NUTRITION QUESTIONS
Nutrition Q & A
One of the most common questions I get as a coach when I start talking nutrition, and provide nutrition plans is
“Can I have a cheat meal, or an unfavorable food on my diet.”
The answer to which is largely dividable into one of two types of people.
Type 1 – The Moderator;
This is the person who can have a piece of cake at a party, or enjoy a beer or glass of wine with dinner, and get right back on the wagon. They likely won’t turn one glass into a bottle, or turn one treat into the whole box. The individual capable of moderating ‘cheat foods’ is, psychologically, able to deal with the act of cheating. A moderator is ok to slip up from time to time, but should still shoot for healthy foods >80% of the time (>90% is better).
Type 2 – The Avoider;
An avoider is different than a moderator for one major reason – from a psychological standpoint it will derail them for days to months at a time. Little slips for this person can go a long way. Unlike a moderator, that glass of wine is likely to turn into a long night of drinking and that slice of cake will quickly become a deep fried 1500 calorie meal. This person should avoid cheating as much as humanly possible, and stick to the plan as close to 99% as they can.
Nutrition, our relationship with food, and our ability to indulge have an incredibly strong psychological standpoint. Ask yourself what YOU think you can handle. If you think a beer on Friday night will cause you to slip up for a week, then the answer is no. If a person can enjoy that same beer, but never stray away from the plan, then it’s likely ok.