Holiday eating

[BendtheBar]

Holiday eating...

Do you let it rip, indulge but try to minimize the damage, or continue to eat reasonably and avoid all the goodies?

[Shadowschmadow]

1 holiday a month isn't going to send you flying back to the stone age. I say eat up as long as you're not competing in an upcoming event that you're required to weigh-in. Sure sodium and carbs will make you bounce up several pounds, but after a week or so of drinking adequate water and exercise, it will come right off.

Plus it will likely do wonders for your training to have a day of substantially increased calories. Hell, make a party out of it and go for your new 1RMs or other PRs. Do something with those additional calories.

[T-Bone]

Indulge in all the good stuff - turkey, oysters, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, stuffing, casseroles - whatever's on the table. I'm not a big sweets eater anyway, so a piece of pie is a real treat.

[Soldier]

I'm a big graser (sp?), so I'll be doing that. No plate full of food, just small bits here and there whenever I feel like it.

At least, that's the plan.

I will, however, be enjoying myself within reason.

[jslep]

I will be eating everthing and anything i can get my little hands on. My christmas wish is to weigh 220!

[Chillen]

I never let her rip, when applying the normal definition. But, I do eat over maintenance by a large margin on T-day (but keep dietary focus), but I prepare in advance, so my body will be in a position to absorb the calories. In simple terms, it follows (though modified somewhat), Lyle McDonald's creditable information in two of his books: The Stubborn Fat Solution, and Ultimate Diet 2.0. I taper carbohydrates down for one week, and then stay at a specific numeric gram figure, for the next week.

I rarely change programs, but during this time (or when I lean down), I adjust training reps/volume (splits) where the focus is to burn a higher portion of carbohydrates (basically higher rep ranges), and I have one full body workout one day before (say the day before T-day). And, this is generally enough to lower stored glycogen to the point where I can literally feed my face with over 6,000+ calories, and not have a worry in the world. I generally feel leaner the next day after. Been doing this for several years (even during the time I had a lot of fat tissue to lose (lost over 40 lbs), and post some bulk periods, it works, and it works well.

I like this because it is basically manipulating the the body's NORMAL processes, and manipulating weight barring exercise where we know carbohydrates (keeping things equal), are traditionally the energy expended. I also use Lyle's equation on the "approximate" amount carbohydrates used/expended on certain sets to obtain an idea of where I'm at as I progress. I can pretty much eye-ball it now, but I still track it in a notebook, cause I like seeing the numbers and then comparing the "real life" results with it, which gives good "adaption" changes where or if necessary.

Generally (dependent on whom we are speaking about in terms of goals), one day (dependent on previous dietary trend) isn't going to make or break ones' goal path, but I love seeing the things I study being put into action and seeing it actually happen, and the feeling I get once glycogen refils (liver, etc, etc), is extraordinary trust me. I get a window of about 24 hours, so holidays fit perfect for this.

ROCK ON

Work hard

Trust what you are doing.

Believe and finish.


Chillen

[Shadowschmadow]

Originally Posted by jslep

I will be eating everthing and anything i can get my little hands on. My christmas wish is to weigh 220!

That's the spirit. I literally use holiday times for testing and increasing maxes. Nothing is better than to go to the gym after downing countless calories and just stacking plate after plate on the bars. I never have more energy or focus quite as much as I do the day after gorging myself.

[jslep]

Originally Posted by Shadow

That's the spirit. I literally use holiday times for testing and increasing maxes. Nothing is better than to go to the gym after downing countless calories and just stacking plate after plate on the bars. I never have more energy or focus quite as much as I do the day after gorging myself.

that's what i'm talkin bout!

[Shadowschmadow]

IMO, it works wonders when it comes to adding some serious weight to your max. And the recovery from testing those maxes could never be faster.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Holiday eating...

Do you let it rip, indulge but try to minimize the damage, or continue to eat reasonably and avoid all the goodies?

I still eat basic stuff but I don't avoid the goodies. I eat them if I want and not if I don't but I refused to be forced into eating what I don't want.