Just want to get everyones opinions on cheat days. I find it makes my life alot easier knowing that one day a week I can eat whatever I want. This helps keep me motivated and focused on my goals at hand. I guess it is also worth mentioning I have no intentions of ever competing, just living a healthy lifestyle.

Do you guys think that one day will greatly hinder my results?

I guess what are you goals. Are you trying to make this a career?

If not, I dont see a problem with a cheat day. Though I normally go more for the cheat meal. An all out cheat day makes me feel like ****. I would rather eat well all day and then have a dinner Ive been craving with dessert.

When I was training hard and heavy, a cheat meal actually helped my strength, and I swear as long as I wasnt over doing it, it made me feel tighter and look better the next day or that evening whatever the case may be.

Unfortunately some people gain fat by looking at carbs, and if you are in that boat, then its a tradeoff.

I tend more to the this is a long life thing, so one bad meal here and there wont hurt me.

If you are getting ready for a show then thats a different story.

To be honest, I have no intentions on ever competing. I'm just your typical jock who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. I'm 5'11, 192lbs, around 10-11% bf. My goals are to get down around 7-8% bf. Here is a typical day of eating I've been on for 3 months (saturday is my cheat day):

Meal 1: MRP (Myoplex Deluxe)
Meal 2: 5 egg whites, one yolk, 2 pieces of whole wheat bread with natural pb.
Meal 3: Can of tuna with green beans and one non-fat yoplait yogurt
Meal 4: MRP (Myoplex Deluxe)
Meal 5: 6oz Lean ground turkey, 1 cup of brown rice (cooked), green beans
Meal 6: 1 cup of fat free cotage cheese and a pear

If you want to get down to 7-8 here are a few suggestions.



Meal 1: 7 egg whites, one yolk, 1/2 cup of oatmeal (much better than bread), 1tbs of flax
Meal 2: Two scoops Ultra Size (drop the Myoplex ****)
Meal 3: Can of tuna + 1/2 cup cottage cheese + green beans + 6 oz yam
Meal 4: 2 scoops of Ultra Size
Meal 5: 8 oz lean beef with veggies + 1tbs of flax oil (drop the rice here)
Meal 6: 6-8 egg whites prior to bed.

Add in Muscle Synergy and 3 Ultra 40 and 3 Mass Aminos with each meal.

Make your cheat day two cheat meals on the weekends, still allowing dinner out each weekend night, but eating on track during the day.

These modifications will help!

Thank you very much. I e-mailed my profile to bev int. yesterday, so I'm assuming their meal plan with probably match closely to your suggestions. What do you add to spice up your oatmeal? I've never been a fan of oatmeal.

splenda and cinnamon, tastes very good that way. I trust it will look very similar.

I would much rather do a cheat meal once a week than a cheat day. A meal won't affect progress, a day just might.

Once you're to the level of BFC and dieting a long period of time, that can begin a different type of cycle that may involve a cheat day per month.

Fitdoc did something like that with good success. I think it made him gain a little fat, but that's the route he was looking for.

Frank

The above diet I specified was what I followed to a 'T' for three months, where every Saturday was my cheat day. Over those three months I lost ten pounds and my bf% dropped tremendously, while gaining alot of lean muscle mass. Do I think it hindered my results...probably a little, but I think the piece of mind knowing that every Saturday I could be free to eat whatever I wanted, really kept me motivated.

Here is a sample of what I eat on my cheat days:

Frisch's Breakfast Bar
McDonalds 2 cheese burgers, large fries, ice cream
Large Donato's Pizza
Protein bars
Snaked on potato chips, cookies, etc. here and there

Diesel,

I totally understand your reasoning as well. If you have no intentions on competing, and follow a strict diet 6 days per week and train hard, then you deserve your cheat day.

I usually get leaner and harder doing this program
My diet currently looks like this
Day 1,2,4,5,6
1/4 c oatmeal, 5 egg w + 1 whole egg
Salsa to taste
20 oz water
Meal 2
1 c fresh spinach, 1 cap flax, 6 oz chicken bre
Meal 3
1/4 c brown rice, 4 oz lean beef, 20 ozwater
Meal 4
MRP + 1tlbsp flax
Meal 5 (before bed)
1.5 sc whey + 1 teasp heavy cream

ON days 3, I add a bit more carbs to cycle up
On day 7, Saturday, I have my cheat day.
I still stay away from certain foods though:
Fried food
Hi-sodium food
Etc.

Good luck