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Cheat Day Done Properly - MJ Fitness

Cheat Day Done Properly

by Patrick Gustowski – October 29, 2025

Odds are you’re either about to start a fitness journey, or in the midst of one. Regardless of goal, experience and tolerance to doing repetitive tasks, the monotony of a training regiment can get hard. Especially in diet, it’s easy to “cheat” on your diet when temptation is high, or you’re just sick of the same meal prep. But the word itself has started to mean a whole lot different to what it used to, so let’s see what we can do better.

Power In The Word

The word “cheat” naturally holds a lot of negative connotations, cheat on your tests in school, cheat on a partner, cheat on your diet, it all feels negative in nature. And while that feeling should be applied to things in life with real consequences, the fear of cheating on a diet or not being able to go 100% can stop people from even starting their fitness journeys, because of the negativity around cheating on the diet. For someone who’s achieved a massive amount of weight loss or a prolonged journey themselves, can vouch for the effectiveness of not just a “cheat” meal, but a controlled day off.

And that’s what it comes down to, controlled not constricted. We can break this down a lot simpler when thinking about us in a weight loss scenario, where we’re tracking our calories through the week.

For example, if we have a total caloric limit of 14,000 calories for the week, equally 2,000 per day, technically we can fill those calories in with whatever we want. Because of the laws of thermodynamics, if we eat under that 14,000 for the week we must lose weight. Obviously however, we fill those calories with our protein goal, wholefoods and the like, if you ate takeout all day everyday, you’re going to feel crap and most likely be undernourished. What we’re suggesting is that the meal plan you’re on has to fit inside that caloric goal, and if you were to substitute one of those meals for something more satiating or to your liking, as long as you're in your calories, you’re good.

Sustainable Changes

If you have a coach that’s made a meal plan for you, they’ve most likely worked hard to provide you with the correct information for you and your goals, and also how to get there sustainably. There’d be room for substitutions and understanding when there needs to be a shake up. This is more for those who aren’t starting in the first place because of the negativity surrounding a possible “failure”. 

If you start slow, you’re bound to finish fast, and learning more about how you need to order your meals and overall plan is going to help a lot with it. A cheat meal never really exists if you’re constantly mindful of the overall goal. So hit your protein, ensure you have all your micronutrient needs met, but also enjoy the slice from time to time (as long as it’s in your calories).

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Calorie Deficit In Summer - MJ Fitness

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Being anywhere in and around a healthy lifestyle you will be told that you should be taking in water at a rate that can sometimes feel like a challenge. That’s because it should be, all year round, even when it’s cold. This stuff is elementary, and in winter, when it’s colder, you sweat less, and you may workout less, it’s easy to forget some of the more important habits. At this time of year, it’s good to have a healthy reminder on why we should be drinking the liquid. It’s Still Counts Unlike the seasons along the year, and the landscapes of the Earth, our bodies tend to stay at a pretty predictable and stable place all year. This makes habit formulation relatively easy through the months, because with some preparedness for discipline drops, us humans in this day and age have very little to worry about when it comes to survival. But in case you may have forgotten over the thousands of years humans have been bipedal; We require water for ALL of our daily actions and systems. Although it’s easy to forget, under-dosing on your water intake can lead to some pretty dry symptoms down the road. Things like brain fog and lapses of concentration and memory can all be products of consistent dehydration in the body, also including; Constipation or bloating. Muscle cramps and general weakness. Higher risk of UTI’s or kidney stones. In more extreme cases, kidney damage and reduced blood volume. How to Manage our Intake Following a couple of these recommendations can help dramatically reduce your risk of mild dehydration through the day, it’s understandable that it’s easy to forget especially when you're busy, so let’s try remove the road blocks and make it easier: Set an Alarm. Literally, setting an alarm on your phone on the hour, or with a specific amount to drink can make that process of having to remember obsolete. Get a Daily Water RDA Bottle. Humans should drink anywhere between 2.5 - 5 litres of water per day depending on your gender, size and activity level. Get a bottle that encompasses that entire daily recommendation, or something close to it. Flavour Your Water Some people hate the taste (or lack there of) of water, and that’s fair, it’s a boring but important fluid. Get yourself a zero calorie sweetener to put into your bottle to drink on the go, flavour cordial sachets or whatever it may be. Wrapping Up Again, water is important for our bodies throughout the entire year, and by making it as easy as possible for yourself to drink said water, means you're happy, healthy and hydrated. Water is essential for nearly every bodily system, acting as the medium in which countless bodily processes occur. It regulates temperature through sweating, lubricates joints, cushions organs, and supports digestion by supporting nutrient breakdown and absorption. In the circulatory system, water helps maintain blood volume and pressure, making sure oxygen and nutrients reach cells efficiently. It also assists the kidneys in filtering waste, supports the nervous system by enabling electrical signal transmission, and helps maintain electrolyte balance. Without proper hydration, these systems become less efficient, even in winter.

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Lifestyle Articles – by Brandon Verde

Top 5 Tips To Build Your Influence On Social Media

So you want to be a rock superstar? And live large. A big house. Five cars… OK slow down there Cypress Hill… we’re not promising that building your influence on social media is going to grant you celebrity status. But there’s no doubt that investing a little bit of time and effort in capturing people’s attention on social media has the potential to pay significant dividends for you. Whether you want to build a business, find a new job, meet someone special, or ask for help with something that’s important to you, you need someone’s attention first & foremost. With that in mind, here are our Top 5 tips to help build your audience, and influence, on social media. Pick The Platforms That You Like The Most & Post On Them Frequently There are A LOT of social media platforms… Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat… the list goes on. And while in an ideal world, you’d be on all of them, there’s only so many hours in the day! So pick the platforms that you resonate with the most, and then make sure you post on them frequently. Posting every day is best to ensure you align with the daily consumption habits & routines of your followers, but if that’s not realistic for you, pick a posting frequency and stick with it. Consistency is absolutely essential when trying to build real influence with your audience. If your followers are looking for your content, you need to deliver. Share Your Authentic Self We all know BS when we see it… and your followers, and potential new followers, are no different. Posting content that isn’t authentic to who you are will seriously undermine your influence. Plus you’ll miss out on sharing the parts of you that make you unique. Don’t be afraid to be your authentic self on social media… you’ll resonate with more people than you think. Treat Your Followers Like Family (Or At Least Good Friends) It’s called “social” media for a reason. So connect with people, engage with your audience and get social! Make sure you respond to DMs, reply to comments, jump into comment threads on other people’s posts that catch your eye, and just generally treat people on social media the way you want to be treated in real life. Oh, and remember that when you’re creating content, create it for your audience, not for you. Does your content help solve a problem they may have? Does it inspire them? Entertain them? Educate them? Add as much value as you can. You’ll be surprised how much it is appreciated. Don’t Freeze Trying To Create Content… Document Instead While it would be nice to be perpetually inspired to create amazing content everyday, it’s just not going to happen. So instead of falling victim to “Content Creators’ Block” and posting nothing for weeks on end because you just can’t come up with the next post, switch to documenting instead. Show your followers some of your day to day activities... your morning routine, your daily meals, your workouts, your work day…  You’ll think your usual activities are inherently boring (you do them everyday, afterall!), but they’ll be new & entertaining to your audience. Sometimes documentaries outperform even the biggest blockbuster hits! Work With The Algorithms, Not Against Them Keep up to date with different trends on social media platforms and use them to your advantage. If you notice Instagram is pushing Reels over everything, create Reels. If you notice YouTube is favouring Shorts over long form videos, create Shorts. If you notice people prefer consuming Stories over Feeds, post in Stories. Don’t get caught up doing things a certain way because it’s the way they’ve always been done. Be open to experimenting with new types of content and new types of posting within different platforms. Every algorithm change is an opportunity for you to build your audience and influence. And finally, don’t be afraid to repeat the same things to different people. The way social media algorithms all work is to show your content to about 3-5% of your audience at any one time. Which means while you may think you’re being repetitive, most of your audience is always going to be seeing your content for the first time. Think of yourself like a rock superstar playing your greatest hits… oh wait, perhaps Cypress Hill was right afterall!

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TMJ Apparel - MJ Fitness

Lifestyle Articles – by Vince Lawrence

TMJ Apparel

Are you ready to take your workout to the next level? Look no further than TMJ Apparel, the brand that embodies the motto "Earn Everything." With their premium athleticulture goods, TMJ Apparel is revolutionising the activewear market, offering premium clothing and gym accessories that will enhance your performance and style. Why Choose TMJ Apparel? TMJ Apparel is more than just a clothing brand - it's a lifestyle. When you wear TMJ Apparel, you're not just wearing clothes, you're representing our community. A community of people who earn everything, who pursue progress, who put in the work, day in day out. Most people won't get it, and that's ok. TMJ Apparel takes pride in each and every piece. Crafted with high quality materials with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that you not only look good but feel good too. Experience the Difference From sleek leggings to comfortable hoodies, TMJ Apparel has everything you need to crush your workout in style. Their gym accessories are designed to enhance your performance, whether you're hitting the weights or going for a run. With TMJ Apparel, you'll not only look like a champion but feel like one too. Join the TMJ Apparel Movement Don't settle for average, choose TMJ Apparel and unleash your desire to Earn Everything. Visit the TMJ Apparel website today to explore their full range and start your journey towards greatness. Remember, at TMJ Apparel, you have to "Earn Everything" - are you ready to rise to the challenge?

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