10 Weeks Out!! Refeed or No?

[CroakyBear]

I am doing my first bodybuilding show on May 26, 2017. I have no coaching or any real knowledge on refeeding. I started cutting at 212lbs, roughly 14% BF (6 weeks ago), now I'm 196.3lbs 11-12% BF. I think I cut calories way too quickly (2300 cals cutting, maintenance unkown?) and about 2 weeks ago I ****ed up and binged hardcore for 2 days. I think I was so depleted and was running off of pure willpower and we all know how that goes ... Anyways I've done a bunch of reading and I think I want to try out the refeed. I've asked my posing coach and a personal trainer and they both said to give it a shot (1x every 2 weeks). To be honest I'm scared ****less to do it because I want to be lean n' mean! My lifts are starting to get really tough, overall just lethargic and zero energy during classes. Any advice? I do intermittent fasting w/ carb cycling. I'd do a refeed every 2 weeks depending on how I feel.


Cutting Cals 2300, Maintenance Unkown?
Currently 196.3lbs 6 weeks into contest prep
Goal weight 188lbs

Lift days 4x/week 2,300 cals 216c/235p/55f
Cardio 4x/week

Rest days Fri-Sunday 2300 cals 115c/235p/100f

Refeed Macros? 2,850 cals 411c/200p/45F *10% above maintenance*

[CroakyBear]

Update: Got a body fat test today, I'm at 8.78% bodyfat! Leggo!!

[NaturalproMJG]

The fact that you cracked and binged for two days shows that you're being to restrictive. Keep the calories the same and drop your protien and fats down to as little as possible. I wouldn't up the overall calories on a refeed until your daily cals are lower. Are you planing on staying at 2300 cals the whole time? Cause your prob going to have to go lower the closer you get to the contest to keep losing weight. No cardio? And only training 4 days a week? Prob going to add more training

[CroakyBear]

The fact that you cracked and binged for two days shows that you're being to restrictive. Keep the calories the same and drop your protein and fats down to as little as possible. I wouldn't up to the overall calories on a refeed until your daily cals are lower. Are you planing on staying at 2300 cals the whole time? Cause your prob going to have to go lower the closer you get to the contest to keep losing weight. No cardio? And only training 4 days a week? Prob going to add more training

Sorry for the late reply! I do cardio 4 times a week (30-60 minutes). I'll drop the protein to 200g, and fats to 50g. I planned to keep the calories the same throughout the entire contest prep. As for the refeed, what do you mean? Stay at 2300 cals but mostly carbs? Also, the 8% BF was confirmed by 2 sources.

[kimm4]

How tall are you? Any progress pics? At your weight now (even if you're on the taller side) there's no way you're sub 9%.

Just being honest.

[NaturalproMJG]

By that I mean keep your calories the same and change your macros. Good rule of thumb is double your carbs then adjust protein and fats to accommodate. So about 400 carbs, 100 pro, 35 fat for the refeed day. You don't raise your calories refeeding until you daily cals are super low and you need a refeed every few days so you don't feel like death. That's why I asked if you were lowering calories as you go, your metabolism will change as you lose bodyfat so to keep getting leaner you need to get creative. When I'm in final weeks of prep my daily calories would be about 1700-1800 but I'd have a 3500 calorie refeed every 4 days or so to avoid any intensity loss during workouts

[gbullock32]

Great info on refeeds- http://www.completehumanperformance.com/refeed-podcast/