I've been doing really well Sticking to a good diet until today. I treated the kids to some ice cream today. Vanilla with fudge swirl & peanut butter cups, oh so good. Well of course they didn't eat all I gave them & I couldn't bring myself to throw it away, so I figured a little wouldn't hurt me. A couple bites quickly turned into about a quart. Now I not only feel a little off physically I am pretty disappointed in myself for lack of control.
Just wondering what you all do when Cravings get the best of you? Do I adjust my diet for the rest of the day? How do you avoid crazy binges that come on so quick?

Thats no big deal. Are you competing? If not, then it doesnt matter, forget about it, and move on. Do not adjust diet, just keep diet the way it is. My guess is you have been pretty strict it sounds, so this wont effect you the least.

The worst thing you can do is get all bothered by it and then it snowballs. Ive seen people cheat on the diet, then they say, well all is lost, that non sense, you are human. Unless preparing for a show on a set date, its not a big deal.

I cheat about every two days, and it just isnt ice cream I can assure you of that.

If you are not competing very soon, don't worry about it.

You have to have balance in your life and balance b/t dieting and cheating.

When not on my contest diet, I'll have a planned cheat once or twice a week. But I don't call it a cheat, I'll call it a refeed, as in I'm just giving my muscles a little extra. (They may actually need this after staying on a strict diet)

Sometimes just changing your mindset helps. You're not "cheating" your just giving a little extra, a little "refeeding."

Schmoove is right. And along those lines one or two cheats per week may work for him very well. You have to find what works for you. If you are a competitor Id stay at 10% or below if a male. I think 16% is a pretty lean female for figure purposes, female bbs may stay close to 12 or 13.

In any event I can get away with one cheat every two days or so as I have a pretty good metabolism, definitley an ecto/meso.

Anyways...dont beat yourself up over it, find what works for you so you have some balance.

Nah, don't worry about it. What is your workout schedule like? If you are trying to stay leaner, calories input have to be a little more than calories output. Other wise don't worry. The other guys are correct. You NEED to cheat every 3-4 days depending on your metabolism and workout schedule. J can get away with more (and I hate him for it)!

Forget about it, enjoy it while you do it, move on, but most importantly, stick to your regular diet. Don't try to change around your calories just afford that cheat meal.

Thanks for the responses & positive reinforcement. Its been a long time since I had such a large serving of sugar & I was amazed how different I felt for majority of the day.

I don't compete on stage, just with myself. A couple years ago I was a big fat slob, so I guess I get a little paranoid that if I don't stay on top of things I will end up there again. I think that will be my next goal to tackle: Realize I can enjoy a little cheat here & there while staying true to my fitness plans.

I was like this the first time I dieted and got abs. For 9 mos I didnt cheat nor have a beer, etc. I figured well being strict got me there and once I have these other foods I cant stray.

Getting there is much harder than staying there, I tell everyone I work with that. Once you are there, its much easier to maintain.

You might not be able to cheat but once a week and stay where you are comfortable, but you should be able to indulge once a week and be fine.

Good Luck!