Cheat meals

I wonder what everyone else thinks of cheat meals and whether they avoid them completely or eat them too often.

Having a well rounded diet is really important. Not just so you are giving your body the nutrients it needs to perform properly but also to make sure you get the best results from all the hard work you have been putting in to your training.

So if you are following a healthy diet should you allow yourself a meal that doesn't strictly fall under your diet plan?

I say ... absolutely.
Your body will adapt to whatever diet you are restricting it to. So if you are looking to lose unwanted fat, your body will slow down your fat loss after time. This is a completely natural response as your body has spent time storing energy reserves and it isn't going to give them up without a fight.

By having a cheat meal every once in a while (once a week would be a good goal) your body could be stopped in slowing your metabolism or holding on to your fat reserves.

But do remember it is a cheat 'meal' not a cheat 'day'.

Enjoy your training.