How bad is a Cheat Day?

[Murman]

I've been real good on my diet and trying not to cheat, when i do cheat i try an keep it healthy. I have a friend who is also on a diet an he asked me today what if he had a bag of chips how much would that sat him back.

I had no idea what to say but I told him I would check tonight and let him know tomorrow.

So any info would be helpful!!!!!!!!

Thanks for any help.

 

[ladyhawk25]

depends on what the bag size was or how many chips he ate ? its ok to cheat but trust me the next day he better be drinking plenty of water and go doing it share of exercise !!!!!!! hope that helped but im sure someone else out there has a better input than mine .

 

[Enock]

not sure but if I plan on cheating I CHEAT BIG.

last time I cheated I had 2 half gallon cartons of icecream, mixed w/ peanut butter I used half the 5Ib tub of peanut butter so thats like 2,000 just counting the peanut butter, I also added Fluff and and bannas and starberries in.

I ended up with

Icecream carton 16serv 150cal a serving = 2400 x 2 = 4800 + peanutbutter = 6,800 + fluff + 6 bannas + some stawberries = no idea but its alot.

Next day weight hadn't even fluctuated up. (would have from the mere fact that I hada alot of food in my intestine but it passed through before I weighed)

The body just can't assimulate all that so quickly otherwise I could have added 2Ibs of fat since this was ontop of my regular alotted cal count. I'm sure it added a little bit of fat but nothing you can notice for real.

Basically you can put fat on at about the same rate you strip it off.

if you look at it that way then

1 day cheating will this set you back 2 days.

1 day to counter the the fat you added while cheating and 1 day for the fact that you could have lost fat during that day instead.

 

[Enock]

one thing to note though its easier to hit the maximum possible fat gain in a day as opposed to maximum fatloss, the 1 cheat setbacks 2 days is assuming your diet IS DEAD on optimal (aproaching the 2IBs a week optim) which most peoples simply are not.

 

[Murman]

Thanks I'll let him know today

 

[nacius]

Cheating keeps the diet lasting longer I think. Limit the cheating to like only Sundays or something. Plan it out too, so you don't go to overboard.

 

[tag166]

The cheat day bro keeps you from going off the head.When the preseason starts its time to tighten up the diet but you have to look forward in knowing that you have something to look forward to at the end of the week,if you like a reward for keeping it clean.I also believe it carbs you up thus tricking the body and its metabolism thus keeping away the fat or rather helping it along.Go for it!!!

 

[ColumboWeiser]

I disagree with the comment of one cheat day sets you two days back! I have contest dieted for four shows now both with and without cheat days. I have a cheat day once a week, and it is a big cheat day. I have found that the next day or so I have gained food and water weight, not bodyfat! I can gaurentee that! I have found also that after the cheat day, energy levels are high and my bodyfat drops much much faster! If you are dieting for long periods of time, one day out of every seven will not hinder any progress you are making...I will bet my life on it!

 

[buksoon]

Murman, tell your friend to pleeeaaase eat the chips!!!!

Here's the thing: It is so alarmingly easy for unhealthy obsessions to take hold when one is in this lifestyle. It starts with stressing over a bag of chips and a missed day of training, and so often mutates into CRUCIFYING yourself because you had a peach on a no-carb day.

Just want to comment on this irony: In the training thread, there's a question: "So why do you train?" and so many guys say: "for the nookie! so we can get laid!"

As a woman, I will tell you that the guy who eats the chips and relaxes is soooooooooo much more attractive than the gym god with negative 2 body fat and the inability to laugh at himself.

Just one more comment re what the very wise Columbo said: Back in college during midterms and finals, the whole dorm would go CRAAAZY with study sessions involving pizza, burritos, vending machine candy. I was probably the worst offender!

And yes, I gained FOOD weight, but not actual adipose tissue. Meaning; it came off just as swiftly as it came on. Cheat days are fine (and necessary), so long as they are not a lifestyle!!!

End of rant.

 

[buksoon]

One more thing:

Enock, your cheat day??? Shiiite! 2 gals of ice cream, peanut butter, 6 bananas, marshmallow fluff?

Good god, man! You are an artist !