| Depriving yourself of foods you enjoy is not productive | | | | nutritious, fat-burning eating guidelines 9 meals out of 10. |
| to your fat loss efforts in the long run. If you want to | | | | For example, if you're eating small frequent meals like |
| lose fat permanently and healthfully without going | | | | any effective fat loss program suggests, that's 5 small |
| crazy with cravings or battling with binges, then here's | | | | meals a day X 7 days a week = 35 meals. 90% |
| what you must do instead: Find a sensible way to | | | | compliance means about 31-32 of those meals are |
| work even your most "sinful" favorite foods into your | | | | spot-on! The other 3 or 4 are for you to enjoy special |
| diet, but do it in an amount and frequency that doesn't | | | | occasions, reward yourself, and live a little. |
| set you back or sabotage your progress. | | | | If you're like most people, and you simply want to drop |
| This can be done by allowing yourself some "cheat | | | | a few pounds, trim a few inches off your waistline and |
| meals" (some people call them "free meals" or | | | | look better in shorts or in a swimsuit for summer, then |
| "reward meals.") | | | | 100% compliance is unrealistic and unnecessary. 90% |
| One really good way to look at the "cheat meals" | | | | compliance is more realistic as a lifestyle, while being |
| concept is in terms of "compliance," which means, | | | | strict enough for most people to get results. |
| what percentage of your meals are following the | | | | On the other hand, if you had a very ambitious goal like |
| guidelines of the program and what percentage are | | | | preparing for a figure or fitness competition and you |
| off the program. | | | | thought you had to reach at least 12 or 13% body fat |
| Too many meals or days off the program and your | | | | (which is very low for women), and you knew you |
| results are compromised. Too many days in a row | | | | would be onstage with judges looking at every inch of |
| eating nothing but "rabbit food" and you go insane with | | | | your body in a teeny bikini (paying very close attention |
| cravings, right? | | | | to whether anything on your butt and thighs was |
| How much you need to comply (stick with) your diet | | | | "jiggling"), then you would want to be as strict as |
| program varies from person to person. It depends a lot | | | | possible during the pre contest diet period (100% |
| on how ambitious your goals are and on how | | | | compliance or very close to it). |
| responsive your body is to nutrition and exercise. | | | | Keep in mind that in a competitive situation, every time |
| When making your decision, keep in mind we all have | | | | you "cheat" and your competitors don't cheat, you |
| different genetics and body types, which is something I | | | | decrease your probability of placing high in the |
| discuss in great detail in my book, Burn The Fat, Feed | | | | contests. |
| The Muscle. | | | | Unless you have a competitive physique goal like this, |
| For example, are you a carb-tolerant mesomorph who | | | | however, then total deprivation of pleasure foods or |
| gains muscle easily and loses fat easily or are you a | | | | cheat meals (100% compliance), is not necessary |
| carb-sensitive endomorph who gains fat easily? | | | | because you always tend to crave what you cannot |
| Depending on the answer, your diet program may | | | | have. That's a binge waiting to happen. |
| need to be more or less strict than others. | | | | I prefer this 90 or 95% compliance approach over the |
| Don't compare yourself to others - you have to get to | | | | "entire day of cheating" approach, because I have |
| know your own body type. Some people can "Get | | | | seen people use the term "cheat day" pretty loosely |
| away with" more cheat meals and still make progress | | | | (basically making it the equivalent of BINGE DAY), and |
| (Yeah, I hate them too!) | | | | they do a lot of damage in terms of setting their |
| Unless you're a competitor in physique sports like | | | | progress back. |
| bodybuilding, fitness or figure, or you're getting ready | | | | They end up frantically playing "catch up" for the |
| for some type of transformation challenge or photo | | | | better half of the following week with punishing extra |
| shoot, I suggest at least 90% compliance. | | | | exercise and dietary deprivation. Slow and steady is |
| Whether you adjust your level of compliance above | | | | better than binge and punish don't you agree? |
| 90% (get more "strict") or below 90% (get more | | | | Allow yourself some leeway. Enjoy food. Enjoy life. |
| lenient), depends how far away or close you are from | | | | Have your pizza, or chocolate or whatever makes |
| achieving your goals, and most importantly, on what | | | | your stomach happy. It will help, not hurt in the long run. |
| kind of results you're getting each week. | | | | Just be sure to be mindful of your calorie limits, and |
| If you're complying 90% of the time, and you're getting | | | | when you say you are going to comply 90% of the |
| awesome results, then you don't have to change a | | | | time, then keep your promise to yourself and comply! |
| thing, and you may be able to loosen up your diet a | | | | Tom Venuto is a certified personal trainer, natural |
| little. I know some people who are definitely only "on | | | | bodybuilder and author of the #1 best selling diet |
| the program" 80% or 85% of the time and they look | | | | e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle." You can get |
| great. | | | | info on Tom's e-book at . |
| 90% compliance means you are following healthy | | | | |