Disgusting Weekend

[gbrice75]

I had the worst weekend (eating wise) that i've had in a long time, probably since I started working out/getting serious back in Dec. 08'. I never do cheat days, and didn't intend to but this weekend spiraled out of control and turned into a cheat weekend. Right now, I feel like complete $hit, any definition in my abs is gone, I can actually feel the layer of fat (or water?) over them. I know i'll be ok in a week, but i'm pretty pissed at myself right now. I had:

2 slices of pizza
ice cream (about 400cals)
endless bowls of cereal, some being crap sugar cereal
a piece of crumb cake
a pecan danish
doritos (not too many, but normally I wouldn't even touch them)

Probably more I can't even think of right now, and all this was in addition to regular old meals. It truly is amazing how a full week of hardcore dieting/training barely yields any visible results, but 2 days of binging becomes an obvious disaster. Just not fair!

Not making any excuses here, I know this is 100% my fault - nobody forced me to eat that crap. Time to get back on the wagon, suck it up and work harder! Mexico in 2 weeks!

[energizer bunny]

ahh thats nothing lol.......most peolpe fall off the diet once and a while, just get straight back in mate...no point beating yourself up,whats done is done......

[gbrice75]

Yep, I have no choice in the matter! I'm through with the CKD though. 3 weeks isn't much to put into a diet, I know - but I never got adjusted to it, it just wasn't happening for me. I was so out of it, I skipped cardio for the past 2 weeks. Today was my first day with carbs incorporated back into my weekly diet, and the intensity was there again for workouts, AND I had a great cardio session. I got to feel endorphines again!

So for now, it's back to a 40/40/20 type diet - I at least feel it's well rounded, and I mentally feel MUCH better eating that way (oats, natural foods, etc) as opposed to bacon, mayo, etc.

[LatissimusaurousRex]

Maybe you should throw a cheat day or two in a month that way, you won't ever just snap and pig out hardcore.

And yeah all that's not so bad, don't beat yourself up.

[6ft5]

Lol, you ate that way cuz your body was probobly starving. It was I'm shure well needed. I can't do no carbs I feel like poo. And lifting is my feel good drug.

[sanman]

No big deal!!!Everybody needs that once in awhile.....

[RoadToRecovery]

Yeah... you can go all out on a weekend. Believe it or not, there is evidence that states that a 2 day cheat day is recommended in one of my books. However, its not necessarily higher fat but more protein and carbs.

Most importantly, if your not competing and you are doing this just to get in shape, cheat every once and a while and dont feel guilty about it. Just enjoy it.

[gbrice75]

Thanks all! RoadToRecovery - i've been following your posts/advice to others, and would love the opportunity to pick your brain (translation - have you critique my diet) as you definitely give some sound advice IMHO. Need to do PM's because i'll probably get kicked off the board for posting yet another diet, lol.

[cue_artist]

its ok bro . just go back on track . Sometimes cheat days are really needed

[RoadToRecovery]

Thanks all! RoadToRecovery - i've been following your posts/advice to others, and would love the opportunity to pick your brain (translation - have you critique my diet) as you definitely give some sound advice IMHO. Need to do PM's because i'll probably get kicked off the board for posting yet another diet, lol.

PM away.

[FireGuy]

I would be more worried that you broke mentally. Personally I could never ever cheat on a diet. Not trying to put anyone who does down but I could never stand on stage knowing I didnt do everything I was supposed to do.

[RoadToRecovery]

I would be more worried that you broke mentally. Personally I could never ever cheat on a diet. Not trying to put anyone who does down but I could never stand on stage knowing I didnt do everything I was supposed to do.

Well that is the mindset of a competitor which is why Im sure you are successful at your shows. Also, I mentioned "if your not competing" to put that disclaimer out there.

[RoadToRecovery]

Unless that is what your goals are? Are you looking to compete gbrice?

[FireGuy]

Well that is the mindset of a competitor which is why Im sure you are successful at your shows. Also, I mentioned "if your not competing" to put that disclaimer out there.

That's a good point and one of the aspects I really enjoy about competing...you get an off season. I will say I would have no desire to contest diet without a contest in sight. My bad for comparing apples to oranges.

[Damienm05]

Well, hold on here. Time for me to play devil's advocate.

Just because you're not prepping for a contest, doesn't mean you shouldn't be hardcore about your diet. If your goal is to lose 2% bf over the course of a year, that's one thing. But if it's to lose the same 2% bf in 6-8 weeks before going to the beach and spending a week with no shirt, you should not be cheating. Will the consequences be as dire as if you cheated before a show? No. Will cheating add weeks to how long it takes to achieve a goal? Yes. Will you feel like sh*t for a few days? Yes.

I'm sorry but I can't read these posts anymore and reassure people that it's OK to eat this way. Unless you are on a very casual diet, you're doing yourself a huge disservice and at very least, should hop on the treadmill for an hour or two at the end of the day.

I'm speaking from experience. I used to cheat occasionally. I used to even justify it as a re-feed and then pontificate, without any scientific evidence, about how my body "needed it". Don't make excuses, don't post your cheats looking for reassurance, just get on the treadmill. Cheating is simply not worth the mental agony when you have a specific goal and time-frame to achieve it. Period.

[FireGuy]

Well, hold on here. Time for me to play devil's advocate.

Just because you're not prepping for a contest, doesn't mean you shouldn't be hardcore about your diet. If your goal is to lose 2% bf over the course of a year, that's one thing. But if it's to lose the same 2% bf in 6-8 weeks before going to the beach and spending a week with no shirt, you should not be cheating. Will the consequences be as dire as if you cheated before a show? No. Will cheating add weeks to how long it takes to achieve a goal? Yes. Will you feel like sh*t for a few days? Yes.

I'm sorry but I can't read these posts anymore and reassure people that it's OK to eat this way. Unless you are on a very casual diet, you're doing yourself a huge disservice and at very least, should hop on the treadmill for an hour or two at the end of the day.

I'm speaking from experience. I used to cheat occasionally. I used to even justify it as a re-feed and then pontificate, without any scientific evidence, about how my body "needed it". Don't make excuses, don't post your cheats looking for reassurance, just get on the treadmill. Cheating is simply not worth the mental agony when you have a specific goal and time-frame to achieve it. Period.

I gotta agree with this statement 100% as well.

[RoadToRecovery]

Well, hold on here. Time for me to play devil's advocate.

Just because you're not prepping for a contest, doesn't mean you shouldn't be hardcore about your diet. If your goal is to lose 2% bf over the course of a year, that's one thing. But if it's to lose the same 2% bf in 6-8 weeks before going to the beach and spending a week with no shirt, you should not be cheating. Will the consequences be as dire as if you cheated before a show? No. Will cheating add weeks to how long it takes to achieve a goal? Yes. Will you feel like sh*t for a few days? Yes.

I'm sorry but I can't read these posts anymore and reassure people that it's OK to eat this way. Unless you are on a very casual diet, you're doing yourself a huge disservice and at very least, should hop on the treadmill for an hour or two at the end of the day.

I'm speaking from experience. I used to cheat occasionally. I used to even justify it as a re-feed and then pontificate, without any scientific evidence, about how my body "needed it". Don't make excuses, don't post your cheats looking for reassurance, just get on the treadmill. Cheating is simply not worth the mental agony when you have a specific goal and time-frame to achieve it. Period.

Well obviously I completely disagree with this post. I think you are taking certain things a bit out of context and being a bit dramatic.

Cheating will not only help you physically, but mentally as well. No one dove into specifics about what they considered what cheating was nor did anyone clarify the difference between cheating and binging.

Cheating will not add weeks onto ETA of your goals. Thats just ridiculous. If you follow a structured diet, adding a fluctuation in caloric intake is actually proven beneficial.

There is a difference between having a structured meal plan and eating healthy.

[RoadToRecovery]

I gotta agree with this statement 100% as well.

The main reason why I disagree is because while he may bring up agreeable points, it still only coincides with personal opinion and preference.
I will contradict myself here and agree with one portion of the post so I cant say I completely disagree.

Just because you're not prepping for a contest, doesn't mean you shouldn't be hardcore about your diet.

Agreeable but I will state that this lies on personal preference. Will the subtraction of a cheat day from your diet get you to your goals? Absolutely.
But you cannot say that cheat days do more damage than good.

If you would like, I have a testimonial from one of my clients with a before and after picture that I can show you. He had a cheat meal once every saturday night, and ate a bit loose the day following. PM me if you would like to see it.

Unless you are prepping for a show, cheat days are by far acceptable.

[RoadToRecovery]

It’s important to remember that different individuals handle big meals differently. Those who respond to overfeeding by upregulating something called NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) or spontaneous physical activity, can probably get away with doing nothing but slugging down that whole pizza. In these individuals, the sympathetic nervous system gets jumpy, their thermic effect of feeding shoots up, they get more active, their thyroid hormone output increases, and the insulin response blunts some (but not all) of the lipid mobilization. With all this good stuff happening, these people might actually lose fat from an occasional binge!

Overfeed = cheat meal

[Damienm05]

No one dove into specifics about what they considered what cheating was nor did anyone clarify the difference between cheating and binging.

You're right. I'm not talking about one cheat meal or a properly structured carbohydrate re-feed. I was referring to a whole day of eating the wrong foods in heavy portions wherein the total calories are high. It will be a set-back. Plain and simple.

[gbrice75]

Fire - you're 100% right - it is/was a mental breakdown more than anything else. I've been feeling down because I don't feel any progress has been made, so I say F it and eat - then of course i'm pissed that I did so, and THAT is what's keeping me from making progress!!! Catch22, basically. I am sabatoging myself. I'm definitely not looking to compete, that's not in my future. I am looking to have a nice body for self-sastisfaction, that's all.

Damien - I definetely didn't post looking for any kind of reassurance that cheating is ok; I know it's not. I look at this forum as my own little blog (of sorts) - where I can post daily activity, good or bad. The people here understand what i'm talking about, whereas the people in my daily life just think i'm crazy (telling me not to lose any more weight, etc. - they clearly just don't get it).

That said - I have also heard a cheat day once in a while is actually beneficial, but I don't think that should include ice cream, crap, etc. Maybe just a little more relaxed version of the diet.

[RoadToRecovery]

You're right. I'm not talking about one cheat meal or a properly structured carbohydrate re-feed. I was referring to a whole day of eating the wrong foods in heavy portions wherein the total calories are high. It will be a set-back. Plain and simple.

So now looking at gbrices original post, would you say that set him back?

[baseline_9]

Thats a weak cheat weekend if i have ever seen one.

I now only cheat once a week and that 'cheat' may only be eating chips rather than rice or sweet potato.

Back in the days when i was stupid i could eat 2 tub of hagendaz ice cream 2000 cal, a whole pizza 2000 cals??, fryied breakfasts 1000 cals??, bags of nobbys nuts 1000 cals, and 5 double cheese burgers from mc dons all over the course of a week end.

stupid i know, i have now learned not to dirty bulk.

[RoadToRecovery]

Thats a bit over the top baseline haha.

[LatissimusaurousRex]

Thats a weak cheat weekend if i have ever seen one.

I now only cheat once a week and that 'cheat' may only be eating chips rather than rice or sweet potato.

Back in the days when i was stupid i could eat 2 tub of hagendaz ice cream 2000 cal, a whole pizza 2000 cals??, fryied breakfasts 1000 cals??, bags of nobbys nuts 1000 cals, and 5 double cheese burgers from mc dons all over the course of a week end.

stupid i know, i have now learned not to dirty bulk.

lol sounds like you were on a bender

[gbrice75]

Thats a weak cheat weekend if i have ever seen one.

I now only cheat once a week and that 'cheat' may only be eating chips rather than rice or sweet potato.

Back in the days when i was stupid i could eat 2 tub of hagendaz ice cream 2000 cal, a whole pizza 2000 cals??, fryied breakfasts 1000 cals??, bags of nobbys nuts 1000 cals, and 5 double cheese burgers from mc dons all over the course of a week end.

stupid i know, i have now learned not to dirty bulk.

LoL I'm GLAD it was a weak cheat day, I spent 10 years living a 'cheat life' that wasn't weak at all!

Road - I will PM you later on when I'm home from work. Looking forward to your comments and critique! =)

[RoadToRecovery]

Ill be home about 8pm EST - Going out to applebees for my cheat meal

[LatissimusaurousRex]

ha its okay i spent 21 years living a cheat life

[RoadToRecovery]

Hey, doesnt matter how long you guys were living any sort of cheat life. What matters is that you are doing something about it now. I say never too late to start

[gbrice75]

Ill be home about 8pm EST - Going out to applebees for my cheat meal

Nice, enjoy!!! =D

[Damienm05]

So now looking at gbrices original post, would you say that set him back?

Absolutely. In addition to his normal BB meals, those foods would have put his total cals way over the top. It definitely set him back. Not by weeks or months but it certainly had to negate a few days of hard work.

[Damienm05]

Damien - I definetely didn't post looking for any kind of reassurance that cheating is ok; I know it's not. I look at this forum as my own little blog (of sorts) - where I can post daily activity, good or bad. The people here understand what i'm talking about, whereas the people in my daily life just think i'm crazy (telling me not to lose any more weight, etc. - they clearly just don't get it).

Wasn't saying that you, specifically, were looking for reassurance. It was more with regard to so many similar posts I've seen lately.

In fact, you seem very dedicated and I'm glad you post here often.

[RoadToRecovery]

Absolutely. In addition to his normal BB meals, those foods would have put his total cals way over the top. It definitely set him back. Not by weeks or months but it certainly had to negate a few days of hard work.

So you figure, if he ate 2000 calories over his expenditure, you think he stored all 2000 calories?

[I.Muscle]

Happens to us all bro. I do the same thing you do go super strict for like 3-4 weeks then i have a weekend where i just rack up ridiculous calories (way more than you did this weekend). I look like shit for the next 3-5 days until i cut all the water off pisses me off.

[Damienm05]

So you figure, if he ate 2000 calories over his expenditure, you think he stored all 2000 calories?

It's possible.

And I'm mainly looking at the "endless" bowls of cereal part. I know a box of captain crunch is 2700 calories and a good portion from sugar and I have eaten a box stoned in 2 large bowls. I haven't always been worried about my diet lol.

[mg1228]

It's possible.

And I'm mainly looking at the "endless" bowls of cereal part. I know a box of captain crunch is 2700 calories and a good portion from sugar and I have eaten a box stoned in 2 large bowls. I haven't always been worried about my diet lol.

i miss capt crunch and frosted flakes--lol

[RoadToRecovery]

It's possible.

And I'm mainly looking at the "endless" bowls of cereal part. I know a box of captain crunch is 2700 calories and a good portion from sugar and I have eaten a box stoned in 2 large bowls. I haven't always been worried about my diet lol.

Anythings possible. But I will tell you with out even knowing this person, his body did not store any of this as fat if he has been eating a well structured and scheduled meal plan for an extended period of time.

[FireGuy]

Happens to us all bro. I do the same thing you do go super strict for like 3-4 weeks then i have a weekend where i just rack up ridiculous calories (way more than you did this weekend). I look like shit for the next 3-5 days until i cut all the water off pisses me off.

Not all of us....not talking about just me either. I know several people who never cheat on their diet.

[Hunter]

I carb cycle but would never do keto again or ckd. I am so against that binge style of eating and the reason why is because when people get off it they cheat heavily in my experience.

To the op learn from this and figure out what triggered it. A controlled cheat is fine a out of control cheat is never good.

[AlphaMaleDawg]

it's definitely a horrible feeling but once the water weight goes away after two days, you will look the same as before