Cheat meals aren't actually NECESSARY, are they?

[SteelWeaver]

I'm wondering about cheat meals. The only thing I've had beyond what my diet allows, in the 17 days I've been on the diet, is one bagel. Oh, and lots of green veggies, but they don't count right now.

I was thinking to carb up a bit tomorrow, but I don't actually feel like it - not if it's plain sweet potatoes, legumes and oatmeal (bleugh).

Does not having cheat meals or refeeds or whatever slow everything down? Just wondering ...

 

[smallmovesal]

lol ask mr muscle about that... that guy hasn't had a cheat meal since wodin was cutting his first tooth

 

[new@gettinbig]

So you do not take in any carbs besides like veggies and stuff?? How many grams? and have you ever done a carb rotation? I dont remember how and what you are dieting for etc....my memory is bad!!

 

[diamonddiceclay]

CHEAT DAYS ARE NOT NECESSARY

 

[BrickGirl]

I havnt taken a cheat day since I started. Don't have any plan on doing it until after my competition in may-june

 

[KBgrl]

ive always felt that my body responded really well to a cheat meal. it keeps ur body guessing and metabolism kicking ass.

give urself a meal where u eat anything u want....even if its not 'clean' ... thats the point of the cheat meal. who the hell wants an extra potato for their cheat.

ok have fun!

 

[BrickGirl]

mmm, an extra potato, that would be sooo cool

 

[Daeo]

I don't see an extra 500 calories a week effecting your overall bodyfat loss too greatly. Eating a small sundae or piece of pie every week or two has never hurt my progress. Cheat meal aren't necessary per se, but more for my sanity...

 

[PowerPuffGirl]

I usually only do the cheat meal thing when it's convenient. Like going out to this kick ass italian restaurant with my friends every so often (kinda hard to avoid carbs there). I never have a set day when I do this, like some people say that every Sunday is their cheat day...it's more like a sporatic thing (no more than once a week, if that). It sucks though, when my roommates and I are all sitting around watching movies and they whip out the Ben n Jerry's and I'm sitting there munching on carrots...I'm amazed at my willpower lately.

 

[MS]

You'll know if and when you need a cheat meal. Like Spats said, when you'd kill for a plate of plain old spuds or a double serving of oatmeal, you know it's time. If you don't have any carb cravings then don't worry about it. As you get leaner and closer to comp, believe me you'll really look forward to some extra carb meals.

 

[anthrax]

cheat days aren't necessary
but cheat meals are welcomed when you "feel" you really need it

 

[NPCMONSTER]

cheat meals are a good idea when dieting for the following reasons...

1 they help keep your metabolism going and slow the downregulation of T3.
2 mentally they prevent a much worse fate of the enevitable falling off the wagon and once it gets to that point...the floodgates are open and its usually hard to get them closed again.
3 if you have a weak or laggin bodypart timing your cheat meal a few hours or even the night before you train that bodypart can make a word of difference i your training.

everyone i train and do diets for incorporates a weekly chest meal in thier contest prep or diet and to much sucess...including me.

 

[wyst]

I don't know about necessary, but if I don't cheat once in a while, I just lose interest in living and fall off the training/dieting wagon, hard.

So they're mentally necessary, for me.

Wyst

 

[BatZgirl]

I think they are

If you diet all week for six days a cheat day is definately something to look forward to something to keep one goiing.

Im currently on the Body for life program and we diet and exercise for 6 days a week and then have 1 free day on sundays where we're free to eat anyting and not exercise

Id say its kinda like a reward for dieting for the week

 

[alexiarenee]

The longest amount of time I have gone without a cheat day was about 10weeks......Its funny because after the first few weeks, I dont crave anything.
Now, I cant go more than 2 weeks without one...and as soon as I take one, I crave more......

 

[KBgrl]

Now as soon as I take one, I crave more......

me too! it's awful!

 

[SteelWeaver]

OMG! I think it must be that time of the month or something, or else this diet has suddenly kicked in BIG TIME. All I can think about is FOOOODD, and not just carbs - I mean sweet stuff - cookies, cakes, candies, chocolate.

I've NEVER had a sweet tooth - always been the type who'd rather have another serving of soup or whatever, instead of dessert, never eat ice-cream or cookies or candies. Oh, wait, I'm lying - ONCE a month, yes, at that time, I want chocolate, but never actually buy it - eat it if it's offered.

So what's going on? Is this going to continue like this for the next 16 weeks? Please, no, I don't think I can stand it! Or will it go in phases, like my usual monthly phases? It's MUCH worse than usual. Grrr

How do you tell between a real need and just sugar cravings?

 

[SteelWeaver]

This is for you to answer, not fate. Decide now that you aren't going to crave or eat it.

Oh, OK ... DONE!

That's right, tell yourself to get over it, and eat a carrot. Eventually your id will get tired of being bossed around by your ego, and lay off.

LOL! But really - carrots? I thought carrots were on the "bad veggies" list. I LOVE carrots, although have been avoiding them, but finally broke down the other night and had one, postworkout, hoping the sugary part of it wouldn't do any damage there.

Go gorge yourself with protein and some Udos!

I'd love to, but I'm so worried about calories as it is. I'd be perfectly happy eating a bunch of protein bars to kill the cravings, but I'm losing weight too slowly to increase total calorie intake. I'm even considering dropping calories a bit. But I realised that if I just cut out the small handful of almonds I eat a few times per week (outside of the allowance), that'll probably be the difference I need. I don't know - I'm starting to get worried about my progress ... will decide what to do after body fat check this weekend.

 

[KBgrl]

steel... deep breaths baby!!

I'm dieting right now too and it SUX! I make sure I'm getting enough fat which seems to help a bit but sometimes it gets to me too. I would give yourslef one "cheat meal" every 7-10 days or so because you're driving yourself nuts by not treating yourself even a little bit.

Hey -- Try some sugar free jello . Its pretty good.... Sometimes I put a lil cool whip on it too. ummmm cherry flavor is my fav

 

[rez]

since starting carb rotating i find less craving for cheat foods. I do have diet soft drinks and sugar free jello to trick my mind that its getting sweet stuff, and always look forward to the protein shake - these things keep me sane.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Thanks hon - I'm just so paranoid to have any kind of cheat meal because, like I said, I'm losing slowly as it is - off schedule, and I've been having extra almonds every couple of days, and that, with the skim milk I put in my numerous cups of coffee every day, is probably tipping me over the proper calorie limit - I think - hell - I don't know - how much difference does a 100 cals or so every day or second day make??? 300 - 500 cals per week, I guess. Mmm.

As for sugar free jelly - I WISH! They don't have ANYTHING like that here (I don't think?? ) Hey - I should go take a look - Japanese women are always on diet - maybe they DO have some of this stuff. But there's a very low awareness of diet and nutrition in general.

I should just suck it up, grit my teeth and do what spat said - kick my id in the butt!

 

[KBgrl]

steel...check ur PM's in a minute..

 

[SteelWeaver]

AMAZING! As I suspected - the female curse! And at the first drip, ALL cravings GONE, like thieves in the night!

The female body will never cease to amaze me.

 

[rez]

r japanese women always dieting? i thought they were always naturally tiny!

 

[SteelWeaver]

Mmm, good question - wyst would probably know better, but I think it's a combination of genetics (lucky bastards!) and the traditional diet. However, with the explosion of popularity of western food, younger Japanese generations are getting decidedly chunky. There's been a corresponding increase in the number of crash dieters. As far as I can tell, though, they don't learn anything at school about nutrition. I have yet to meet a waiter who knows that salami is meat! Or that rice is not a vegetable.

 

[PowerPuffGirl]

Mmm, good question - wyst would probably know better, but I think it's a combination of genetics (lucky bastards!) and the traditional diet.

Yeah but I hear Japanese men have extremely small penises...so much for lucky bastards.

 

[rez]

LOL

 

[KBgrl]

r japanese women always dieting? i thought they were always naturally tiny!

Steel is not japanese baby!... everyone assumes that cause she lives there. Little do they all know shes a freak from (&@^*@^*@%^@*&#(()!I) yeaaaa thats right!! shes from &^%!@*&^#(*@)#(*(^@

yep!

and she is sooooo delicious too

 

[SteelWeaver]

Steel is not japanese baby!... everyone assumes that cause she lives there. Little do they all know shes a freak from (&@^*@^*@%^@*&#(()!I) yeaaaa thats right!! shes from &^%!@*&^#(*@)#(*(^@

yep!

and she is sooooo delicious too

OMG! ROTFLMFAO!!!!! OMG, KB, I had my boss looking at me curiously there. You are SOOO dangerous! Yeah, I'm a freak from (&@^*@^*@%^@*&#(()!I) - and don't anyone forget it! 'Cuz I'll freakin' freak!

Now come HERE, KB!

 

[SteelWeaver]

Yeah but I hear Japanese men have extremely small penises...so much for lucky bastards.

LMAO! Sorry, I don't know - I'm lesbian. Ha ha. But word on the street has it that you are correct. Lots of Japanese women I know prefer western men, especially black western men, (another stereotype?), and anyway, it might be because Japanese guys are sexist or always working, not the size of their tools. Anyway, I can't comment on any physical peculiarities.

 

[SteelWeaver]

Steel, did you know that stress increases cortisol, which increases insulin, which helps you get fatter?

*breathe*

S**T! (I just noticed this post that you snuck in between mine - having a little conversation here with myself, I am).

I knew about cortisol and stress, which is why I told my gf we can't fight anymore (LOL - like she'll go for that!), but I had no IDEA it could make me FATTER!

However, I'm feeling REEEAALLLY relaxed and sleepy right now, because I decided to just flooow with the whole theme of this thread and hit a heavy cheat meal - the first real one this month. Let's see - I had 3 smallish sweet potatoes, 2 plain bagels, and a granola bar. Now my stomach is stretched TIGHT like a drum and I feel great - this is the most warm and relaxed and calm and happy I've felt in at least 3 weeks (!). Hungry and snappy sucks. And tomorrow is heavy legs day so I am gonna kick some MAJOR ass in the gym - I am going UP on those damn squats if it kills me!

And from tomorrow my diet will reach new heights of purity and strictness

 

[KBgrl]

LMAO! Sorry, I don't know - I'm lesbian.

OH WONDERFUL!!.. Now EVERYONE knows we have a big flaming LESBIAN from &%#&@^!*(&((*@&&^ on the board! grrrrrrreat!

GAWD! whats next!??!!?




so how's the diet goin? Did you slam down a chocolate bar yet?

 

[PowerPuffGirl]

Lots of Japanese women I know prefer western men, especially black western men, (another stereotype?),

Yeah this is a little off the subject of cheat meals, but a very...shall I say skanky friend of mine once told me that penises come in 5 sizes....
small,
medium,
large,
xtra large, and
HOLY !@$# does that come in white!?

 

[BatZgirl]

RE:

Yeah but I hear Japanese men have extremely small penises...so much for lucky bastards.

 

[KBgrl]

stereotypes......generalizations..... eeeeeewwwwwwwwwww...




smile

 

[SteelWeaver]

OH WONDERFUL!!.. Now EVERYONE knows we have a big flaming LESBIAN from &%#&@^!*(&((*@&&^ on the board! grrrrrrreat!

GAWD! whats next!??!!?




so how's the diet goin? Did you slam down a chocolate bar yet?

Well, dammit! according to the poll (on the sheets), I'm the ONLY one here, so I'll flame if I please, and I DO please.

Heh heh



See above for what I slammed down - I stayed away from the chocolate, but only just!

 

[PowerPuffGirl]

Anyone else feel like crap after a cheat meal? I was bad yesterday (it was superbowl sunday and I also found out that I had dropped 3%bf this past month, so I had to celebrate that and eat out of depression over Bellichek's vicrory...)...ate 3 slices of pizza at dinner, so today I feel like shit and my workout sucked.

 

[wyst]

LMAO! Sorry, I don't know - I'm lesbian. Ha ha. But word on the street has it that you are correct. Lots of Japanese women I know prefer western men, especially black western men, (another stereotype?), and anyway, it might be because Japanese guys are sexist or always working, not the size of their tools. Anyway, I can't comment on any physical peculiarities.

Dang, I missed a lot on this thread, apparently. I can't comment on Japanese men's endowments, cos I've only been with one, lol. My take is that since Japanese culture traditionally doesn't value the women all that highly except in very traditional roles, that's why some Japanese women are interested in western men. Black western culture is also of real interest in Japan. Some women are no doubt interested for that reason in black men, some because they happen to like the specific men in question, and some no doubt to shock their parents, who will likely frown on the relationship. Just my quick take on the situation.

Wyst