I'm currently training for a fitness show. I'm about 11 weeks out and am a little confused by the info. I'm receiving. Some trainers have told me cheat 1- 2 times a week doesn't really matter and others say absolutley NO cheating. How can you know which? Does one cheat meal a week really hurt you? What kind of effects does it really have on your body? I would really like to know to finally get this question answered. Maybe everybody's different. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Maybe everyone cheats and just lies about it- hehe

Well...Everyone is different, that is true. If you are new to dieting, or following a new diet and want to see how it's working, I would suggest not cheating in order to understand the diet and how it is affecting your body. If you are a "veteran" dieter, and you know what makes your body respond, then you might know how to creatively cheat without impacting your progress.

In my opinion, if you are in "pre-contest" mode, I would not be cheating at all. Are your competitors cheating? Get your mind focused on the goal at hand - eventually you won't want to cheat.

My motto is "Eat for a Purpose." After the contest, you can eat for pleasure.

That's my input.

Dwayne

I think Im gonna have to agree with Dwayne here.

When its competition time you should not be cheating on your diet. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Maybe you are 11 weeks out and already close to ready. Sometimes a cheat will be scheduled to make sure you dont burn too much too fast. This is very very rare and probably not something a newer competitor would try.

Is one cheat over the course of 11 weeks gonna hurt you? I really dont know, but I know if i lost first by a point or two Id be pissed in hindsight about it.

Ive found maintaining 9% and cheating occasionally is doable for me, but any lower requires strict dieting. Everyone is different.

There is a guy at my gym, doesnt eat right, took 2 months off, and seriously still has the condition of a national level competitor year round. He makes me sick, super thin skin veins everywhere. He has done shows without any dieting and done really well. This is a gentic freak and doesnt occur much. My point is only you know how genetically gifted you are and how close to show ready you are. But, for the average of us, cheating precontest is not a luxury nor is it the norm around here.

Jason

Just remember this
"for every time you are cheating or slacking there is some one else training and dieting harder"

Have this mentality and you will be at your best !!

Thought you might appreciate this quote:

"Cheating on your diet is a definite mistake. You may think there is enough time to undo the damage, but there never is. You may think, (I can let myself splurge), but before you know it, your at the next contest and you meet another competitor who was more serious about his diet. That's when you have to face the consequences of cheating. Always remember that when you’re not paying attention to dieting, there's someone out there who is, and when you meet him onstage,
he'll beat you."

Victor Martinez,
2003 Night of the Champions winner

Well we can all tell that Victor is serious about BBing - but words like this coming from a guy who has obviously embraced steroids and other muscle enhancing drugs I find his words of dedication a little hollow.

While never cheating is a noble goal, for most people that approach will end up making a BBing diet an exercise of denial. Occasional cheating keeps you sane and in balance and helps you avoid the feeling of your diet being a negative denial based plan. If you allow yourself to occasionally have a food item that is not normally on your diet you feel like you are still in control. My humble opinion.

VA MadDog

Why are his words hollow just because we assume he is on steroids? Odds are all pros are on roids, GH, etc. so therefore they are all on an even playing field. Thus the person with the greatest determination, discipline, intensity, knowledge, and some good ol' genetics won't hurt, usually comes out on top.

I posted the quote in order to get one to think about their own level of dedication. Hopefully someone found it inspiring. I compete without drugs and I found it inspiring.

Raphael

No offense intended to Raphael. The idea of being dedicated and committed to your goals is certainly valid.

I guess that I just feel that the dedication of drug assisted pros is misdirected and that the whole direction that professional (non-tested) BBing is headed is bad for the sport and bad for the way that mainstream America views BBers not to mention the health issues and the legal aspects.

It also seems that the majority of the pros bulk up significantly during the off season and eat a whole bunch of foods that would never be on our BI diet plans. The drugs that they are using allow them to be much more liberal with their diets than a natural BBer would have to be. Perhaps Victor is an exception and is someone who follows a clean diet year round.

Sorry that I went off on a tangent. I guess that it would be refreshing to see just once a professional BBer who would acknowledge that a significant portion of their gains and progress were directly attributed to thier drug use, but of course we'll never see that because of the legal issues, so we all just wink and say that they must be awfully dedicated.

VA MadDog

I agree 100% and I wouldn't emulate the training parameters of a steroid user, nor would I follow their nutrition advice.

However, I do agree that when one is getting ready for a show, that discipline in the diet can make the difference between first place and second place. If thngs are close on stage and you lose, at least you want to know you did everything possible. That was the context of the quote and the message I wanted to send. Everything else you said---I can't argue with it.

Raphael

When I'm backstage pumping up, ready to go on, I can tell immediately who didn't diet correctly, or cheated a bit too much, just by observing.

With the extremeties of competition, it isn't so much the training, as it is the diet/nutrition, that determines the winners.

I am guilty of having it backwards for many years, myself, until the light bulb finally clicked on. Too many hard lessons.

Hi Aram,

I saw you compete at the NBI in Tarrytown a few years ago. You looked great. The year I saw you compete, I won first place in the open mens short class at the Mr. Connecticut and first place in the Masters class over 40. I live in Florida now, but compete in the NY area quite a bit. I figure you and I will meet up some time in a Masters class.

Your physique is great and your success story is much more powerful than the quote I posted.

Raphael

.Raphael,

Was that the NBI show in which I won the overall Master's? I've lost rack of those NBI shows. What was frustrating that day was the fact that I wasn't allowed to crossover into the open class.

Getting back to your post; My motivation is born from fear. Fear of returning to the life I once led.

My other motivation is meeting up on stage with high echelon bodybuilders like yourself, who do not neglet doing their "homework".

If we should meet up one of these days, just do me a favor and don't show me up too bad!!

God Bless
Aram

Ha! When I saw you I said to myself, "that guy would be fierce competition."

Excellent symmetry, great poser, outstanding definition. Yes, you won the overall Masters.

I'd sign off God Bless, but I think he already has.

All the best,

Raphael

This is the first time I have looked on the billboard. I went straight to the diet section, and picked the title that jumped out at me. I have to say I am nowhere near where you gentlemen (women? - names look male gender to me -but just in case) are!! I have just started my new "meal plan" (I hate the word diet, in the way it's referred to a temporary way of eating - I am looking for a permanent change in my eating habits) and exercise habits. I was very motivated by you all, and was hoping that if anyone had any advice for me to get rid of the unhealthy cravings I would greatly appreciate it (or am I supposed to post this somewhere else? I wanted to respond to you all specifically, as you are the one's that helped me today). Thanks guys!

Hey it will vary on person to person for what works.

I find that when Im very strict, and not getting ready for a show, one cheat meal every 7 days does me good. Normally by then Im feeling flat in the gym and this seems to refill my glycogen with little negative affect.

As for cravings knowing i get this one meal helps me immensely. I think you will find its all about the groove. After two weeks of eating clean I really dont have weaknesses. You need to set out your eating plan..and a day for ONE meal maybe where you can have some things you want. This works for me to keep the **** out during the week. But, if you start eating small cheats here and there, its very hard to break away from that rut. DOnt get into it.

As for me I love chocolate, making Ultra Size chocolate pudding with a bit of fat free Cool Whip works wonders. Or look up the recipe on Ultra Size pancakes and use sugar free syrup. These will all help.

Jason Theobald

www.geocities.com/chezburger10/JASONTHEOBALDBIO.html

Hi kshopper

Jason is right, of course. (you da man J) Your nutrition will determine the effectiveness of your training.

You've come to a great site here. Some of us compete, some just like to workout and look and feel good, and some are involved in other athletic endeavors.

Look through some of the past issues of NNN and you'll grasp a foundation as well as advanced protocols many of us employ regarding diet.

Discovering what will work for you is at your finger tips. Tap into the vast array of knowledge and experience here.

This discussion board also serves as a support team and we inspire each other in many ways. Once you begin eating "clean", you'll find most cravings and addictions to disappear, especially when focusing on quality proteins.

Your foray into Ulta Size chocolate is a great beginning. Make ice cream and I guarantee you'll never visit your supermarket freezer section for ice cream again!

Aram

Cheating, is cheating on your income tax, wife/husband ever acceptable. Just joking. There was a great artical in a previous Beverly Body Muscle Journal that answered this exact question-I do not remember who wrote it but I could find out. The gist of it was is to have cheat meals never cheat days and the closer to contest you get 8-10 weeks out you may not cheat at all. I know for me and my love of food I could easily eat 3500kcal in a single meal- this may take me 1-2 weeks to level off. Good luck in your show.

I have been inspired. My daughter is having a sleep over tonight and of course, I ordered pizza for the girls and in the back of my mind I was lying to myself one or two slices won't hurt, I'll just double up on cardio. Yeah right! It's mind over matter...will tonight be my last chance to have a slice of pizza, no....so I will opt for jumping rope, a few stair sprints followed by a delicious vanilla MP with four strawberries....mmmm. Thank you for the comments it helped me go from 2nd to 1st in one night

My experience on diet cheating is the following. I will have one small cheat treat. Not thinking much of it. Then alittle added flavor to my regular meals... Before i knew it my meals were all cheating. Just a teaspoon of this will make it taste better. Get my point? I think it is up to the individual. In the beginning if you can have a cheat meal and keep it just at that, then fine. But if it spirals into dieting failure then obviously it is not ok. That is my 2cents.