| Hey there, If you have a fitness fetish, you probably follow a meal plan of sorts. You may not weigh and measure everything or even eat according to a rigid menu, but you probably tend to eat the same variety of foods on a regular basis because it's the easiest way to control your calories and macros. You probably also get wild hairs and want to splurge (you little deviant, you), and many people respond to these urges in one of two ways: 1. Surrender whenever they strike so long as it can "fit their macros."
2. Abstain for as long as possible and then have a "cheat meal" or "cheat day." Neither of these strategies are usually ideal. For instance, while door number one sounds sensible, when someone has only recently escaped the cult of clean eating, the radical shift can send them off the rails and back into their old inflexible ways. And door number two can easily lead to day-long food orgies that would kill a competitive eater. What does work well for most people? Simple: You stick to your meal plan "perfectly" (good enough) for a set period of time, usually a week or so, and then enjoy a bit of "off-plan" eating—usually as a single "cheat meal"—even if you're not hankering for it. Think of it like controlled burning, where . . . forest experts? Foresters? Silvologists? Whatever . . . burn away dead grass and trees, fallen branches, and undergrowth to prevent a raging inferno. Similarly, by regularly immolating your dietary demons when they're just cuddly little kidlets, you can avoid facing them as a gang of belligerent teenagers on the warpath. This approach is preferred by most people who have achieved an elite level of fitness, and there's good scientific evidence of its effectiveness as well. For instance, studies on "diet breaks" have consistently shown that people tend to lose more fat when they alternate between periods of following a diet plan closely and loosely. So, to anyone who says "cheat meals" are always "bad," I say pshaw. God's in the details. Also: If you want to learn more about the art and science of eating foods you like and doing workouts you love to get the body you want, check out one of my bestselling fitness books. For men trying to gain their first 25 pounds of muscle or get to 10 to 15% body fat: ⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/bigger-leaner-stronger/ For women trying to gain their first 15 pounds of muscle or get to 20 to 25% body fat: ⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/thinner-leaner-stronger/ For advanced lifters trying to reach their genetic potential for muscle and strength: ⇒ https://legionathletics.com/products/books/beyond-bigger-leaner-stronger/ These books have helped tens of thousands of people of all ages and circumstances build their best bodies ever, and you could be next. Go for it! Mike | 
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