Not rationalizing anything. I have cheat meals every 12 days for clients and every 14-16 days for myself when dieting because i have a faster metabolism.
I've had clients come to me who were just playing fucking fat and didn't know how to dye it and we're losing any weight and had been eating nothing but to fucking salads and half of a chicken wrap whatever the fuck that is per day it's still training doing cardio 4 or 5 days a week then all of a sudden throw in the cheat meal for them or and actually force them to eat more everyday and all of a sudden their body starts changing.. Finally. And they're amazed they're eating more and dropping bf and muscles start popping out (delts, traps, chest, triceps. Etc...).. Regular people that is. While theydnargued with me for weeks if not monthsnthat if they aTe more they'd get even fatter. Its especially evident with guys whondont have much of an appetite to begin with.
Spot on. When I dieted for both shows I did, and last year just to lean out for the summer, I would go without cheats for about 6 weeks, then have my first cheat day and completely change from being flat to full and striated. After that, I would have a cheat meal once a week (skipload style).
I also coached a few girls for bikini and figure and had the same thing happen with them. One girl who's a close friend of mine came to me because she was gaining weight without changing diet or training. I told her to eat a burger and fries, she refused, so we settled on lean ground beef and white rice. The next day she was down 2lbs and no bloat. I'm certain this has something to do with hormones. Whether thyroid or estrogen or both (most likely both for women).
An influx in calories definitely stimulates the thyroid, cortisol, and probably a whole bunch of others (I'm not a doctor, so I can only assume).
