Cheat Meal Question :|

[Athlete127]

So I've followed a good diet for awhile. Haven't had a cheat meal in a few weeks. Abs have been looking great (my main focus) last night for a friends birthday I threw down about 37 buffallo wild wings and 8 beers or so. This morning I feel terrible like my abs don't look as good and I'm starting over or something.... How much is too much? By the way I start my first cycle tomorrow.

[Windex]

So I've followed a good diet for awhile. Haven't had a cheat meal in a few weeks. Abs have been looking great (my main focus) last night for a friends birthday I threw down about 37 buffallo wild wings and 8 beers or so. This morning I feel terrible like my abs don't look as good and I'm starting over or something.... How much is too much? By the way I start my first cycle tomorrow.

There's a lot going on here that needs to be addressed. First, what are your stats (Height, Weight, Age, Bodyfat, TDEE, Past Cycle Experience, Training/Diet Experience). Secondly, post your diet up. Thirdly, yes that is more like a cheat month. 37 Wings is probably an easy 5000 - 6000 calories, plus the beer is possibly another 1600 calories or so. I don't know whether you're cutting or bulking because you've provided no information but that is a month of hard work thrown out the window overnight.

Given your lack of control, you have no business cycling anything except a bicycle (maybe a Unicycle if you were to be so bold). Bodybuilding requires dedication both psychologically and physically. Remember how you felt the next morning ? That is how your going to feel after your cycle eating poorly, except your wallet will be a lot emptier than $50.00 for a few wings and beers

[dirtybrd]

When dieting ur body is fighting itself to loose fat. It doesnt want to, so when you introduce some back into your body it likes to grab on to it. You also ingested a ton of salt, so more then likely, youre retaining water, that makes you look softer and youre probably feeling guilty. There are mornings I wake up and look into my 14ft wide by 6ft tall mirror(LOL) and think, "Damn, Im looking like shit today and must have lost 10lbs of muscle over night" Ill go weigh myself and be 2 lbs heavier then my "Damn I look good today" look. Its all a mind f'!!!

[Gucks]

i wouldnt say its as bad as windex says, i wouldnt call that a cheat "meal" though, more an all out cheat binge. i would say something small once a week is fine (eg. a bar of chocolate, 2/3 beers or a slice of cake) but 8beers with 37 wings (which im guessing were covere din bbq sauce of something) is to much. u can get it back obviously, just up ur cardio over th enext few days and be as strict as u can oin ur diet. 5-6k calroies is a bit extreme, ur talking 100 calories per wing (more depending on the sauce) so maybe 4k calories or a bit higher. beer is just a complete no for cutting, its essentually just pure glucose. it spikes ur insulin like crazy and stores a rediculous amount of fat.

keep the cheat meals small, but u can have them a bit more regular rather then bingeing out like that.

[Athlete127]

Thank you for the encouragement Gucks. I am going to go extremely hard on the cardio/abs the next few days.

[ConnorMacLeod]

thats what my cheat meals are like i eat around that toand then next day i feel like slittin my wrists for ruinin my hard work

[gbrice75]

We all get this way after a cheat, when it's unplanned. It sounds like you binged moreso than a 'cheat meal'.

With that said, most of what you're feeling right now is psychological. Sure, you are bloated, holding water, overate and probably stored some bodyfat - but nothing that's going to make a physical difference unless you're already super lean (< 10%).

Water retention will subside in a day or 2 and you'll be back to 'normal'. Start getting into these habits every weekend though, and you won't make good progress. Instead, plan a cheat meal if you have to and try to keep it as clean as you can, within reason.

[scotty51312]

My cheat meals are absolutley disgusting, I'll eat two double whoppers, large fries and 2 apple pies with a big regular coke, or I'll eat a half a bucket of KFC and a bunch of thier sides. I might be bloated for a day or so but it really makes no visable changes after a couple days. If you're just trying to maintain the occasional binge like that say once every 14-21 days isn't going to make much of a difference. IMO

[Christopher_UK]

What does TDEE mean?

[scotty51312]

Total daily energy expenditure. The amount of calories you burn in an average day

[strong_web]

My cheat is usally pasta and ceasar salad, and maybe a few little sugar candy, I feel like crap after this but its all good when I hit the scale the next day, I have went on the scale before my cheat and was less the next day, so I guess its just how much you eat and don't kill yourself.

[Windex]

i wouldnt say its as bad as windex says, i wouldnt call that a cheat "meal" though, more an all out cheat binge. i would say something small once a week is fine (eg. a bar of chocolate, 2/3 beers or a slice of cake) but 8beers with 37 wings (which im guessing were covere din bbq sauce of something) is to much. u can get it back obviously, just up ur cardio over th enext few days and be as strict as u can oin ur diet. 5-6k calroies is a bit extreme, ur talking 100 calories per wing (more depending on the sauce) so maybe 4k calories or a bit higher. beer is just a complete no for cutting, its essentually just pure glucose. it spikes ur insulin like crazy and stores a rediculous amount of fat.


keep the cheat meals small, but u can have them a bit more regular rather then bingeing out like that.

I would possibly disagree cause some food chains in Canada have the fattiest wings that clog your arteries just staring at them. For example, each Thai Chili Chicken Wing from Boston Pizza has 170 calories. That's a lot per wing. The basic plain "Chicken Wings" showed 50 calories per wing, and I'd guess buffalo sauce added an easy 50 calories per wing. I agree with the rest of what you said though.

[Nephets]

i'm going to read this everytime I feel bad about my cheat meal...

[Christopher_UK]

i'm going to read this everytime I feel bad about my cheat meal...

lol

Total daily energy expenditure. The amount of calories you burn in an average day

How do you work out what your TDEE is, is there like an equation to make an estimate figure?

[Christopher_UK]

So I've followed a good diet for awhile. Haven't had a cheat meal in a few weeks. Abs have been looking great (my main focus) last night for a friends birthday I threw down about 37 buffallo wild wings and 8 beers or so. This morning I feel terrible like my abs don't look as good and I'm starting over or something.... How much is too much? By the way I start my first cycle tomorrow.

Your abs dont look as good? at least you have abs, I've never had abs in my life!! lol your lucky! or maybe not, if you worked for them! haha

Dont worry about it man, it's one day out of 365 days..."it's not what you eat in one day, it's what you eat over the course of a week/month/year that matters".

[baseline_9]

My cheat meals are absolutley disgusting, I'll eat two double whoppers, large fries and 2 apple pies with a big regular coke, or I'll eat a half a bucket of KFC and a bunch of thier sides. I might be bloated for a day or so but it really makes no visable changes after a couple days. If you're just trying to maintain the occasional binge like that say once every 14-21 days isn't going to make much of a difference. IMO

My cheats are unreal aswell LOL.... I dont eat shit food tho TBH, not likr mc donalds or KFC.... rather cook myself up a feast

lol



How do you work out what your TDEE is, is there like an equation to make an estimate figure?

Try using the link in my signature..... It is not specifically for TDEE but IMO you can only ever get a guestimate anyway.... That thread will get u close to maintanance calories

[Gucks]

I would possibly disagree cause some food chains in Canada have the fattiest wings that clog your arteries just staring at them. For example, each Thai Chili Chicken Wing from Boston Pizza has 170 calories. That's a lot per wing. The basic plain "Chicken Wings" showed 50 calories per wing, and I'd guess buffalo sauce added an easy 50 calories per wing. I agree with the rest of what you said though.

170 cals is a shit load for a tiny wing...agree'd it really does depend on the sauce though.

[calstate23]

So I've followed a good diet for awhile. Haven't had a cheat meal in a few weeks. Abs have been looking great (my main focus) last night for a friends birthday I threw down about 37 buffallo wild wings and 8 beers or so. This morning I feel terrible like my abs don't look as good and I'm starting over or something.... How much is too much? By the way I start my first cycle tomorrow.

Everyone has to cheat every once in awhile even on the most strict diet...I cheat once a week even if I am dieting hard. When cheating you are going to feel like shit and bloated but you just have to know it can't break you and as long as you go back on your diet the next day everything is fine..

[Christopher_UK]

Everyone has to cheat every once in awhile even on the most strict diet...I cheat once a week even if I am dieting hard. When cheating you are going to feel like shit and bloated but you just have to know it can't break you and as long as you go back on your diet the next day everything is fine..

I am on a new cutting diet, today is day 9, I've lost 10 pounds in first 7 days, didnt weigh myself on day 8, but I will weigh myself later today...it's pretty strict diet, all I eat is spinach, oats, fish, egg whites, and then PWO whey shake and casein before bed. I dont feel like I need to cheat, the only thing I miss is my mixed nuts and pineapple, and I dont drink beer...but is it important for me to have a cheat meal, and if so why?

It's just I'd rather not tbh, I can usually go more then a month before I want some chocalate or fish & chips (lol, very english!).

Can you explain further about the cheat meals?

[Windex]

Lol yall have some crazy cheat meals. The only ones I've had are going to a breakfast place and getting like 8 eggs over easy with some toast. I also had one cheat meal where I ate like 5 XL chicken breasts, oh nomnomnomnom chicken.

[Nephets]

I am on a new cutting diet, today is day 9, I've lost 10 pounds in first 7 days, didnt weigh myself on day 8, but I will weigh myself later today...it's pretty strict diet, all I eat is spinach, oats, fish, egg whites, and then PWO whey shake and casein before bed. I dont feel like I need to cheat, the only thing I miss is my mixed nuts and pineapple, and I dont drink beer...but is it important for me to have a cheat meal, and if so why?

It's just I'd rather not tbh, I can usually go more then a month before I want some chocalate or fish & chips (lol, very english!).


Can you explain further about the cheat meals?

You don't need to cheat. Its a mental thing. If the cut isn't bothering you and you don't feel like your depriving yourself, then don't cheat. The cheat only puts you farther away from your goal. I'm not saying that it's not ok to cheat, you just have to realize how this will impact your goals.

[calstate23]

I am on a new cutting diet, today is day 9, I've lost 10 pounds in first 7 days, didnt weigh myself on day 8, but I will weigh myself later today...it's pretty strict diet, all I eat is spinach, oats, fish, egg whites, and then PWO whey shake and casein before bed. I dont feel like I need to cheat, the only thing I miss is my mixed nuts and pineapple, and I dont drink beer...but is it important for me to have a cheat meal, and if so why?

It's just I'd rather not tbh, I can usually go more then a month before I want some chocalate or fish & chips (lol, very english!).

Can you explain further about the cheat meals?

I'm don't advise anyone to always have a cheat meal like me, especially if you feel like you don't need one. If you don't need one or don't want one, don't take one.

I just know my body well and I know it WILL NOT and CAN NOT effect my physique if I stay on my diet. And when I say Sunday is my cheat day that means I might have a couple slices of pizza for lunch and a few cookies after dinner...The rest of my meals are what I eat everyday for my diet...

A couple of slices of pizza or a slice of pie once a week will do nothing as long as you go directly back on diet and stick to your normal game for the rest of the week

[calstate23]

I am on a new cutting diet, today is day 9, I've lost 10 pounds in first 7 days, didnt weigh myself on day 8, but I will weigh myself later today...it's pretty strict diet, all I eat is spinach, oats, fish, egg whites, and then PWO whey shake and casein before bed. I dont feel like I need to cheat, the only thing I miss is my mixed nuts and pineapple, and I dont drink beer...but is it important for me to have a cheat meal, and if so why?

It's just I'd rather not tbh, I can usually go more then a month before I want some chocalate or fish & chips (lol, very english!).

Can you explain further about the cheat meals?

For someone like you who just started a diet I would definitely try to go at least a month without a cheat meal or as long as you can. Get your body used to only eating the good stuff and shock the f*ck out of your body for a while. For someone who just starts a diet they see the biggest gains in terms of fatloss/weightloss within the first month or two.

A cheat meal really isn't that bad doing it once a week while staying on your diet all week and even most of your meals on a cheat day...I do actually consider it to be beneficial and encouraging when on a diet because it is something you can look forward to and strive for all week long....No need to cheat during the week and you can feel good about treating yourself to something you want without feeling BAD about it.

On a cheat day, HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT IN MODERATION...Meaning, lets say Sunday is your cheat day..Eat all the meals you normally would but if you want a donut have a donut....You want a bowl of ice cream have a bowl of ice cream....or you want french toast, scrambled eggs with cheese, and sausage for breakfast have it for breakfast....Just don't make your whole day a bucket of ice cream, a whole pizza, a box of jelly donuts....Obviously thats NEVER good...