Cheat meal - After Workout or no?

adrenalinaddict

Member
Awards
0
So Ive recently adjusted my diet way down (only brown rice, oatmeal, chicken, lean beef, turkey, raw egg whites, and some protein shakes mixed in for my added calories and protein. And some natty PB thrown in for flavoring and my fat. )

When I started this clean diet I also started incorporating two cheat meals a week so kickstart my metabolism again. It seems to be working real good and Im feeling very lean. Im probably at around 9-10% BF right now and Im doing barely any cardio. (I was doing a lot more before I cleaned up the diet and cut out the rest of my carbs, sugar, and sodium)

So my question is this. On the days I have a cheat meal, I usually go on a full blown cheat. A nice fast food meal, or some nasty chinese food or something like that. A nice high calorie, high fat, kickstart my metabolism, make me sane again, and actually fill my stomach up (3600 calories of pure clean food just still doesnt fill me up) When I do have these meals should I have them right after a workout?

The whole point of the cheat meal is to kick start your metabolism and make it burn fat faster...so if you do this after your workout (Cardio or Resistance) your metabolism would already be sped up. Its kind of a catch 22. This may be the best time to cheat because its kind of a free meal since everything will be soaked up. But at the same time, its seems it may defeat the whole purpose because your metabolism is already sped up from the workout, so the "cheat" meal may not really be doing anything beneficial for you.

Any thoughts on this?
 

Siberian

New member
Awards
0
Unless the meal is very low in fat, I think it would be a bad idea to take a cheat meal as your Post-workout meal. At this time you are going to want your quality protein and carbs and I simply don't see a cheat meal affording you this (not to mention all the fat in most fast food meals or some Chinese food, etc).

Besides, I always considered a cheat meal for motivation and mental satisfaction purposes. Many people simply can't stand to eat clean all the time because they don't find the food as enjoyable, therefore they take a cheat meal to keep motivation high and feel like their not so restricted all the time. I've never looked at is as a way to kick start metabolism, however, I could be off there....anyone else feel free to chime in.
 

adrenalinaddict

Member
Awards
0
This is a debated topic. But from a lot of reading, I have learned that when your body is so used to eating healthy, low in fat, clean foods, it basically gets lazy. It says "alright, your eating healthy, so I dont need to work to burn all of this off." When you take in a high calorie, high fat meal, your body gets confused and basically says "what the hell is this? Now I have to work hard again to get rid of this damnit" and speeds up for a few days.

Now Im sure this can be debated. I have recently adopted this routine to see how I feel on it. I never used to cheat however I was only Id say 85% clean. I have recently gone to a much cleaner diet. (so fresh and so clean) so I figured it would be beneficial should the cheat actually work.
 

Siberian

New member
Awards
0
Yea, I see your point. I guess all there is to be said is - if it's working then keep at it. I know you said that you started this recently but if it proves itself to be successful for you, then you have your answer.

Good luck and I'm sure you will know soon enough.
 

jjjd

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
adrenalinaddict, the cheat meal is definitely a good thing for "mental health" as you say.

however as others have said, it is very good in regards to getting leptin levels back in play etc.

lyle mcdonald (the guy who wrote The Ketogenic Diet) has done some good work on leptin and refeeds. if you do a google search with his name and leptin you will see lots of data
 
wildman536

wildman536

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
I have been Doing A "Cheat Meal" 1 Time on Saturday. Post Workout is When i Eat It (It Makes me Feel a Little Better if i Eat It Then) Ill Usually Go All Out. Pizza Hut Buffett, A Giant Burger or Something to That Effect. I Have Seen a Defenate (SP?) Change for The Better.
 

adrenalinaddict

Member
Awards
0
Good news Wildman. Thanks for the input. Just curious, how clean is your normal, everyday diet?
 
wildman536

wildman536

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
Well bro, Im Pretty Clean. I Eat about 3000-3500. Im 5'7 and a 176+/- LB's.

Since ive Started Doing This (4 Weeks Ago) The First 3 Was a 2 LB Burger and a Loaf of Bread for a Bun Heaps of Fries and a Bunch of Baked Beans. (Imagne the Smell) and Last Week Was 38 Slices of Pizza from Pizza Hut and 2 Nitro-Tech Bars.

Im Getting Leaner, but Fuller. (Kinda Hard to Understand but)

Im just Planning Out my Meal for Saturday!!
 
Dwight Schrute

Dwight Schrute

I am faster than 80% of all snakes
Awards
2
  • Legend!
  • Established
Chances are, if you 9-10% bf you don't really need 2 cheat meals per week. I've read everything Lyle has written and have tried it as well and the conclusion I have come to is that people go way overboard on their cheat meals. The majority of people that post over at his board can confirm the same. Better results are achieved when fat is kept to minimum on refeeds and you don't go completely nuts.

The whole metabolism and leptin issue really onlycome into play when you are extremely lean and/or dieting very hard (very low caloric intake)
 
wildman536

wildman536

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
hmm I Keep My Cals High Enough to Gain and I Go Overboard W/ No Problems (Thank God!!)
 

raylewis

Member
Awards
0
Chances are, if you 9-10% bf you don't really need 2 cheat meals per week. I've read everything Lyle has written and have tried it as well and the conclusion I have come to is that people go way overboard on their cheat meals. The majority of people that post over at his board can confirm the same. Better results are achieved when fat is kept to minimum on refeeds and you don't go completely nuts.

The whole metabolism and leptin issue really onlycome into play when you are extremely lean and/or dieting very hard (very low caloric intake)
So Bobo, do you think that going completely nuts a meal or 2 has a very negative impact on body composition in the next few hours/days even if one goes back to the strict diet/exercise activities? Assuming fats are kept to a minimum, is it ok to go overboard on carbs?
 
Dwight Schrute

Dwight Schrute

I am faster than 80% of all snakes
Awards
2
  • Legend!
  • Established
Not really on the first question. One meal isn't going to hurt you but it will hinder your efforts. Yes to the last question. Its better to go overboard on carbs than fat in these cases. If you combine the two, then you could get into problems. Its not that you will gain 2-3lbs of fat or anything like that, it will just take you that much longer to really get into fat burning mode again. If you do it right, and keep fat to a minimum and carbs somewhat clean (high gi to start then low gi) then youi can actually stay in somewhat of a fat burning mode.

IMO, if your above 10-12% the chances you actually need a refeed every week are highly unlikely. I've found this out by experimenting on my own and through others....but everyone is different.
 

raylewis

Member
Awards
0
Not really on the first question. One meal isn't going to hurt you but it will hinder your efforts. Yes to the last question. Its better to go overboard on carbs than fat in these cases. If you combine the two, then you could get into problems. Its not that you will gain 2-3lbs of fat or anything like that, it will just take you that much longer to really get into fat burning mode again. If you do it right, and keep fat to a minimum and carbs somewhat clean (high gi to start then low gi) then youi can actually stay in somewhat of a fat burning mode.

IMO, if your above 10-12% the chances you actually need a refeed every week are highly unlikely. I've found this out by experimenting on my own and through others....but everyone is different.
Thanks for the info Bo. I've been stuck at about 14% over the last 2 weeks and although I feel flat at my leanest, I wonder how much I hinder my efforts with my choices of cheat meals. Pizza usually is my choice. When I do, I'm nervous eating it to really even enjoy it.
 
wildman536

wildman536

Active member
Awards
1
  • Established
Thats your Problem your TOO STRESSED!! Just Clean It Up During the Week, and Have a Great Meal on Sat.
 

Top