Go Out and Enjoy Life

One of the best things about getting down to 12% body fat (rather than 10%) is that it's a lifestyle that doesn't require a huge amount of discipline and sacrifice. Most of the time I see with guys who are following a strict 10% regime is that it actually does more harm than good because they think that one slip up or one cheat meal or one bad weekend is going to throw them off entirely. I've experienced personally that getting to 12% body fat is far easier when you actually have the freedom to go out for dinner on the weekend if the opportunity pops up. The thing is, if you start to miss social events or you start sacrificing things you actually enjoy for your weight loss goals, you'll start to resent the journey. It actually does more harm than good if you don't go out for the occasional cheat meal because you end up just hating the journey and thinking, "Why in the world am I doing this if I can't even enjoy my life?" 

So whether you're at 35% percent body fat trying to get down to 15% (as I was two years ago) or at 15% trying to get down to 12%, enjoy some cheat meals. Go out and enjoy life. You don't have to do this every single day, but always strive for that balance between lifestyle and discipline. Last Saturday night, before we went to the concert in Richmond, I took my daughter to a wonderful Indian restaurant in Chesterfield where we enjoyed a delicious meal of sambusa, tikka masala, lamb vindaloo, naam, and tea with milk. 

Below: Lamb vindaloo -- meat chunks in a fiery red sauce. 

The next day I weighed 192 pounds, down from 193 the day before. So yes, occasional cheat meals are perfectly fine and can even help your fat loss goals by preventing diet burnout. I try to stick to the 80/20 rule: I try to eat nutritious, balanced foods 80% of the time, and leave a 20% window for indulgences. 

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P.S. Below are a couple of today's progress photos. I am am very happy to be at 12% body fat. 

That's anywhere between 190-194 pounds. For me, sitting at 12% body fat is the "sweet spot" for my energy levels, my hormonal health, and my physique. There's both visible muscle definition and a healthy metabolism. Definitely enjoying life at this level of body fat!