Perhaps this is simply a misinterpretation on my part of what Dr. Berardi discusses in his nutrition literature, but it would appear that for JB a 10% meal is any meal that breaks the “7 habits…” rules. Hence, the definition of said 10% meal takes on a far broader connotation than the more commonly employed term of “cheat” or “free” meals.
Upon reviewing JB’s literature and listening to his audio interviews, a transgression of the 7 habits could be as simple as a failure to consume vegetables or fruits at a meal. For me personally, I would conjecture that I fail to hit 90% mark on this facet consistently, however, I am improving.
Now where this is all going - due to the broad scope of a 10% meal, something as innocent as failing to eat vegetables would be on par with a pizza, cake, and beer meal. When JB discusses his “10%” meals, what, precisely, would a reasonable degree of kilocalorie and food combination failure look like?
Four meals of pizza and beer per week (out of a possible week’s worth of meals) would by far incur greater physique degredation than say consuming a whole wheat bagel with fat-free cream cheese outside of the post-workout window. I’m trying to fine tune and balance this facet as the extent of the definition is quite broad and I’m somewhat confused as to what a “reasonable” 10% meal would be. I don’t believe JB had binging in mind, but rather a more reasonable caloric consumption. Obviously to each his own, but I’m wondering (particularly as I’m dieting down) what sort of constraints on should put on the scope of my “10%”'s.
I know this screams of overanalysis, but it’s something that begs for further clarification deep in the recesses of my brain.