Hi All.. I'm currently in the last month of my 'off season'.. and I'm just wondering what do you consider a "cheat" meal.. or if it's more than a 'meal' what do you consider a cheat? Is it a special dessert you've been saving up to indulge? Maybe just relaxing all day - with a bit more of the 'off limits' type food? Just curious! As I know what constitutes a cheat for one .. does not consititute a cheat for all! Thanks..

Hi Val,

For me its more of a cheat period. I normally do my last show of the season in November ending with the Nationals two weeks before turkey-day. I then eat what and when I feel like it until the day after Christ's birth. On the 26th Debbie and I throw out all the junk and its back to bizz! From then on I may have something every so often but my cheat days from then on are a extra US as a pudding with whipped cream or something along those lines. I must admit my 6 weeks off I cheat... well lets just say cookies and US make a great breakfast.

Sully

More of a meal. Sometimes once a week, sometimes once every 3 weeks depending on my bodyfat. But, Im trying to stay right around 10% or lower. Ill wait till Im going out to dinner and have whatever I want with dessert. Then Ill have a normal plan meal before bed to get me back on the right track, get up in the morning and carry on as usual. Works well for me.

Jason Theobald

www.geocities.com/chezburger10/JASONTHEOBALDBIO.html

Ahhh, ye ole cheat meal.

Technically, it is whatever for that one meal. Some experts say that you can overload the body for a 45 minute period then you'll suffer another insulin spike.

With that one insulin spike, you'll only transport X amount and that is it. Excess sugar will not be metabolised. Fats...Hmmm. I didn't see that part. Protein, similar. Excess was to be lost in the process.

I do know I tried that after my last contest and stayed lean for quite some time. It was the latter cravings that resulted in multiple insulin spikes that did me in.

I'm doing the once-week thing (1 meal), right now. At the first of the year, I'll be very serious. About what, I don't know. LOL.

Yes, I'm planning getting on stage once again.

Frank

Even in the off season I would recommend only one cheat meal per week. The off season is a time to make improvements and bring up weak areas – not a time to pig out and gain too much fat. Your off season diet will already be higher in calories than your contest diet, so adding too many more isn’t going to help you do anything but put on excess fat. One cheat meal per week is fine and shouldn’t set you back. The calories in much more than one cheat meal per week will add up and cause fat gain. Believe me; I’ve tried off season dieting both ways. Cheating once a week is much more productive and makes getting ready for a show a lot easier.

Rachel
Bev Staff

Call me crazy but I actually found it much easier to allow for "cheat meals" to take place rather then a "cheat day". I have alloted for one of my 5 meals to be a cheat meal on Fiday night and then one more on Sunday morning. Given my job, family and lifestyle I find that this "cheat meal" system works very well without forcing me to suffer in the off season when the people around me go out on Fridays or to breakfast on Sunday's. I enjoy being able to look forward to these "off limit" foods twice per week rather then just one day plus the guilt of eating one cheat meal is far less then a whole day in my opinion. This keeps my cravings under control very well all week long. I will note that I use this tactic in the off season only. Precontest I have one cheat meal on Sunday morning only. The last 3 weeks before a show I cut out these cheat meals entirly.