Does your body "get used" to foods?

[rockangel]

I have been reading this in several places in the past week, tried searching for it on here but didnt see anything.

But, in terms of leaning out, does your body "get used" to foods if you eat them all the time? Is there a need to change up the diet to "keep the body guessing"??

I have not seen any hard science to back this notion up, just a lot of well known, very experienced trainers writing articles about it and saying they use this techniques to get competitors lean.

On the other hand, i see a lot of competitors say they eat "only chicken and brocolli" and get very lean.

I know variety is good for general health, but when trying to get lean, what is your take on this?

[Miranda]

the only variable i'm aware of is carbohydrate refeeding to reset hormone levels when dieting, but no special 'foods' per se. it doesn't make any sense, either. the body doesn't have specific beetroot receptors as far as i know.

imo stalling is more a matter of metabolic slowdown/not being compliant with diet. no-one complains about 'getting used to' eating oatmeal or other staples they consume 365 days a year, after all

[andrerox80]

in terms of fat loss and/or muscle gain, i really don't think so. but i also don't see the need for cal or carb cycling, for example, to "keep the body guessing" either. i think things can be way simpler.i do know, though, that for people w/ food sensitivities, something they have for a while can suddenly cause bloating (or what ever symptoms), such that safe foods are no longer safe. but that's a whole different issue.

[Miranda]

i also don't see the need for cal or carb cycling, for example, to "keep the body guessing" either. i think things can be way simpler.

i think it depends on what your definition of 'lean' is.

the average person who's trying to diet down to acceptable fat levels is not a person who's dieting to sub 17%, say, or to contest levels.

in general i agree people tend to unnecessarily overcomplicate things. and 'keeping the body guessing' is a bogus fix/explanation for what's actually happening.

[rockangel]

Most of what i am reading is in reference to getting competition lean. One blog of a competitior says she switches up her diet every 4 weeks, another well known trainers says that your body will get used to the foods etc.

I cant find any science to back it up and it makes no sense to me.

I mean the body takes in food and breaks it down into what it needs to function (glucose, amino acids, etc) so i would not think the body could distinguish between an apple and a bananna other than what it can break each into. This is the reason for IIFIYM, and all those studies that say it is total amount of cals not what you eat that counts. (and obviously i am talking about healthy foods and not an all twinkie diet or something).

I am a person who likes to eat a lot of the same things, like eggs, I pretty much eat eggs for breakfast year round. I love eggs!! LOL, but with all these articles popping up saying that you have to switch it up, im wondering if there is truth to any of it.

[freebirdmac]

Most of what i am reading is in reference to getting competition lean. One blog of a competitior says she switches up her diet every 4 weeks, another well known trainers says that your body will get used to the foods etc.

I cant find any science to back it up and it makes no sense to me.

I mean the body takes in food and breaks it down into what it needs to function (glucose, amino acids, etc) so i would not think the body could distinguish between an apple and a bananna other than what it can break each into. This is the reason for IIFIYM, and all those studies that say it is total amount of cals not what you eat that counts. (and obviously i am talking about healthy foods and not an all twinkie diet or something).

I am a person who likes to eat a lot of the same things, like eggs, I pretty much eat eggs for breakfast year round. I love eggs!! LOL, but with all these articles popping up saying that you have to switch it up, im wondering if there is truth to any of it.

Switching it up may have psychological perks and may help with nutritional needs, but otherwise, no. Refeeds yes. But that's another animal. Because of all of my food sensitivities I eat the same things all the time. There's no problem leaning out when the calories are right.