Cheaters ALWAYS Win

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If it were easy, everyone would be walking around sporting washboard six pack abs and lean, rockhard sexy bodies.

But hey, it’s not that simple, and trust me, I know all too well that temptation lurks around every corner.

Everywhere you look there’s fast food, junk food, chocolate, candy, ice cream, pizza…you name it.

And we both know it looks delicious and tastes good.

Hey, you might even say it looks sexy and hot.

And I know you want it, you dream about it, and you crave it like no other.

How the hell can you resist??

Some things are well…just irresistible. So why even fight it? Oh yeah…you aren’t allowed…

Heyyyy now…why the sad face? Relax, I’ve good good news for you today…giving in just may be GOOD for you.

Here’s the thing. By implementing strategic cheat meals into your healthy nutrition plan, you can actually satisfy those nasty cravings while accelerating your fat loss and muscle building efforts at the same time.

So if you are one of the “good ones” who is still trying your hardest to stay faithful to your boring fat loss diet (even though you want to cheat so bad) let me just tell you that if you want to lose fat…you need to keep your metabolism fired up. By using strategic cheat days you can boost the important hormone leptin to help keep your body burning fat day in and day out.

Not convinced? Still feeling guilty…like a “diet sinner”?

It just so happened that yesterday was cheat day for me and when it comes to cheating I don’t settle for something average, I want something sexy and hot lol, so with that being said I rarely hold back. I eat whatever I want. I’m talking pizza, cookies, fries, ice cream, candy bars, burgers, my favorite restaurants, you name it…I’m on it!

But sometimes I don’t want to go all out (and feel like a fat, bloaty pig) so I’ll stick to a healthier version of cheat day and that’s exactly what I did yesterday.

So I fired up my grill, put on my kiss the cook apron, and whipped up some “healthier” All-American favorites of mine: A mushroom & swiss bison burger, sweet potato fries, and dessert. Yes!

Below are the recipes…you know…in case you ever want to fire these babies up yourself sometime…

SHROOM N’ SWISS BISON BURGER

Ingredients:

1 pound grass fed ground bison from Whole Foods Market

½ slice low fat Swiss cheese

1 tomato

1 red onion

3 sliced shitake mushrooms

1 Large Lettuce Head

1 Bag of Ezekiel Burger Buns

Directions:

1) Using a grill or pan, cook the bison burger until it is no longer pink on the inside.

2) Pop your Ezekiel Buns in the toaster.

3) Add your slice of Swiss cheese to the top of your burger during the last few minutes you cook it.

4) Once the burger is finished cooking just put your fixins’ on top and enjoy.

I used some 365 brand organic ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup or un-natural ingredients in this ketchup) and some 365 brand dijon mustard on my burger. (both from whole foods of course)

SWEET POTATO FRIES

Ingredients:

4 large sweet potatoes

Mrs. Dash Salt Free Table Blend

¼ cup garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ cup black pepper

Celtic sea salt (season to taste)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1) Peel & slice the sweet potatoes into slices. Mine were about ¼ inches wide but feel free to shape yours however you want.

2) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

3) Mix the garlic powder, black pepper, & paprika with a few shakes of  Mrs Dash & a pinch Celtic sea salt in a plastic sandwich bag.

4) Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil in a large bowl.

5) Sprinkle your seasoning mix from the plastic bag onto the sweet potato slices.

6) Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

7) Bake for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. When they are done they will be sort of tender and golden brown. (Don’t expect crunchy/crispy fries here, sweet potato fries rarely come out this way.)

Whew, now you would have thought I was done but…then I got crazy and decided to make protein bars. Hey, a guy’s gotta have healthy style dessert to polish off this “healthy” cheat meal right?

CHOCOLATE CHERRY PROTEIN BARS

Ingredients:

¾ cup dried, unsweetened cherries

1/3 cup of Prograde Lean Chocolate Meal Replacement

1 cup of almonds

Juice of ½ an orange

¼ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions:

1) Mix all of the ingredients in a food processor until all of the pieces are small and about the same size.

2) Press your mixture into a bread pan lined with waxed paper.

3) Once your mix starts to take shape, remove it from the pan and slice into bars.

4) Eat and repeat (yes I ate more than one).

Makes approximately 8 bars.

Nutrition Breakdown Per Serving (2 bars)
Calories:  224
Protein:  10 gms
Carbs:  21 gms
Fat:  11 gms (healthy fat)

Then I sat down, enjoyed my food & watched the Lakers pound the Jazz. Needless to say…it was a good night! I would definitely have to call this one a WIN for sure and I can’t wait for my next cheat.

Don’t forget…cheaters ALWAYS win, so get out there and enjoy yourself more often!

Please leave your questions and comments below. And feel free to share any of your favorite recipes as well.

Talk soon,

~Jamin

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