Am I overdoing the cheat?

**arnoldwannab** · 04-25-2005, 04:03 PM

OK, when I first began the long quest of a 15 week cutter diet, i began reading about the cheat days. I saw that Dr. Shreedz prescribes not cheating at all for best gains, or at least once a month. Well i began my diet on the beginning of April and have been doing great ever since. I decided that i would allow myself at least 2 cheat DAY's a month. My first day was on the 15th and the next planned was gain to be for the last day of the month. Well it all went according to plan and now, as of April 25, i decided to have another cheat, but this time just 1 meal. I have no idea how you can hold out for that long without a cheat meal, so much respect for yall that can. Anyway I felt so bad after my meal i wanted to puke it all back up.

I ended up having a small pizza from Papa John's, 4 hostess cupcakes, small bag of peanut M & M's, half an apple pie and a few hours later, a few tollhouse cookies. My question is....is this to overboard for a cheat meal, or will I be alright, until next week? God, I feel so bad that I cheated and I am a little worried that this might be to much and slow my progress. Any input would be well appreciated. Thanks yall

**ct_brad** · 04-25-2005, 04:55 PM

I don't really have much as far as expertise to offer, but I am in the same boat. I do really good and then my small cheat meal will turn into a really big cheat meal, followed with a big cheat dessert ,and then i feel like crap for cheating so bad and feel as if all the work I had done before is all wasted now because of my day of weakness. I just try to not let it get me down too much and really focus to eat clean until the next cheat, and try to keep it small and appropriate. But I understand how you feel, it's really hard, although the longer I go the easier it seems to get.

**dr.shred** · 04-25-2005, 06:48 PM

bro, I wouldnt worry about it too much. I know exactly where you are coming from because I can remember a few times last year when I felt so guilty I wanted to make mysely puke the whole meal up. IMO if you are only cheating once or twice a month you can take more advantage of it. The way I feel about is is that one meal is never enough, thats why I wait a month and can splurge on a huge meal or two. It really all depends on your goals and metabolism. If you want super low bf then cheating is not really an option every week. But if you would just like to be somewhat lean sixpack and what not, you can cheat once a week. Everyones goals are different and for me to maintain 4-5% bf I cannot cheat more than once a month.

-SHRED

**arnoldwannab** · 04-27-2005, 12:15 AM

bump

**Deezuhl** · 04-27-2005, 05:39 AM

they say cheat days should not be a free for all and should be incorporated once a week. that way you dont just freak out and binge on everything you seee cause you killed yourself for a month.

***BIG TEXAN*** · 04-27-2005, 07:43 AM

****....I have an occasional cheat day but nothing compared to eating foods like that. My idea of a cheat day might inlcude a couple of pancakes, 1 serving of spaghetti, and a hamburger or a slice of pizza throughout the day.

**SplinterCell** · 04-27-2005, 07:47 AM

By cheat days > yours

**skribbble** · 04-27-2005, 11:07 AM

in a cutting diet are you supposed to make it a cheat meal a week or a cheat day? Sometimes i have intentions of having a cheat meal but it turns out to be a cheat day. I usually feel ****ty but within a day or 2 of regular diet im back to normal. This weekend when i cheated the best thing i ate on sunday was chicken and cheese breadsticks, i managed to haev a few meals that consisted of nothing but chocolate. I felt like total doodie. I got a free sample of trim spa carb control pills which block your carb intake and i took them with every meal. When i weighed in on monday i was 194 (i usually weigh in at 189 so 5 lb gain in 1 weekend) But as i looked at my stomach i looked just as ripped as i did on friday (10% bf). Usually after a cheat i look fat as hell for a few days but i tried the trim spa pills and i looked normal which was a plus.

**abstrack** · 04-27-2005, 11:08 AM

usually when I cheat I just carb up my normal porportions. I do have the occasional junk food but I dont pillage the candy section @ wall mart

**kman** · 04-27-2005, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by dr.shred

bro, I wouldnt worry about it too much. I know exactly where you are coming from because I can remember a few times last year when I felt so guilty I wanted to make mysely puke the whole meal up. IMO if you are only cheating once or twice a month you can take more advantage of it. The way I feel about is is that one meal is never enough, thats why I wait a month and can splurge on a huge meal or two. It really all depends on your goals and metabolism. If you want super low bf then cheating is not really an option every week. But if you would just like to be somewhat lean sixpack and what not, you can cheat once a week. Everyones goals are different and for me to maintain 4-5% bf I cannot cheat more than once a month.

-SHRED

Looks like you have been cheating more than once a month bro, jk... I know excactly what you mean, If you really want to be low in bf, you are going to have to do away with crap for a good amount of time. But when you do cheat after a month or more, you won't feel as guilty as if you were to do it every week..

**arnoldwannab** · 04-27-2005, 06:05 PM

Alrighty, will do.......I'll be back with pictures

**eacman65** · 04-27-2005, 06:07 PM

I have a whole cheat day every week(I eat a lot of bad foods trust me) and it doesnt stop me from getting more and more cut, And i dont have the fastest metabolism in the world either, for me i believe that if you stay on your diet stict for 6 days you can have a whole day of cheating on the 7th day works for me atleast

**arnoldwannab** · 04-27-2005, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by eacman65

I have a whole cheat day every week(I eat a lot of bad foods trust me) and it doesnt stop me from getting more and more cut, And i dont have the fastest metabolism in the world either, for me i believe that if you stay on your diet stict for 6 days you can have a whole day of cheating on the 7th day works for me atleast

Really? I am very strict of my diet the other 6 days.

**eacman65** · 04-27-2005, 06:26 PM

for me i look at it at this aspect, I am not competing and i am not doing a show, right now im cutting to look good for the beach, I need to have some kind of payoff for dieting super strict all week so i take one day a week and cheat all day and it makes me very happy, and at the same time i am still getting more and more cut

**niXon)(** · 04-27-2005, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by eacman65

for me i look at it at this aspect, I am not competing and i am not doing a show, right now im cutting to look good for the beach, I need to have some kind of payoff for dieting super strict all week so i take one day a week and cheat all day and it makes me very happy, and at the same time i am still getting more and more cut

Couldn't have said it better myself bro!

Remember, most of us do not compete and put too much stress on your mind and bodies just to look good. enjoy life, have that cheat day. when the time comes to compete, then don't go crazy.

**arnoldwannab** · 04-27-2005, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by niXon)(

Couldn't have said it better myself bro!

Remember, most of us do not compete and put too much stress on your mind and bodies just to look good. enjoy life, have that cheat day. when the time comes to compete, then don't go crazy.

Thats realy good advice...thank you all very much

**longhornDr** · 04-28-2005, 09:05 PM

I have one cheat day a week on which I eat anything and everything I want, sometimes until it literally hurts, and I can still lose 1-2 lbs a week no problems. If the other six days are strict you really cant do enough damage in one day to make much of a difference.

Relax and enjoy yourself...so what if it takes 12 weeks instead of 8 to reach your goal....if you are dedicated it shouldnt make any difference in the long run.

**AandF6969** · 04-28-2005, 11:41 PM

Like some of the other dudes said, carb-up is a more sensible approach to a cheat day. I like chinese buffet myself, or a subway chicken bacon n ranch. Definatly no place for either in a cutting diet, but they're not TOTAL $hit. I prefer to have my cheat/carb up day on a lifting day so I can get a couple good carb meals in before the workout and then a huuuuuuge one afterwards... I tell myself its beneficial for muscle growth

**arnoldwannab** · 04-29-2005, 03:32 AM

Yeah, I understand what everyone is saying, It is just so ****ing hard sometimes. When all your buddies are around watching movies and eating pizza and candy and **** and you are just stuck there with a protein shake and almonds, it sucks. ahhhh

**Ironman5151** · 04-29-2005, 08:57 AM

haha it does suck. I'm in college, and I see people eating snickers and skittles out of the snack machines all day, and here I am eating protein bar with water....grrr o well...

**SplinterCell** · 04-29-2005, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Ironman5151

haha it does suck. I'm in college, and I see people eating snickers and skittles out of the snack machines all day, and here I am eating protein bar with water....grrr o well...

Protein bars arent an ideal snack

**hexadec** · 04-29-2005, 01:26 PM

I do cheat every week but it's for two meals in the first half of the cheat day. That seems to work for me because I'm not eating like crap the WHOLE day. It's enough to keep me satisfied. I like to do it after a workout also as I figure all those calories will only promote some muscle gain.

**arnoldwannab** · 04-29-2005, 01:29 PM

It seems if I stick on the diet the whole day, than decided to have a cheat meal, It is easy jsut to have one meal rather than all day. If I begin my day with a cheat, It is all down hill from there. I cant stick on the regular diet. God, Why cant we all jsut be ripped out