Almost every ‘diet’ book has something to say about going ‘off’ the diet. Now, let’s think about this, shall we? If we’re not on a diet, how can we go ‘off’ of it? We can’t. There’s no reason to say “cheesecake” or whatever is not a normal part of your healthy nutrition plan.

You think I’ve lost it, right? Read on.

Oscar Wilde, that pithy Brit, once said:

Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing exceeds like excess.

Then again, Wilde never saw his toes.

There is a point here…and I’ll find it if I keep rambling. Oh yeah…moderation. It’s like the country dog versus the city dog. One is kept locked up, and once taken into the open country, shoots off never to be seen again. The country dog already ‘has’ endless open spaces, and is content to lay around on the patio all day.

Same principle, except without the dogs. Or the fence.

Once you allow your mind to accept the fact that yes, you can have any food you want within reason, half the temptation to overindulge in it seems to vanish, at least for most people. Take the MSG and chemical junk out of your diet, and that will quadruple in effect.

Case-in-point: today’s eating plan.

Got some cardio in last night, which was great. No dizziness, so I’m feeling good about my first weighted workout in months tomorrow. I woke up hungry, so I dove into the stand-by meals, which I really enjoy. (Key!!) I knew I’d be having dinner out with a friend tonight, and there was a birthday party after, so I purposely left room. I didn’t eat nearly as much as normal during the day, and I applied my strategy of eating “half” of the meal out at the restaurant and taking the other half home. I also didn’t go hog-wild, because I just didn’t care to. No urge.

However, the meal was hardly a MasterMeal, as you’ll soon see. It was very enjoyable, but no more so than my regular meals, just enjoyable in a different way. If asked if I’d like to eat that way all the time, the answer would be hell no! First, you’d feel like crap (I feel great right now…in fact, hungry), and you’d look like it, too. Eating that way once a week or once every 10 days is just fine, but let’s call a spade a spade, shall we?

This is not a ‘cheat’ meal, because there’s nothing to ‘cheat on’.

In fact, using that type of lingo is really damaging to the mind. Seriously. Think about it: if you’re ‘cheating’ by eating something that’s not on your standard daily plan, what are you doing the rest of the time? “Not” cheating? What the heck does that mean? I don’t know about you, but I’m just eating!. Just take it in moderation, eat the foods you know will discard the fat, and take an “alternative meal”, not a “cheat meal”, whenever you feel it’s appropriate. If you feel it’s appropriate every other day, perhaps you just need to rethink your goal to shed a pound of fat per week. Ain’t gonna happen, and you’ll feel like poo.

Do it right, and you’ll feel like a million, and your metabolism will benefit from the caloric shock.

Oh, at that birthday party, my best friend said, “I have some of your favorite cake on the table man!” while on the phone en route to the restaurant. I had three bites, and that was plenty. Man, this sweets thing that plagued me for years is just ‘gone’, and there’s nothing magical about it…no supplements, other than magnesium. Just removing MSG and other chemicals did the trick for me�and eating on the MasterMeal plan, of course.

So, no “cheat meals”, “off meals”, “junk days”…see how that language just sounds like you’re sabotaging your success? You’re not, if you do it right:

1. Eat half your Alternative Meal, and take the other half home. Eat it later that day, or not at all. Do NOT eat it the next day!
2. Eat some protein prior to going out…that always helps.
3. Remove the concept of ‘cheating’ and just enjoy yourself in moderation.
4. It’s okay to curb the calories a bit like I did today in order to eat a bit more on your alternative meals…just don’t do this more than once a week or so if you want to keep that fat burning kicking.

Onward!

Wednesday, October 26th

My MasterMeal Plan

MM1: Mushroom Chicken and Rice with 2 tbsp of home-made salsa…the meal is so good I’m wanting it every day. By the way, I’ve been asked to add times to my meals. I’ll do that in the future; basically I have my first meal about 1:00pm, as I get up around noon or later and go to bed around 4:00am, and I eat every 2-4 hours

MM2: Small amount of protein (beef)

MM3: Alternative Meal: Crawfish Bisque, 1/2 salmon filet with dirty rice, garlic bread, three bites of Italian Cream Cheese Cake, decaf coffee

MM4: Remaining salmon and rice

(Most of my recipes can be found here).

The gym is beckoning, and my fingers are tired. Tomorrow will be a very simple workout (never start training all-out, otherwise you’ll land on the couch) consisting of body-weight dips and back work for about 3-4 sets each and some cardio.

Trust me…in a month or so, I’ll be doing workouts most pros won’t bother with, but this boy ain’t no foo. That’s enough slang for one day…”ACK!” to you all, as Bill would say. {10}