Refeed

[Sminc]

Can someone explain this to me in simple terms and why do we do it. Also some examples would be good. I haven't been doing them because I think yay maccas.

[Botika]

Maccas would probably be the wrong way to refeed.

When you refeed you keep protein and fat levels low and eat lots of carbs to promote the production of leptin. Your total calories should be at maintenance or above. Basically you want to try and get in as many carbs as possible without increasing your calories too much.

Fructose has no effect on leptin levels though so you need to make smart food choices to get the benefits of a refeed. Complex carbs and glucose will give you the most benefit. Sugar is around 50% fructose so if you choose sweets you may be short-changing yourself.

This article has some more info.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/refe...nd-leptin.html


All that said... if you do want maccas than nothing really wrong with that either. While a "cheat" day may not have the same benefit on leptin levels, it sure can be good for your mental health!

[squoddybody]

Maccas would probably be the wrong way to refeed.

When you refeed you keep protein and fat levels low and eat lots of carbs to promote the production of leptin. Your total calories should be at maintenance or above. Basically you want to try and get in as many carbs as possible without increasing your calories too much.

Fructose has no effect on leptin levels though so you need to make smart food choices to get the benefits of a refeed. Complex carbs and glucose will give you the most benefit. Sugar is around 50% fructose so if you choose sweets you may be short-changing yourself.

This article has some more info.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/refe...nd-leptin.html


All that said... if you do want maccas than nothing really wrong with that either. While a "cheat" day may not have the same benefit on leptin levels, it sure can be good for your mental health!

Thanks for this article! I had a very similar question, and you answered it perfectly.

[Amanda76]

Can someone explain this to me in simple terms and why do we do it. Also some examples would be good. I haven't been doing them because I think yay maccas.

When your calories are low for a prolonged period of time, it's necessary to eat over maintenance periodically to keep leptin levels up. Low leptin causes a range of hormone responses that ultimately lead to things like low energy, depression, negative body composition changes, disturbed sleep patterns, poor immune system function, menstrual cycle issues...basically all the stuff you'd expect someone who is starving to experience.

The need for a refeed depends on how low your calories are, how long they've been that low and your body fat level. Obviously, if your calories are relatively high (not creating much of a deficit), your need to refeed is less (while a "refeed" is generally considered a more planned event, someone at this level of "refeed" need may use this to have a cheat meal once every few weeks). If you've created a huge deficit between food intake and activity level and you don't have enough body fat to support the energy deficit without sending your body into a tailspin, you may need to refeed twice a week. Normally carbohydrates are the macronutrient that take the biggest hit, so carbohydrates are what are typically raised the most. In general, there is not a need to intentionally raise protein as that is the macronutrient people following a "bodybuilding lifestyle" make sure not to drop. In a situation where someone who already has a low body fat level is attempting to lose MORE fat, you can imagine that they are probably prepping for someting and this refeed is going to be much more controlled than a cheat meal (they will eat a calulated percentage of calories above maintenance instead of eating whatever they want). And there are times people refeed for an entire week to get leptin levels back up.

There are SO many ways to accomplish a refeed, but an example would be utilizing "carb ups" while following a ketogenic diet. A person may eat 1,000 calories below maintenance for 5-6 days, then raise their calories over maintenance by upping carbs and dropping protein and fat for a day or two. If more than one day, these days may be one right after the other or one day "midweek" and another day "endweek." In this situation, the refeed may be scheduled around their most taxing workouts in an attempt to replenish glycogen in addition to keeping leptin levels up.

If you are thinking "yay maccas," you may not be eating little enough to need refeeds or have been accomplishing the same thing with "cheat meals" without knowing it. OR you may just be so accustomed to feeling like crap during your cutting phase that you don't realize you feel like crap (I'd assume if you were doing anything too extreme that you'd eventually realize something was wrong, though).

[Amanda76]

Maccas would probably be the wrong way to refeed.

So...I had to look "maccas" up when you posted this. I thought "yay maccas" was Sminc's sarcastic way of saying she 100% didn't see the benefit. LOL Yay...McDonald's? No, Sminc...you do not waste your cheats on that crap. There are so many better burger choices out there. At least, I hope there are in Oz!

[squoddybody]

You ladies have really put this in simple terminology. Thank you. I have pretty low BF, and I've been stuck at the same weight for three weeks. I don't refeed often, in face, I have only had one refeed meal since starting my diet in July. I am definitely going to have to increase my carb intake. I think I'll try twice per week (one meal each of two days), and see if that's enough for the spike I need to start losing again.

[Sminc]

So...I had to look "maccas" up when you posted this. I thought "yay maccas" was Sminc's sarcastic way of saying she 100% didn't see the benefit. LOL Yay...McDonald's? No, Sminc...you do not waste your cheats on that crap. There are so many better burger choices out there. At least, I hope there are in Oz!

Lol reading that just made my day.

[Sminc]

That you everyone I have a better understanding of it now. I have been eating a target of 1700-1800 cals a day for the past 2 months. What are some examples of a good refeed? I understand carbs and low fat but I have no idea where to start.

[likeafish]

Bagels, toast with jam, cajun style shrimp/potato/corn boil, spaghetti bolognese with lean meat. chinese bbq lean pork or chicken with steamed rice, lean burgers with baked fries, low fat refried bean burrito with shredded chicken, grilled chicken sandwich with honey mustard. Snacks; low fat popcorn, edamame with sriracha, beef jerky, soft pretzels with mustard. You get the idea, lean meats and starches cooked without fat. Sugars are fine to use in small amounts to give things flavor.

[kimm4]

I feel the refeed is needed when dieting for very long period's of time and sitting at low levels of bodyfat. When you're low in bodyfat leptin levels begin to drop and the refeed helps to keep the levels in check. If you want to use one for sanity purposes fine, but the average dieter doesn't need a refeed.

I bump my calories up to maintenance or a bit higher and add more carbs and sometimes increase my fats. I'm probably one of the very few that doesn't lower my fat intake for a refeed.

[Amanda76]

That you everyone I have a better understanding of it now. I have been eating a target of 1700-1800 cals a day for the past 2 months. What are some examples of a good refeed? I understand carbs and low fat but I have no idea where to start.

To keep things simple, just up the carbs you are already eating throughout the day. You'll have to work out your exact meal plan, but all you really need to do is increase the amount of oats you are eating for breakfast, rice that you have for lunch, potato that you have for dinner (examples...I don't know what you eat...LOL). Maybe enjoy a meal of carbs you don't typically eat because the amount you are stuck eating isn't so satisfying (pasta!). Likeafish's suggestions sound pretty yummy, too...

Did you read the article Botika posted? Not sure how much help you need with numbers, but those would be good guidelines to follow so far as how far to up your calories and how much to lower fat (as well as how much protein to shoot for). So if you estimate your TDEE to be 2,300, you'll eat 2,530 total calories if you raise your cals by 25%. Fat should be between 26 and 51g (as low as you can manage), based on TDEE. Protein can stay the same. Looking at your height and weight (and making assumptions about your approximate TDEE), you are more than likely in the refeed every couple of weeks category at this point.