What time of day should I eat my cheat meal?

[MrDetermination]

I've gotta have some chicken wings! Its been since December and I've accomplished all my goals and more since then. I'm running in the morning and lifting Chest/Tri in the afternoon. Followed Sunday morning by a 2 hour cardio session.

Whats the best time of day to do this? Keep in mind I'll have to have a couple Sam Adams with mah wings

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve!

edit: I fully intend to eat to my heart's content. Like 2 dozen wings would be a good guess.

[mc1]

right before bed, thats when protein synthesis will be running at a max from your afternoon workout. Bonus is that meat+fat is a long digesting source of protein to last you through the night. And beer will make you sleepy.

[TheGMF]

I would say in the afternoon, so the food is not sitting in your stomach all night.

[Machine]

Yeah, I'd say earlier in the day as well.. not directly before sleeping.

[mc1]

Originally posted by TheGMF
I would say in the afternoon, so the food is not sitting in your stomach all night.

why would you not want food in your stomach at night?

[/\/\etallic/-\]

Originally posted by mc1


why would you not want food in your stomach at night?

you shmuck...hes cutting after all. Dont you know that if you eat right before bed it'll end up mostly getting stored as fat? Wings and beer right before bed? Thats insane.

[97LT1]

Cheat meal before bed? Not good. Cheats only apply to cutting anyway. And the beer?

I'd would go with early afternoon. 2 Sams is a nice buzz that should be savored thought the day.

[Tigersfire]

Originally posted by /\/\etallic/-\


you shmuck...hes cutting after all. Dont you know that if you eat right before bed it'll end up mostly getting stored as fat? Wings and beer right before bed? Thats insane.

The timing of one meal does not equate fat gain. Overeating does. The fat he would gain eating it at 6 o'clock in the morning would be the same as eating at 8 at night. The only thing that really effects the amount of food you can eat without getting fat is your working out. There is about a 3 hour period after working out that your body will utilize nutrients more efficiently. I say if he is getting really picky, go for a hard run or cardio session. Have a protein shake afterward, then about an hour later cheat away, irregardless of time of day.

[97LT1]

Originally posted by /\/\etallic/-\


you shmuck...hes cutting after all. Dont you know that if you eat right before bed it'll end up mostly getting stored as fat? Wings and beer right before bed? Thats insane.

LMAO!!!!

[mc1]

Originally posted by /\/\etallic/-\


you shmuck...hes cutting after all. Dont you know that if you eat right before bed it'll end up mostly getting stored as fat? Wings and beer right before bed? Thats insane.

Why don't you show me the evidence to support your claim, since you are so intellegent.

[2demon2]

MrDetermination from Ars. Interesting.

[97LT1]

Originally posted by mc1



Why don't you show me the evidence to support your claim, since you are so intellegent.

Come on now. It's common knowledge in bodybuilding. Run a search.

[mc1]

Originally posted by 97LT1
Come on now. It's common knowledge in bodybuilding. Run a search.

If it is such common knowledge, can you please explain to me why eating at night would turn food into fat more than it would eating the same food during the day? I can't find any info by searching.

Is this similar to how doing concentration curls put the peak on your biceps?

[97LT1]

I only know what i've been told for 15 years. And by eating at night, the weight gain i saw for many years. Try eating at night before bed for a month. Like the above poster said he was gonna ingest. You will gain weight. And common knowkledge will tell you that if you eat those types of food before bed, weight gain is going to happen. Maybe someone else can explain this better than i can.

[MrDetermination]

Originally posted by 2demon2
MrDetermination from Ars. Interesting.

Arsians are everywhere... They are watching me!

[Tigersfire]

The only reason you would gain weight by eating at night, is if the food your eating at night is entirely additional food.

EXAMPLE: 2400 calories divided into 6 equal meals with a 50/30/20 ratio (protein/carbs/fats), at 350 cals per meal (allowing 300 calories to be alotted to post workout nutrition)
7am
9am
11am
2pm
5pm
8pm

Is exactly the same thing as 2400 calories in 8 equal meals with the same ratios at 260 cals per meal (alotting 320 cals for post workout nutrition)
7am
9am
11am
2pm
5pm
8pm
10pm (before bed)
1am (midnight Meal replacement)

As a matter of fact the latter is exactly how I eat. And believe me the moment I see fat gain I will change it!

Now should you use the former schdedule and add an additional 350 calorie meal at 10 pm then yes you will gain fat. But not because it was eating at 10pm but because it was EXTRA cals.

However unless you take the time to really count your cals and measure everything out (including veggies that many often discount entirely), I would venture to guess that almost anyone would unknowingly eat more if they included evening meals. I mean hell, I know if I didn't right and measure everything it would be much easier to toss down some extra turkey or veggies lounging around at night. People simply have a tendency to eat more when they've got nothin better to do.

So in that respect yes, for the average individual in general I would say if they ate at night they would gain weight, because the average person would not be so exact with there diet and carefully remove 40 or 50 cals from there other daily meals to alot for that nightly snack.

However we are not the average people. As good little (or big would be a more appropriate adjective) bodybuilders, we count our cals very carefully, and night eating should be aiding us in our efforts, not causing us to gain weight.

Now before anyone brings up the whole "your metabolism is slower at night because of inactivity" aspect, I'll dispell that one ahead of time. 2 factors and 2 factors only, dramatically influence your metabolism at different points of the day, frequency of meals and prior activity. The only reason your metabolism should slow enough to store a nightime meal as fat would be if you ceased eating and was sedentary for the last 4-5 hours of your day. Which is also why having a midnight protein shake is good move. That 8 hour fast really slows things down!

I say why limit fat burning and muscle building to the daylight hours, I want to be burning and building 24/7!!!!

[mc1]

Originally posted by Tigersfire
The only reason you would gain weight by eating at night, is if the food your eating at night is entirely additional food.

EXAMPLE: 2400 calories divided into 6 equal meals with a 50/30/20 ratio (protein/carbs/fats), at 350 cals per meal (allowing 300 calories to be alotted to post workout nutrition)
7am
9am
11am
2pm
5pm
8pm

Is exactly the same thing as 2400 calories in 8 equal meals with the same ratios at 260 cals per meal (alotting 320 cals for post workout nutrition)
7am
9am
11am
2pm
5pm
8pm
10pm (before bed)
1am (midnight Meal replacement)

As a matter of fact the latter is exactly how I eat. And believe me the moment I see fat gain I will change it!

Now should you use the former schdedule and add an additional 350 calorie meal at 10 pm then yes you will gain fat. But not because it was eating at 10pm but because it was EXTRA cals.

However unless you take the time to really count your cals and measure everything out (including veggies that many often discount entirely), I would venture to guess that almost anyone would unknowingly eat more if they included evening meals. I mean hell, I know if I didn't right and measure everything it would be much easier to toss down some extra turkey or veggies lounging around at night. People simply have a tendency to eat more when they've got nothin better to do.

So in that respect yes, for the average individual in general I would say if they ate at night they would gain weight, because the average person would not be so exact with there diet and carefully remove 40 or 50 cals from there other daily meals to alot for that nightly snack.

However we are not the average people. As good little (or big would be a more appropriate adjective) bodybuilders, we count our cals very carefully, and night eating should be aiding us in our efforts, not causing us to gain weight.

Now before anyone brings up the whole "your metabolism is slower at night because of inactivity" aspect, I'll dispell that one ahead of time. 2 factors and 2 factors only, dramatically influence your metabolism at different points of the day, frequency of meals and prior activity. The only reason your metabolism should slow enough to store a nightime meal as fat would be if you ceased eating and was sedentary for the last 4-5 hours of your day. Which is also why having a midnight protein shake is good move. That 8 hour fast really slows things down!

I say why limit fat burning and muscle building to the daylight hours, I want to be burning and building 24/7!!!!

A single light in the darkness of ignorance.

[MrDetermination]

Whoa... wait a minute... I don't have to count my post workout shake in my calories for the day?

I eat about 1900 calories per day (my BMR) (watch em all.. bet I know my total accurately within 50 every day), But I'm counting 320 for a double protein scoop plus milk in there as well as another 100 gatorade calories. So outside that I'm only getting about 1500 calories a day, 500 of that from protein bars. I'm trying to stay lean, get a little leaner (~9%bf now) and add any lean muscle mass I can get. I do hard cardio and lifting both, and workout something like 8 times a week minimum.

I have decided to start taking 1 day a week and eating 4000 calories... just to throw my system for a loop and well, damn its fun to eat like a pig for a day. I am going to do this after lifting whatever muscle group I think is dragging at the time. A big chunk of that will be my cheat meal... and judging by what I've read here, it don't matter when I have that meal... though I'll try to get it as early as possible... because I'll be looking forward to it

[97LT1]

Again Tigersfire, Excellent response.

[sfetaz]

Forget a cheat meal. Have a FREE day (cheating is a negative word which is one reason why some people don't like the concept). Take one day where you don't care what you are eating. Eat and drink whatever you want on that day/ Then whenever you feel in the mood for those wings and beer gulp them down. And have a big mac and whopper with some fries and a soda and 12 mcdonalds cookies (Oh my god those are a dream of taste, it's unreal how good those cookies are!) if you feel like it. Taking the day off lets you relieve the stress of 6 days a week of strict dieting and planning, and helps you to remember what it feels like when every day was a free day! All that bloating, indigestion, farting, diareea, low energy, dumb thinking, crued noises, you know the things we get from the typical american. It may also help convince your body it is not in a state of famine (aka reduced caloric intake) which will help keep your metabolism up.

[sfetaz]

Damn didn't read your post about taking the day off each week. Forget counting the 4000 calories though! Just eat and relax and have fun! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer and chicken wingzzzzzzzzzzzz..... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[sfetaz]

And by the way, gaining more fat at nighttime is a half truth. Here is the real truth about it.

You body burns less calories as you sleep. It's a fact. If you ingest more calories than you burn your body converts the excess to fat. That is a fact. Everyone with half a knowledge of bodybuilding know this.

Now the false part. Everyday your body burns a certain number of calories, rellevent to many factors. That is a fact. If you ingest more calories in 1 day than your body burns, the excess will get converted into fat. That is a fact. If you ingest less calories in 1 day than your body burns, the body turns to stored body fat for energy. That is a fact.

The total calories burned is all that matters. You can have all the calories in the world before bed. If you ate less calories throughout the day than you burned, you will have lost fat. Period.

Of course if you starve yourself all day and pig out right before bed your body will lower the metobolic rate by destroying a lot of muscle. Then your bodys metabolism will be very low. It will burn fat during the day time but it will make sure you are able to burn less calories.

So the bottom line? As long as you are eating 6 meals a day contain both protein and carbohydrates, and you are eating moderatly below your bodys metobolic rate, eating at night time will not make you fat.

[mc1]

Originally posted by 97LT1
Again Tigersfire, Excellent response.

[97LT1]

Originally posted by mc1

And that took thought? Hey look, i'll admit i could not explain this better than most. I don't know everything. Once again i was trying to add my imput. Don't be an ass.

[mc1]

Originally posted by 97LT1
And that took thought? Hey look, i'll admit i could not explain this better than most. I don't know everything. Once again i was trying to add my imput. Don't be an ass.

Don't be angry at me because you start a thread claiming your belief is common knowledge, and then finish the thread complementing someones post that completely contradicts what was your "common knowledge".

97, here is a piece of advice for you. It is very difficult to post 50 times a day and have your posts contain any amount of knowledge. You might consider posting on topics that you know something about, and preferably when you can back up what you claim with some sort of reasoning or reference.

[97LT1]

No, it's not difficult to post that much. Anyone can do it. Why is such a big deal to most, i will never know.

I'm sorry i was rude. I do know about weight loss and nutrition. But i did not know
how to properly respond to your question. My apologies.

[/\/\etallic/-\]

Originally posted by mc1


Don't be angry at me because you start a thread claiming your belief is common knowledge, and then finish the thread complementing someones post that completely contradicts what was your "common knowledge".

97, here is a piece of advice for you. It is very difficult to post 50 times a day and have your posts contain any amount of knowledge. You might consider posting on topics that you know something about, and preferably when you can back up what you claim with some sort of reasoning or reference.

take it easy tough guy...its a stupid dispute anyway

[aussieangie]

I have my cheat meal once a week usually every sat night as I'm on the low carb Dave palumbo diet, and he advises to have it every week. I normally eat whatever I crave without going stupid. It's either a burger and fries, or pancakes, or a nice meal at a resteraunt, Chinese or Indian food and it involves some sort of dessert also.
I feel great a side from the bloating, but it goes after a few days and my body fat levels go down also so it's something I do every week.

[AlwaysTryin]

Strong 8 year old thread bump Angie....