I’ve scheduled my cheat day to be on Saturday. This Saturday will actually be my first one. Does any one have any suggestions on how much of a cheat day it can be ? do I just get to eat one meal, preferably several hours before bed ? do I still have to really watch my intake ? should it be just one meal that day, or can I eat bad all day ? I’m craving a big-ass Papa John’s pizza for Saturday ! my diet has been 70-100g carbs, 220 protein, and 3 tbls. of flax. (T2, MD6 and methoxy) I weight 250, want to get down to 220.
A guy at work told me about the Glutton Bowl & the guy who ate 8lbs of mayonaise in 3 monutes or soemthing. That would be good for a cheat day.
That’s all your taking in??? 70-100 grams of carbs and 220 grams of protien? And you weigh 250??? That’s not near enough, even if you are trying to get lean. What are you eating, about 1,000 calories a day? Enjoy the cheat day, you’re going to be comatose!
One man’s cheat day is another man’s diet killer. What I’m trying to say is it all depends on your body type and metabolism. I’m following a diet with macronutrient ratios similar to yours. If I were to try and peg my body type, I would say I’m an endo/mesomorph. I gain muscle very easy, but I also gain fat very easy, especially with a high carb intake. For me, a free for all cheat day pretty much kills any progress I’ve made throughout the week in terms of fat loss. By Mon. morning I’m back to where I was the previous Mon. Through trial and error I’ve found the best I can tolerate is a good cheat meal. If I’m craving pizza and ice cream I’ll save it for Sunday afternoon and then get back to dieting Mon. morning. The only success I’ve had with having a full cheat day is if I stick to a Berardi type protocol and eat protein+carb meals or protein+fat meals, never mixing carbs+fat. But then I don’t get my pizza, ice cream or chocolate. (my personal favourites) I guess my advice is to figure out what type of metabolism you have and how much cheating you can tolerate. Life ain’t fair, but then it was’nt meant to be. Good luck
PODGE - You will have to experiment. In general cheat days are more of a psychological booster than a physiological booster. If one good meal fills you up and prepares you for another long week of strict dieting and exercise, then that is all you need. If you need more than one meal, then go up to 2. Just don’t go nuts and down 10,000 calories in a day. You can usually satisfy all your cravings and stay under 4000 calories pretty easily. Also, check out Berardi’s damage control article. You might want to add some cardio to the end of your cheat day. You won’t need to do the pre-cheat meal glycogen depletion because based on your diet, you are already going to be glycogen depleted.
Go for Korean or Japanese food (but not sushi). On the Korean side go for a dish called Beef Tartar Bi Bim Bap (or Bi Bim Bap with raw beef.) They cure the beef and also throw in a raw egg. I have never gotten sick and man oh man is it good. Lot’s of veggies and with a side of white rice.
I also love Sukiyaki. Think of it as a Japanese stew that you cook at your own table. This can be pricey but Once a month is great. This takes too long to explain, but watch for the broth because some place put a lot of sugar in it.
Happy eating!
it completely depends. First time wise, if you are in no rush a whole day off may be fine. Also at 220 are you gonna be shredded or just not fat anymore, if your goal is seriously shredded then one meal is prob better. What can your metabolizm handle, i diet mon-fri mostly high protein and low carbs, and train a both with weights and running every weekday, so on the weekends i pig out however i make sure i get 3 40g proshakes throughout the day in addition to whatever else im eating, and limit beer to every couple weeks.
Berardi’s article called “Damage Control” at T-mag should help you out a lot. Give it a read.
Per your suggestions, I’ve read that “damage control” article. And with only being just one week into the diet, I figure I should play it safe for awhile and wait until I loose more weight before I binge for a meal. Maybe in 3-4 weeks I’ll feel comfortable about it. I still don’t have a good handle on how my body takes to this diet. Once I learn my body a little better while loosing weight, I’ll have a better idea on what binging will do to me, and how to do it right. Right for me that is.
p.s. knowing me, i could eat that whole pizza saturday and loose all control and will power after that ! so, i’ll just have to not think about it.
“One man’s cheat day is another man’s diet killer…”
Boy, did magnus hit it on the head! I’m a “Fat Hardgainer” or “Potential Lardass”…whatever term you’d like to use. If I went out and ate the Dozen Krispy Kremes and milk that “Uncle Billy” says he eats on a cheat day, I could LITTERALLY lose a months worth of hard work in fat and water gain alone. AT BEST, on a “cheat DAY” I can maybe muster a “cheat MEAL” without going in the total opposite direction of my goals. And I have to 1)“prepare” for that meal by reducing my cals the day before and the day after and 2)Stay away from a lot of simple carbs like the plague. (LUCKILY I don’t have a big sweet tooth, or I’d be a Dead Man!)
So…like everyone said; this is very individual. You HAVE to be in tune with how your own body responds to food.
Leptin…par deus has recommended like 12 hrs low-med protein, pretty low fat, and lotsa high GI carbs, total calories for the day, over BMR amount. you guys should check out the article.
I feel your pain brother!!!
Shouldn’t you also try to indentify where the need for a cheat day is coming from? To me, a pizza contains a high amount of sodium - could this possibly mean that he’s really craving salt? Just a thought. Also, since my body now, after years of physical activity, runs like a well oiled machine, a “cheat day” wouldn’t have that much effect on me. Maybe cause me to hold some water under the skin, but that’s it. But I don’t really have cheat days. I think by labeling foods “good”, “bad” or saying that’s a “cheat day” food - we psychologically set us up to want more. I ate a box of Mike-n-Ikes yesterday and had a chocolate chip cookie today (and it was a damn good cookie) - but I’m fine and don’t feel any guilt about it. I say if 90% of your diet is fuel efficient food, than a occasional cookie, piece of cake ain’t gonna hurt ya. And why Papa-John’s for pizza. Eck. I’m not a pizza lover (hate the cheese, prefer a good hamburger), but there is a few places by where I live that makes oh-so good pizza. Hmmmmmm. If ya gonna “cheat” I say treat yourself good and go for a steak, burger or excellent Chinese food (my favorite!) - make it worth your while.
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I think you’ve told me what i was believing but didn’t want to hear. I think I’m gonna meet in the middle, and instead of having pizza, i think i’m gonna grill a 10oz filet mignon, with a plan medium baked potato, and subtract that load from my normal diet. That shouldn’t hurt too bad. Especially since i work out that morning anyway… I have a “fat tooth” more than a sweet tooth. That’s been the toughest part for me. i’ve never been one (luckily) to eat a lot of cookies, chocolate, etc. Hell, that chocolate protein powder probably helps that. Maybe Biotest needs to invent a fried chicken or a pizza flavored protein drink !! 
(yuck, i know)
Someday, you should post a message here asking about some good, quality recipes out there on dishes that would not be “cheating” but would help with a need to cheat. Or even about how to dress up food. I useto use Paprika on chicken while dieting for a show. Anyways, my boyfriend is a chef and he prepares most of my food while getting ready for a show. He knows ALOT about making what would be really bland food into very tasty morsels at no cost to getting lean and mean. But I know what you mean about a “fat tooth” - my sister has a “fat tooth” - I was blessed with the sweet tooth. I useto get a magazine called “Cooking Light” - which you’ve probably seen on a newstand. It’s actually got some good recipes in it. But I’m glad you’re going to reward all your hard work and effort with a good meal!
Good point Patricia…I see food in the same way as you…I mean, I play a sport and run for 40ish minutes 4-6x a week, plus lift for 45 mins 4x a week…Some fuel choices are better before a work-out…some after…but none are “bad” or “wrong”. Johnny Walker Red for example is not wrong…but more of a post-work out drink than… Johnny Black…you see?
PODGE - I know how you feel. I also have a fat tooth. Forget ice cream and candy, but bring on the pizza, bacon cheesburgers, etc. BTW, I think that you are making the right call about your cheat meal. Start small and go from there.
HAHAHAHA … I certainly can see how black and red could be a good post-workout drink !!.. make you puke up whatever is left, therefore, no extra calories or weight gain !
Johnny Walker Red! Gotta dig it! Ha! I would prefer a nice cold Mike’s Hard Lemonade or Black Butte Porter. Mmmm, good. Hey, do you think I could mix my creatine power into any of that? HA! Oh, PODGE: try to see if you can get Hanger Steak next time! While I like a good Filet Mignon, I had a hanger steak at a restaurant (where my boyfriend works), one night. Oh M’God! Can you say - “mmmm, delicious!”. Unforgettably tasty!
never heard of “hanger steak”… please explain…
and thanks to everyone for putting pizza out of my mind, and now i’m cravin’ red-meat. gotta be better !