live for when dieting. Only thing that keeps me going another week