John Berardi - Damage Control: To Cheat Or Not To Cheat!

[webmaster]

In this article I'll share a few tricks with you - taken straight from the research journals - for minimizing the damage caused by eating your weight in turkey and candied yams.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi14.htm

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It seems this article only addressed cheating by eating too much. What about cheating by eating "junk" or high fat/carb foods. If you limit yourself to just 2 or 3 slices of pizza in the meal, and then have a salad with it as well, does this qualify as cheating, and what are the effects? Or my personal favorite: going to a great steakhouse but ordering a 6 ounce steak (instead of the typical 12) again with a salad, but indulging in one or two dinner rolls and half the baked potato.

That is how I usually cheat and it is usually just once a week. The results? Four inches off my midsection in 6 weeks and still progressing (two more is the goal). Would the results be faster if I didn't do what I call cheating? I don't know. Would someone address this please?

[EricS]

Originally posted by Unregistered
It seems this article only addressed cheating by eating too much. What about cheating by eating "junk" or high fat/carb foods. If you limit yourself to just 2 or 3 slices of pizza in the meal, and then have a salad with it as well, does this qualify as cheating, and what are the effects? Or my personal favorite: going to a great steakhouse but ordering a 6 ounce steak (instead of the typical 12) again with a salad, but indulging in one or two dinner rolls and half the baked potato.

That is how I usually cheat and it is usually just once a week. The results? Four inches off my midsection in 6 weeks and still progressing (two more is the goal). Would the results be faster if I didn't do what I call cheating? I don't know. Would someone address this please?

The reason those points were not addressed specifically is because a "Big" meal is typically high in all the macronutrients, including fats and carbohydrates. a couple slices of pizza is going to cost you about 600-700 calories. This isn't really all that bad.

If what you are describing as "Cheating" is eating the foods you used to eat, but are only eating less - the reason you would be losing weight is becuase you are technically eating less.

I think the main reason it wasn't addressed is because when people cheat at an all you can eat buffet, the probably aren't going for the egg white and fat free turkey slices.

[trusolman]

Thanks. I guess the term "cheat" meal has always been a bit ambiguous to me and i was hoping the article would clarify that. I finally made the decision at the start of this year that aside from just training regularly, I was going to eat right too. I've been extremely impressed with my results the past six/seven weeks since I've lost 4 inches from my midsection, but my chest and arm measurements have stayed relatively the same. My net loss of weight on the scale has only been 10 lbs. (186 to 176) I just want to make sure I don't do anything to sabotage my progress. I want the best results possible in the shortest amount of time (who doesn't?) and i've read that an occasional cheat meal can help. I do 30-45 minutes of cardio at about 70% HR in the morning and then train with weights at night about 5 to 6 days a week. I feel great even though I've read warnings about overtraining in various places. I eat about 6 times a day, averaging 400 calories each time with a 40/40/20 ratio of carbs, protein, and fats respectively. My feeling thus far is that as long as you eat and rest right, your body can take more than you realize. I just feel guilty almost every time i have a cheat meal even though i limit the portions.