What is a "cheat meal"?

I have been training for 6 months and on a program with a strict nutrition plan, supplements, and training for 2 weeks. My nutrition plan is 50% lean protein, 25% carbs, 25% healthy fat and 1800 calories daily. My body fat % right now is 15% (I'm a 25-year-old woman), I weigh 125lbs and I'm 5'6". My trainer is an IFBB Pro in Fitness and Figure and she says that I am allowed 1 cheat meal per week. I asked her once what she thinks a cheat meal is. All she said to me was that it is one meal a week where you don't have to measure and can eat off plan. I'm still confused because that is a very broad answer. I'm embarrassed to ask her specifics of what a cheat meal is because honestly, I'm craving is pizza and maybe a glass or two of beer or wine. I'm worried my trainer will think that I'm not committed to training or that I'm ridiculous for asking if I can have such a fatty meal. But I'm petrified to ruin all of the progress I've made. I have not had a "cheat meal" in 2 weeks and I've lost 3lbs. Even before the 2 weeks I would have 1 "junk food" meal a week and a moderate amount of alcohol. I am VERY serious about training and if I can't have a cheat meal then I won't.

All I want to know is what a "cheat meal" REALLY means in plain terms. Any and all help with this would be greatly appreciated so that I can get the idea of having high calorie foods out of my head.

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

Its too bad bb.com doesn't have a way to search through countless old threads that have been created on the same topic. That would be helpful

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

I dont think any form of cheating has ever been clearly defined, because everybody's bodies are different, just as everybody's opinions on nutrition are different. For me I just give myself two days a week with increased calories.

Mon, tues, thurs, fri, sat: 1360 calories

Wed: 2000 calories

Sun: 3200 calories

On the increased calorie days I usually eat more "junk food."

Anyways, thats how I do it. Everybody is VERY different in how they "cheat." Just find something that works for you.

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

depends on your own definitions of a "cheat". i fit in ice cream, pizza, etc during the week. overall calories is what determines fat gain/loss

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

dude you're stormin through the gen nutrition section like its your job. you sir are my idol

also: OP, are you serious right now? I feel like its pretty common sense

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

This is so funny.

Protein is a macronutrient. So is fat. Protein can't be "lean" or "not lean".

Also, what is "healthy fat"?

Anyway, what I suggest is that you stop trying to learn what silly terms like "cheat meal" might mean to someone and, rather, start learning a bit about nutrition.

To do so, start reading the following stickies:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=136691851
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

She just joined it looks like.. might not have been the function to look for them.

To the OP, like some have said it can mean different things to different people. Some people seem to think completely eating like a slob (ie just going all out eat-competition style with 3 whole pizzas) is a cheat, whereas some eat an extra half cup of oatmeal and call it a cheat.. really depends. They might fall into the following categories:

Cheating Based on Calories Only

In this case, your meal throws off your daily calorie goals by some degree, but the choice of foods remains the same.. kind of like a refeed where you're just allowed to be fuller.

Cheating Based on Food Choice Only

In this case, you meal doesn't NOT throw off your macros (at least not much), but you fill them using less-than-healthy foods.. like substituting oatmeal with cinnabon, etc... but by the end of the day still hitting the same calories and macros (or close to it)

Cheating Based on Food Choice AND Calories

In this case, you don't care how many additional calories it adds to the day, nor do you care about how much it throws off your macros.. you just want to binge for an hour or so on a huge meal, or whatever.

The other factor in question is the degree to which your cheating. How far over in calories or how unhealthy are you going to let the meal go? Depends on the person...

My recommendation is to just not stress about it. "Cheats" aren't NEEDED, so why worry?

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

Thanks for the reply. You were the only person who didn't have a condescending tone in your post. From now on if I have "silly" questions I will refer to my trainer. I had no idea I would be taken to school for using the incorrect verbage on this website.

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

plz see my post.

 

What is a "cheat meal"?

Like others have said, it's the one meal where you just eat whatever you want. I had one cheat (though I call it a "treat meal" to get it out of my head that I'm doing something wrong, which I'm not) meal per week throughout my 150 pound weight loss. It kept me sane, it was something to look forward to, and I was so restrictive throughout the rest of the week that I got the feeling it really helped my metabolism stay nice and high as can be.