1 week long refeed. bad idea??

[yasento]

I've been feeling like I need a break from cutting, as I've been cutting for 6 months now. I've lost 12kg (26 lbs) but it has left me feeling a bit drained and lacking in motivation. I'm thinking about doing a refeed but doing it for a whole week. If I eat at maintenance level (around 2000 cals for me) I feel like it might help me. But I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not. Any advice would be appreciated.

[EjnarKolinkar]

You can eat at maintenance whenever you want OP.

[Mordecai99]

Just eat at maintenance for a few days, don't wreck your progress.

[yasento]

You can eat at maintenance whenever you want OP.

Yes, but what I mean is to increase carbs to a higher level than the usual macro ratio. Not going over maintenance calories, but bumping up carbs and dropping protein and fat a bit to compensate. Could it result in a lot of water retention and bloating? Or is that more of an issue with eating more than maintenance level calories?

[yasento]

Just eat at maintenance for a few days, don't wreck your progress.

Ok, but why would 1 week of eating at maintenace wreck my progress? Are there dangers in eating higher carb levels even at maintenance?

[Znik]

3-4 days is all you need to bump stuff back to baseline levels (and it's gonna drop rapidly again once you get back on the cut) but a week doesn't do any harm apart from extending your weight loss timeframe.

[spradish]

Ok, but why would 1 week of eating at maintenace wreck my progress? Are there dangers in eating higher carb levels even at maintenance?

He's not saying that eating at maintenance will wreck your progress. He's saying eat at maintenance so as not to wreck your progress.

Taking a break once in awhile can be helpful, especially if your weight loss is going on for an extended period of time.

[blue9steel]

I actually take several weeks after a long cut. One week won't hurt at all. (assuming we're talking about a controlled and moderate refeed not an eat everything in sight binge)

[Dorich]

Why not eat very close, but still slightly below maintenance during that week? Depending on the size of your deficit, doing this could feel like you are taking a break, but fat loss would actually still be occurring (although minimal).

Just my two cents.

Because if you aim for maintenance, there's a chance you could slightly overeat and be in a small surplus for one or two days. It's definitely not the end of the world, but aiming for a little below maintenance might be more productive.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Ok, but why would 1 week of eating at maintenace wreck my progress? Are there dangers in eating higher carb levels even at maintenance?

It won't. Neither will one week at a 300 cals a day surplus.

Use common sense at all times when looking at simple things.

[yasento]

I'm having some trouble finding my maintenace level calorie intake.

The online calculators always seem to indicate that it should around 2500, but I just know that I gain weight when I eat than many calories. The absolute lowest that the calculators offer is 2100, if my put my activity level at the lowest level of 'sedentary'. But I'm in the gym 4-5 days a week, lifting and doing cardio. Are these calculators usually accurate?
Stats: Age 40, Male, 5ft 11, 176 pounds

[DyingAtheist]

I'm having some trouble finding my maintenace level calorie intake.

The online calculators always seem to indicate that it should around 2500, but I just know that I gain weight when I eat than many calories. The absolute lowest that the calculators offer is 2100, if my put my activity level at the lowest level of 'sedentary'. But I'm in the gym 4-5 days a week, lifting and doing cardio. Are these calculators usually accurate?
Stats: Age 40, Male, 5ft 11, 176 pounds

No, they're not. If you gain at 2500 then try 2400 and see if you gain there, then 2300 and so on, no reason to rely on calculators for anything other than a starting point.

[spradish]

OP, how many pounds per week have you lost on average in the past 4 weeks? Multiply that by 3500, divide that number by 7, and add that number to what you've been eating.

[yasento]

OP, how many pounds per week have you lost on average in the past 4 weeks? Multiply that by 3500, divide that number by 7, and add that number to what you've been eating.

You mean add that number to my weekly calorie intake, right?

I've lost 2kg (4.4 lbs) in the past 4 weeks, eating at around 1650 calories.

[yasento]

No, they're not. If you gain at 2500 then try 2400 and see if you gain there, then 2300 and so on, no reason to rely on calculators for anything other than a starting point.

How long should I 'test' the calorie level? For example, how long should I eat at 2500 before I draw a conclusion? My weight fluctuates from day to day.

[spradish]

You mean add that number to my weekly calorie intake, right?

I've lost 2kg (4.4 lbs) in the past 4 weeks, eating at around 1650 calories.

I meant to your daily.

4.4 * 3500 = 15,400
15,400/4 = 3850
3850/7 = 550
1650+550=2200

[yasento]

I meant to your daily.

. 4 * 3500 = 15,400
15,400/4 = 3850
3850/7 = 550
1650+550=2200

That makes sense. Thanks.

I think I'll try eating at 2200 for 1 week starting tomorrow and see what happens.

[StrongAt45]

That makes sense. Thanks.

I think I'll try eating at 2200 for 1 week starting tomorrow and see what happens.

I actually think that it's better to cut exercise or reduce the intensity. Nutrition is a life long journey. Too much exercise just makes you want to eat more. And if you are on a cut, you shouldn't eat so much but cos of the exercise, we do eat alot. And you can't exercise a cheat meal back!

Exercise is a lifelong journey as well, and perhaps too much of it will wear you down and you dont want to do it anymore. I think it's better to do a little, maybe 15 mins a day - or like throw in 100 pushups a day and that's it. At least you wont feel demotivated day to day.

I am on a cut for the last 2 months, and it's easy week to week. I have gone from 25% to 15% now hoping to reach 10% sometime soon. Steady 0.5 to 0.8kg loss a week. Just simple weight lifting exercises 5 or 6 times a week, 30 mins a day. Saturdays i will do a HIIT routine.

[Rayzor84]

Why not eat very close, but still slightly below maintenance during that week? Depending on the size of your deficit, doing this could feel like you are taking a break, but fat loss would actually still be occurring (although minimal).

Just my two cents.

Because if you aim for maintenance, there's a chance you could slightly overeat and be in a small surplus for one or two days. It's definitely not the end of the world, but aiming for a little below maintenance might be more productive.

I did this, 10 weeks into an aggressive cut I started mounting injuries and needed a week off. I decided to eat at about 200 or less below maintenance. It helped my body recover and I still ended up losing a lb or so, and my lifts didn't go down from that week which was the point of raising my calories. It also helped even out my appetite when I went into a hard deficit again afterward.

[yasento]

I actually think that it's better to cut exercise or reduce the intensity. Nutrition is a life long journey. Too much exercise just makes you want to eat more. And if you are on a cut, you shouldn't eat so much but cos of the exercise, we do eat alot. And you can't exercise a cheat meal back!

Exercise is a lifelong journey as well, and perhaps too much of it will wear you down and you dont want to do it anymore. I think it's better to do a little, maybe 15 mins a day - or like throw in 100 pushups a day and that's it. At least you wont feel demotivated day to day.

I am on a cut for the last 2 months, and it's easy week to week. I have gone from 25% to 15% now hoping to reach 10% sometime soon. Steady 0.5 to 0.8kg loss a week. Just simple weight lifting exercises 5 or 6 times a week, 30 mins a day. Saturdays i will do a HIIT routine.

You lost 10% body fat in 2 months? That sounds like quite a lot. I'm already in the gym 4-5 times a week, so I'm going to increase my calories and keep my gym routine the same. I feel like I need a break from dieting anyway, but I just don't want to gain fat while I take the break.

[yasento]

I did this, 10 weeks into an aggressive cut I started mounting injuries and needed a week off. I decided to eat at about 200 or less below maintenance. It helped my body recover and I still ended up losing a lb or so, and my lifts didn't go down from that week which was the point of raising my calories. It also helped even out my appetite when I went into a hard deficit again afterward.

How many extra calories were you eating per day during your recovery week?

[StrongAt45]

Well, as long as you like it, different strokes for different people i guess. I am not looking to look too muscular, just athletic look is all. As long as you think it's sustainable, its a great plan.

[Rayzor84]

How many extra calories were you eating per day during your recovery week?

I went from 1800 to 2300. My pre cut maintenance was about 2700 and I'm thinking my new maintainable is closer to 24 or 2500.

[jonnicola]

Just a tip when you're doing/finished your diet break/week at maintenance/whatever

..before you freak out and run back to the forums saying 'Ive gained xkg in one week omg halp!!1!' remember a lot of it is going to be glycogen and water, in addition to probably food in your colon since you've upped calories to maintenance.

Give yourself another week after you finish to get back to your 'regular' weight from whence you started.

Personally if you have a lot to cut, I'd just lessen the deficit, or take a few days to eat over maintenance before resuming. Mentally that seems to work better for me than taking a whole week off, but YMMV.

GJ on the progress though, srs

[omer46]

During the holidays, I highly encourage to go to maintance and enjoy time with the important people in your life. Dieting can wait. Bumping you calories to ~ maintance won't impact you that much, just don't go on the scale immediately. Water retention will probably cause you to freak out, but after a week of going back into a diet, the water retention should drop.

[yasento]

Just a tip when you're doing/finished your diet break/week at maintenance/whatever

..before you freak out and run back to the forums saying 'Ive gained xkg in one week omg halp!!1!' remember a lot of it is going to be glycogen and water, in addition to probably food in your colon since you've upped calories to maintenance.

Give yourself another week after you finish to get back to your 'regular' weight from whence you started.

Personally if you have a lot to cut, I'd just lessen the deficit, or take a few days to eat over maintenance before resuming. Mentally that seems to work better for me than taking a whole week off, but YMMV.

GJ on the progress though, srs

Can glycogen and water have such a big impact? If I gain weight during the week, how do I know whether it's from glycogen/water or whether I'm just miscalculating my maintenance calories?

[Jayromes]

I would recommend you do a "cheat day" once a week and keep going with the cut. i remember one time I did a cheat day and actually went to overboard on the calories and pushed back my progress, I could only imagine what a refeed week would do. Hope this helps!

[alices00ze]

you should have also exercised.

[JacobVR]

Is there a way to incorporate refeeds in place of reverse dieting? I don't like being so obsessive with calories because of an ED past. I do light but pretty accurate counting with an intuitive eating base. I follow your article on how to not count calories for that. I do need an RD tho as I have a long history of dieting and fat that takes so long to move. I know I'm at a deficit but I'm not seeing great losses. I don't want to have to be meticulous about counting for an RD. if I did one refeed a week, do you think this could work. Let's say 700-1000 calories extra. Then maybe two days out of the week do that...hmm

[vsportsguy]

I've been feeling like I need a break from cutting, as I've been cutting for 6 months now. I've lost 12kg (26 lbs) but it has left me feeling a bit drained and lacking in motivation. I'm thinking about doing a refeed but doing it for a whole week. If I eat at maintenance level (around 2000 cals for me) I feel like it might help me. But I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not. Any advice would be appreciated.

It's a great idea! You're delaying your weight loss for another week, no big deal.

You're losing weight at a great pace. You're much less likely to rebound when you do reach your goal.