• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Op-Ed

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Cheat Meals for Strength Athletes

Written by Ben Pollack
Last updated on July 25th, 2023

Look, I’ll be the first to admit it: I love me some cheat meals. When my focus was solely on powerlifting, I still followed a fairly strict diet in terms of food choices, but now that I’m bodybuilding, too, I’ve had to be even more careful with what I eat. And I’m seeing great results from that – but at the same time, from a mental perspective, it’s simply draining to pay such close attention to everything you put in your mouth every day.

Now, I’m not cutting my calories or carbs too dramatically right now, but if you are – or if you’ve dieted hard in the past – you know that this kind of regimen can be physically draining, too. Eventually, your performance in the gym probably starts to suffer, and you have to use lighter weights and the pump becomes more and more elusive.

Ben Pollack Diet
Ben Pollack Diet

If your goal is purely aesthetic, at some point, you’ll have to suck it up and push through regardless, but until the very end of a diet, cheat meals are an incredibly useful tool for managing these symptoms of depletion.

But what if your goals aren’t purely aesthetic? What if you’re a strength athlete who’s dieting to make a weight class or even to just get in shape for summer? In that case, maybe you’re not willing to sacrifice performance for the sake of maintaining a diet. Can cheat meals be useful in that situation, too? The answer is a little more complicated than what you might expect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcjB6yzZ-Ig

The Benefits of Cheat Meals

I think most readers will be familiar with cheat meals and their benefits, but it’s worth noting them anyway, because the benefits can be significant. First, from a physiological perspective, cheat meals can offset some of the hormonal changes associated with hard dieting that slow your metabolism. (Remember, though that any decrease in basal metabolic rate from most diets is pretty small – it’s actually really damned hard to put your body into “starvation mode,” so don’t fool yourself into thinking that cheat meals are going to be the super-secret tool to smashing serious weight-loss plateaus.)

From a psychological perspective, cheat meals are arguably more beneficial. Remember that “drained” feeling I mentioned in the introduction? Mentally, that feeling stems from the fact that humans simply have a limited amount of willpower, and maintaining a diet – even a moderate diet – requires a lot of willpower. Even a short break from a rigid regimen can be a huge relief in that regard.

Why Cheat Meals Might Not Be the Best Choice

Both strength and physique athletes can benefit from the positive aspects of cheat meals. For strength athletes in particular, however, I believe there are some drawbacks that aren’t often discussed, and they’re very much worth considering before implementing them into your plan.

Basically, if you’re a strength athlete, your diet should be structured such that every time you walk into the gym, you’re feeling the best you possibly can given the other aspects of your recovery. A good diet can’t make up for a lack of sleep; nor can it compensate for a poor training program. But eating the right foods at the right times can help to make you feel more comfortable and energetic.

Ben Pollack Diet
Ben Pollack Diet

If you’re like most people, though, “comfortable and energetic” isn’t a feeling you associate with a cheat meal. Cheats are usually borderline binges – most people eat way too much, and they eat foods they wouldn’t normally eat. That can result in lethargy, bloating, and other intestinal distress. Obviously, those feelings aren’t going to set the stage for a great training session.

At this point, you’re probably thinking, “okay, well, I’ll just have my cheat meal after my training session, and it won’t matter whether I’m feeling ready to do a heavy, high-rep set of squats later in the day.” There’s a problem with that, too: your body is primed for protein synthesis after training, and your best bet for taking advantage of that opportunity is a high-carb, moderate-protein meal that’s very low in fat. Again, not typical of a cheat meal, which tend to be high in fats and carbs and fairly low in protein.

What’s the Verdict?

In my opinion, if you’re training for strength, you’re better off simply avoiding very restrictive diets in the first place. They’re not necessary for the minor changes in body weight or composition that come with moving down a weight class or getting in beach-body shape. Instead, take a slower, more moderate approach – one that doesn’t subject you to feeling drained (mentally or physically) in the first place.

I’m certainly not saying that cheat meals are useless for strength-related goals. If you use cheat meals successfully, or have done so in the past, you should absolutely stick with what’s working. And it’s absolutely possible to schedule cheat meals to fit within the context of optimizing performance in the gym. But if you’re just starting a diet, and you’re already planning your weekly cheat meal, you might want to reevaluate your approach. There might be simpler – and easier – ways to reach your goals.

Editor’s note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein and in the video are the author’s and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been sourced exclusively by the author.

Feature image provided by Ben Pollack. 

About Ben Pollack

Ben Pollack is a professional powerlifter and holds the all-time world record raw total of 2039 in the 198-pound class. He has won best overall lifter at the largest raw meets in the world, including the US Open, Boss of Bosses, and Reebok Record Breakers.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Ashley Kaltwasser’s Tricks For Longevity in Competitive Bikini Bodybuilding

Enahoro Asein (83KG) Deadlifts a Monster 355-Kilogram (783-Pound) Triple Raw

2023 Rising Phoenix and Arizona Pro Women’s Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Sheru Classic France Pro Bodybuilding Show Preview

2023 Daytona Pro-Am Bodybuilding Show Preview

Latest Reviews

Alaskan Cold Plunge Feature

Redwood Outdoors Alaskan Cold Plunge Review

Living.Fit Grip Strengthener Review

Bells of Steel Competition Kettlebell Review

Bells of Steel Barenaked Powerlifting Bar 2.0 Review

REP BlackWing Feature

REP Fitness BlackWing Weight Bench Review

Be the smartest person in your gym

The BarBend newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I Want In!
BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap