As the summer comes to an end, many are bracing themselves for what they see as their last day of debauchery.  You know, that's when you swear it will be your final day of gorging yourself into a carb coma.

Did you hear it coming from them at the barbecue today?  "Yeah, this is my last day for the beers and cheeseburgers.  I'm going hardcore tomorrow. Extra cardio and pedal to the metal baby.  By Christmas, I'll be ripped." 

Is it really going to be the last day of unhealthy eating for those who talk that trash? I would put my precious life on the line that it will NOT be.  Nope.  They will say that at the next family gathering, and then the next wedding, and then the next time that they feel moody.  It's a cycle and it never ends until REAL mental and physical changes are made and upheld long enough to shift the subconscious pattern of the mind.

However, I want to offer a little hope and give you some great tactics for allowing yourself a day of excess, while still restraining SOME of the damage--if not most.  In other words, these are strategies you should put into practice on those days when you plan on engaging in your "Free" meal or as some like to call it, "cheat" meal.

Keep in mind, if you're taking liberties with eating more than twice/three times a week, you have a problem that will prevent you from getting into the body you dream about.  If your goal is to ROCK a body that turns heads beyond belief, that will require 90-95% compliance on a well-balanced healthy exercise/meal plan.  Anybody tells you different, they lie.  Run from them.

Here we go:

1.  Do NOT plan on eating your usual 5-6 healthy meals/snacks on TOP of your cheat meal.  At the end of the day, it will all come down to calories in and calories out.  SAVE the calories for the cheat meal.  After your workout, just have a small protein shake spiked with important anti-catabolic nutrients.  This is imperative to protect your muscle tissue and keep your metabolism stoked.

2.  Be sure to do a longer than normal workout on the day of the cheat meal and be SURE to do extra cardio AFTER your weight/resistance training. The workout should come before your eating splurge.  Keep calories before and after your workout to a minimum.  The goal is to bring about a big calorie deficit on the day of the fatty and high carb foods.  Interval cardio after your weight training is best.

3.  Drink 16 ounces of water immediately upon waking up and continue to drink lots of water throughout the day.  Spike your water with a little lemon juice and green tea extract.  It is very important to drink lots of water throughout the night following the food fest.  Your body will probably be holding extra water because of the excess carbs and sodium. 

4.  Balance your blood sugar levels with a fiber concoction.  Put a serving of Fibersure in a glass of water and drink it before and after your cheat meal.  This is an excellent way to cause you to not only eat less, but also stabilize your blood sugar which will be rampant after a few high carb hot dog buns and a few sweets.

5.  Try to eat some leafy green vegetables with your cheat meal. 

6.  Take a long walk after the meal, if possible. 

7. Get to bed early and plan/visualize the coming days-- the healthy eating days that begin the very next morning :)

These strategies will definitely help you to control the damage. 

Personally, I can tell you that I do NOT eat breakfast or Lunch on a day when I know that I will be indulging.  And, I do a very intense, long workout before the feast.  I want to expend as many calories as possible.  I only make sure that my body has some quality, fast-acting protein before and after the workout.

Ultimately, the goal is to transform your mind so that you would rather choose healthy food instead of junk.  If you don't value training your mind, nothing will ever change.  And I mean, nothing.