Refeed days

[reignman76]

I’m 42 years old 6’2” 245 lbs about 22-24% BF.

I’m currently cutting on:
2500 calories
256g protein
109g fat
124g carbs

I’m losing about 1.5 lbs per week which I assume is about a 750 calorie a day deficit.

On a refeed day should I build all 750 calories back in? Should it be all carbs? At my body fat percentage should I do this once a week or once a every 2 weeks?

Thanks!

[adigiro1]

I found this, has some good info in it

https://caliberstrong.com/refeed-day/

[reignman76]

I actually read that same article just before posting. It says only eating like 40g of fat which doesn’t sound like enough to meet the minimum body requirement.

[hardyboysare]

I personally never bother with them they just slow fat loss down and don't recommend them one bit. Any help refeeds have are easily out done by the excess calories consumed, they may help individuals mental ability and may help lean individuals but for people needing to lose fat they are pointless.

As for that article I see no scientific support so again seems pointless to me.

[reignman76]

Yeah if a refeed is strictly a mental thing because people might abandon a cut then I don’t need it. I feel pretty good.

But I heard it’s more than that. Things like leptin hormone levels and making your body’s metabolism not slow down to match your cut calories.

[Tommy W.]

But I heard it’s more than that. Things like leptin hormone levels and making your body’s metabolism not slow down to match your cut calories.

No that's all overinflated BS. Refeeds only slow progress. Until you're sub 10% BF they are of no benefit

[jademonkey]

I supposedly don't need them but looking forward to a proper dinner and a few good beers once a week is like a kid looking forward to Christmas.

[AdamWW]

Given the stats you mentioned, your body has plenty of on-demand fuel to get glucose to your muscles. Refeeds while above very lean levels of body fat don’t serve any biological advantage, but when you get lean enough to where your body begins to eat into muscle glycogen, etc, they can help maintain performance.

[Tommy W.]

I supposedly don't need them but looking forward to a proper dinner and a few good beers once a week is like a kid looking forward to Christmas.

Said the man that wonders why he can't lose fat. Life is a balance. You just have to decide what side of the pendulum you want to be on

[jademonkey]

Said the man that wonders why he can't lose fat. Life is a balance. You just have to decide what side of the pendulum you want to be on

And also said me and lots of other people that like a little enjoyment in life vs. weighing chicken every day. It's just as easy to lose fat doing it 6/7 days. It'll take only 17% longer and in the meantime weekends don't completely suck. Hell, it might even be faster cuz it's easier to do an extra 100 cal deficit if you know you get real meals on Saturday.

[gbullock32]

And also said me and lots of other people that like a little enjoyment in life vs. weighing chicken every day. It's just as easy to lose fat doing it 6/7 days. It'll take only 17% longer and in the meantime weekends don't completely suck. Hell, it might even be faster cuz it's easier to do an extra 100 cal deficit if you know you get real meals on Saturday.

Or eat 'real' meals every day because you understand how to properly count macros and fit what you like into your needs.

But who wants to have moderation?

Also, interesting read on refeeds here: https://completehumanperformance.com...efeed-podcast/

[jademonkey]

Or eat 'real' meals every day because you understand how to properly count macros and fit what you like into your needs.

But who wants to have moderation?

Also, interesting read on refeeds here: https://completehumanperformance.com...efeed-podcast/

Depends on what "real" meal means. Yeah I can starve most of the day and get a "real" dinner in, or eat mini meals that don't properly qualify as "real" meals. I can have a bowl of food twice a day and a bunch of high protein snacks in the office and hit my totals real fast. The bowl of food is kind of a meal, sure, for a child maybe. But 600 calories just doesn't feel like a proper meal when it isn't even filling and hunger comes back 90 minutes later.

[Tommy W.]

Depends on what "real" meal means. Yeah I can starve most of the day and get a "real" dinner in, or eat mini meals that don't properly qualify as "real" meals. I can have a bowl of food twice a day and a bunch of high protein snacks in the office and hit my totals real fast. The bowl of food is kind of a meal, sure, for a child maybe. But 600 calories just doesn't feel like a proper meal when it isn't even filling and hunger comes back 90 minutes later.

then do what you want. If you’re not in a decent weekly deficit youll get nowhere.

[AdamWW]

Depends on what "real" meal means. Yeah I can starve most of the day and get a "real" dinner in, or eat mini meals that don't properly qualify as "real" meals. I can have a bowl of food twice a day and a bunch of high protein snacks in the office and hit my totals real fast. The bowl of food is kind of a meal, sure, for a child maybe. But 600 calories just doesn't feel like a proper meal when it isn't even filling and hunger comes back 90 minutes later.

600 calories of sweet potato, chicken, vegetables, and avocado is a lot bigger than you might think and is quite filling unless you’re going very high on fats... especially if you’re not over seasoning and keeping it simple so you start acclimating to the change in foods.

[TheUnderdog83]

600 calories of sweet potato, chicken, vegetables, and avocado is a lot bigger than you might think and is quite filling unless you’re going very high on fats... especially if you’re not over seasoning and keeping it simple so you start acclimating to the change in foods.

I agree with this. I can absolutely fill up on 600 calories of the right foods. 1/2 pound of grilled, skinless chicken thigh, 1.5 cups of broccoli topped with 1/4 cup fat free mozzarella, and a bowl of oatmeal = 495 calories.

[reignman76]

So instead of doing a refeed. Could I take my cut calories 2500. Reduce it by 100 Monday thru Saturday to 2400. Take those 600 calories and add it to Sunday for 3100 that day?

Calorie intake is more of a weekly thing than daily right?

[Tucane]

So instead of doing a refeed. Could I take my cut calories 2500. Reduce it by 100 Monday thru Saturday to 2400. Take those 600 calories and add it to Sunday for 3100 that day?

Calorie intake is more of a weekly thing than daily right?

Yes, you should look at a weeks worth of intake and balance it out by preference. More wiggle-room doesn't hurt.

[hardyboysare]

Yes, you should look at a weeks worth of intake and balance it out by preference. More wiggle-room doesn't hurt.

This OP.

When I cut I always aim lower in calories then is optimal not to speed it up but to cover the miscounts, the days I go slightly over my calories and exactly as you state the one day where your diet may mess up and counting is difficult.

Personally I love food so I go out for meals around 2 times a week either for a small bit of casual meal such as fish and chips or a full sit down meal. I try and count these in my plan but I know I am going to be off as restaurant calories are going to be higher then your home cooking, as taste and appearance make the meal when out so added ingredients are going to be used.

So by cutting a tad higher (nothing massive something like 100-200 calories extra) this gives you the room to enjoy things you like without stalling the weight loss. If I don't go out for a meal then all I have done is sped up the cutting process no harm done. As long as you are weight training, hitting your protein and not cutting stupidly low you will retain your muscle and still enjoy life.

The problem with adding refeed days is that you are planning to deliberately overeat for no solid reason except for a mental break of dieting, however you should be to incorporate all foods into a diet just means you can have less of it.

[HotDogManB]

This OP.

When I cut I always aim lower in calories then is optimal not to speed it up but to cover the miscounts, the days I go slightly over my calories and exactly as you state the one day where your diet may mess up and counting is difficult.

Personally I love food so I go out for meals around 2 times a week either for a small bit of casual meal such as fish and chips or a full sit down meal. I try and count these in my plan but I know I am going to be off as restaurant calories are going to be higher then your home cooking, as taste and appearance make the meal when out so added ingredients are going to be used.

So by cutting a tad higher (nothing massive something like 100-200 calories extra) this gives you the room to enjoy things you like without stalling the weight loss. If I don't go out for a meal then all I have done is sped up the cutting process no harm done. As long as you are weight training, hitting your protein and not cutting stupidly low you will retain your muscle and still enjoy life.

The problem with adding refeed days is that you are planning to deliberately overeat for no solid reason except for a mental break of dieting, however you should be to incorporate all foods into a diet just means you can have less of it.

Pay attention to this, OP. Great strategy.

[reignman76]

Yeah I never thought of it that way. Sunday as a correction day to acccount for any surpluses and deficits that naturally occur mon - sat.

Mind......blown