Cheat DAY or Cheat MEAL???

**HereWeGoAgain** · 06-04-2008, 01:12 PM

When on a strict cutting/leaning out diet do you guys have a cheat day or a cheat meal?

How often do you have this cheat? Is it once a week?

Also, is there any actual benefit to a cheat meal other than to keep yourself sane? Like, if you can go without one, should you avoid it or is it actually good and beneficial to have a cheat meal? (so your body doesn't adjust, spike your metabolism, etc)

Thanks in advance! I've always been curious on this because I used to have a whole cheat day every Saturday and the past few months I haven't had any cheats and I don't really notice much difference.

**Pinnacle** · 06-04-2008, 01:28 PM

A cheat meal is used to keep the weak minded people sane while dieting.
There is absolutely no need for complete cheat days. On a high carb day, while dieting, it is used as a refeed to restore glycogen stores as well as keep your thyroid from getting sluggish. The carbs eaten on that day are of quality. Sweet potato, lentils, barley, ezekeil bread ect..

Refeeds are solely dependant on the type of diet you are running, and you must take into account what your low carb days are. If you are comsuming over 125 grams of carbs per day( on low carb days) this does not justify a refeed. Refeeds are used when an individual is running 50-75 grams per day on low carb days, and ususally for a period of 4-5 days..
Keto diets, refeeds are done on a weekly basis, in most cases. Some keto diets, such as palumbo's call for a cheat meal once weekly.

Pinnacle

**HereWeGoAgain** · 06-04-2008, 02:38 PM

Thanks for your response. Look forward to from others as well.

**TheArtist** · 06-05-2008, 09:02 AM

I'm relatively new to cutting... spent years bulking... lol
but from my experience so far, a single cheat meal once a week or every other week is sufficient for me. i COULD go without it. but i enjoy a lot of different foods, and i'm not dieting for competition or anything... just vacation. so it's not that big of an issue. In either case, and entire cheat day is a terrible idea. don't do it.

I eat out maybe once a week, and generally that's my cheat meal.... lasagna, chicken&cheese, ya know... just whatever is on the menu that i like.
I suppose it depends on what your goals are.

*edit***
on a side note, my cheat meal is just for sanity... i don't feel any benefit from it whatsoever, other than the instant gratifcation of eating "junk"

**ckyass** · 06-05-2008, 09:21 AM

be a real man.....have a cheat day when you reach your bodyfat goals. I know once i eat something bad..for example a slice of pizza I CRAVE that shit for days. So from my expeirence...keep the cheat meal/day away if your serious about cutting and once you reach your goal have some shitty greasy food. lol

**abbot138** · 06-05-2008, 09:25 AM

Or just dont plan on having a cheat and that way when something actually worth cheating for (holiday, birthday, wedding) rolls around you can enjoy yourself.

**MR_T** · 06-05-2008, 11:23 AM

i always hear a cheat meal once a week was good to keep your body from adapting to your diet, to throw off homeostatis.. is this true?

**BIGMAC250** · 06-05-2008, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by MR_T

i always hear a cheat meal once a week was good to keep your body from adapting to your diet, to throw off homeostatis.. is this true?

im new to this whole strict diet thing and from all the reading i have done it is essential to cheat (meal or day) not only to keep yourself from really ****ing up but also to throw off homeostasis....thats how your body works it adapts to the environment it is in.....so if your trying to suck weight and your keeping certain things low it will adjust and stop burning fat or just dramatically slow down...thats just what ive read in numerous mags...so yes i would imagine it is true

**abbot138** · 06-05-2008, 12:05 PM

If you are using it for that purpose then I would have JUST a cheat MEAL. Once every 2 weeks. Just my opinion.

**Pinnacle** · 06-05-2008, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by BIGMAC250

im new to this whole strict diet thing and from all the reading i have done it is essential to cheat (meal or day) not only to keep yourself from really ****ing up but also to throw off homeostasis....thats how your body works it adapts to the environment it is in.....so if your trying to suck weight and your keeping certain things low it will adjust and stop burning fat or just dramatically slow down...thats just what ive read in numerous mags...so yes i would imagine it is true

If you are eating consistent calorie's,say 2500 a day, then yes, you are correct in your assumption. But when cycling carbs/fats you are constantly at different caloric levels, so your body wont adapt to a given caloric level.
Basically if you were to run a "bell curve" type diet, then a cheat meal could help stimulate your metabolism.

Pinnacle

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 06-05-2008, 10:47 PM

Cheat meal is the way to go...

Cheat days mess up my head too much

**Pinnacle** · 06-05-2008, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by InsaneInTheMembrane

Cheat meal is the way to go...

Cheat days mess up my head too much

So cheat meals is the way to go, as you say? So you enjoy having your head screwed up? Interesting....

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 06-06-2008, 01:11 AM

Originally Posted by Pinnacle

So cheat meals is the way to go, as you say? So you enjoy having your head screwed up? Interesting....

cheat meal, as in ONE meal on a specific day, is okay for me
cheat day, as in eating cr@p THE WHOLE DAY, is not!

cheers

**DSM4Life** · 06-06-2008, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Pinnacle

If you are eating consistent calorie's,say 2500 a day, then yes, you are correct in your assumption. But when cycling carbs/fats you are constantly at different caloric levels, so your body wont adapt to a given caloric level.
Basically if you were to run a "bell curve" type diet, then a cheat meal could help stimulate your metabolism.

Pinnacle

So pinn if i am eating
Cal pro / carbs /fats
2265 / 262 / 117 / 93.35 on a daily basis are you saying all i would need to do is to change up my fats/carbs to trick my body ?

How long is too long to stay on a constant diet before body adapts ? (i know everyone is diff just look for est.)

How much would you change (fat/carbs), like my in example ?

**BIGMAC250** · 06-06-2008, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by DSM4Life

So pinn if i am eating
Cal pro / carbs /fats
2265 / 262 / 117 / 93.35 on a daily basis are you saying all i would need to do is to change up my fats/carbs to trick my body ?

How long is too long to stay on a constant diet before body adapts ? (i know everyone is diff just look for est.)

How much would you change (fat/carbs), like my in example ?

i know im not the one you want to hear this from..... seeing as how you were talking to me about diet and trying to help me out.... but from what i have read in several different mags.....if your are on a lowcarb low cal plan you need to throw it off every 3 to 5 days by upping your carb intake up by about 50%..i also believe that when your carb intake is up you should drop your fat intake(i think ive read that somewhere)...not only will it give you a little break and throw off homeostasis it could also boost test and gh in the body....now this is what i have read if i am wrong so be it but im just trying to help.