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MyFitnessPal Community

Carb Refeed for Low Carb Diet Ideas

CherryChan81

Hi guys...

Any idea on good carb to have on refeed day?

Thanks in advance for the help and Happy Halloween!!!

CherryChan

Replies

ndj1979

wait, so you are on a low carb diet but want to do a carb re-feed? There are no good or bad carbs there are just carbs…if you want to do a carb re-feed then load up on bagels, pasta, and some baguettes….

CherryChan81

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices...

one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

MityMax96

Gummy bears
Rice
Potatoes
Cinnamon toast crunch cereal

Few I can think of

GaleHawkins

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

crisb2

The Rock likes pancakes on refeed days

MityMax96

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

PrizePopple

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

ndj1979

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

oh you again …

are you ever going to cease with the misinformation campaign..???

OP is working out with a trainer, carbs are needed for energy to fuel her workouts…geez...

GaleHawkins

MityMax96 wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

MityMax96 I actually notice that back when I was still on sugar but eating better most of the time. I could get a shake and lose a pound the next day but it would flare my arthritis pain.

Patttience

What the hell is a re-feed aside from just eating?

harlequin0318

Patttience wrote: »

What the hell is a re-feed aside from just eating?

Refeed days are basically your weekly cheat meal for those that are on longer term low carb diets...has something to do with Leptin and blah blah blah.

harlequin0318

And to answer the OP

Some good carbs for your refeed day:

Brown rice
Potato!
Pasta
Cereal
Rice cakes
Pretzels
Bread bread and more bread

the list goes on

MityMax96

GaleHawkins wrote: »

MityMax96 wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

MityMax96 I actually notice that back when I was still on sugar but eating better most of the time. I could get a shake and lose a pound the next day but it would flare my arthritis pain.

Ok, well that is you. Everyone has to find out what foods work for them and what foods do not.

So telling someone that carbs are not essential, or a requirement is not right.

And then telling them also to get their carbs from fruit vs. other sources is not good or right either. Carbs from fruit are not an optimal carb when doing a refeed for the purposes of said refeed.
They don't trigger insulin response the way other carbs sources do, and they don't trigger a leptin response the way other carbs sources do.

MityMax96

harlequin0318 wrote: »

Patttience wrote: »

What the hell is a re-feed aside from just eating?

Refeed days are basically your weekly cheat meal for those that are on longer term low carb diets...has something to do with Leptin and blah blah blah.

is that the technical term?
And I wouldn't say it is a weekly cheat meal.....
A refeed is typically a targeted source of food for a desired response.

unknown

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unknown

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MityMax96

Touche

unknown

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MityMax96

LOL

touché
Meaning you are right.

unknown

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MityMax96

LOL

psuLemon

CherryChan81 wrote: »

Hi guys...

Any idea on good carb to have on refeed day?

Thanks in advance for the help and Happy Halloween!!!

CherryChan

My answer is always chipotle or really any other carb food you like.

psuLemon

MityMax96 wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

IIRC, the stimulation of insulin will improves muscle recovery.

Sabine_Stroehm

I'd aim for nutrient dense carbs. Perhaps beans, chickpeas, and the like. But that's just me.

unknown

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psuLemon

MrM27 wrote: »

psulemon wrote: »

MityMax96 wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

IIRC, the stimulation of insulin will improves muscle recovery.

Do you mean improved muscle recovery for the one day or in general after a structured refeed?

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

I'd aim for nutrient dense carbs. Perhaps beans, chickpeas, and the like. But that's just me.

You're actually looking for the hormone manipulation rather than nutritional benefits. For refeed purposes, kids cereal/bagels/bread > beans/chickpeas. Also you are looking to limit fat that day.

Mine was more in general.

Sabine_Stroehm

MrM27 wrote: »

psulemon wrote: »

MityMax96 wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

IIRC, the stimulation of insulin will improves muscle recovery.

Do you mean improved muscle recovery for the one day or in general after a structured refeed?

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

I'd aim for nutrient dense carbs. Perhaps beans, chickpeas, and the like. But that's just me.

You're actually looking for the hormone manipulation rather than nutritional benefits. For refeed purposes, kids cereal/bagels/bread > beans/chickpeas. Also you are looking to limit fat that day.

Wow. Ok. I'd skip that then, if kid cereals are "preferred". Thanks for the clarification. eww.

unknown

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MityMax96

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

MrM27 wrote: »

psulemon wrote: »

MityMax96 wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

May not be a requirement. Or essential.
But they do trigger hormone responses that contribute to weight loss.
Leptin being one

IIRC, the stimulation of insulin will improves muscle recovery.

Do you mean improved muscle recovery for the one day or in general after a structured refeed?

Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »

I'd aim for nutrient dense carbs. Perhaps beans, chickpeas, and the like. But that's just me.

You're actually looking for the hormone manipulation rather than nutritional benefits. For refeed purposes, kids cereal/bagels/bread > beans/chickpeas. Also you are looking to limit fat that day.

Wow. Ok. I'd skip that then, if kid cereals are "preferred". Thanks for the clarification. eww.

MrM is correct....the point of a refeed is for a certain outcome.

I will give my $.02 on the view of a refeed....

If a person is >15% BF, I don't think a refeed is required as often, if the desire is for weight loss. If the person is <10% BF and wanting to go lower, then a refeed at various times, would prolly be a good strategy (speaking from a male perspective BF levels, female levels would be higher)

Some things to consider and think of why a refeed:
-- When in deficit, you are in a calorie restricted state....so you are taking in minimum protein, carbs and fats. Typically if fats and proteins are at their bare minimum's for your body, then carbs will be the last area to manipulate for a calorie restriction. Overtime, taking in less carbs while still doing your exercise routine (lifting, running, etc...), then glycogen in your muscles and other organs will be depleted. So while they body can make use of fat stores for energy....again I point to the fact depending on where you are with your BF% this may be an acceptable plan for you. If you are <10% BF....then there is a lot less stored energy your body can tap into, and thus workout performance can be degraded.
Not to mention since glycogen holds water, your muscles will look flat if you are depleted....not "full" and "rounded"

-- The hormone Leptin: Leptin is a hormone that signals the body to oxidize fat. The more fat you have on your frame, the more leptin you have in your body. Now those people who are very high in BF%, the signals from leptin become muted, and the body becomes unresponsive to the hormone. Now as a person loses weight/BF, then leptin decreases. And once you get ~10%, there is very little leptin, because there is very little BF for the hormone to act on....and your body realizes that, so it will not produce more of a hormone to get rid of energy it needs.
So having a structured carb refeed is needed, because the body responds to the intake of carbs, by kicking up leptin production. So for those people who wish to get to a lower BF %, the need for these refeeds are due to this.

-- Insulin: Insulin gets a bad rap....it is touted as the fat storage hormone....which it does inhibit fat loss....but doesn't stop it. But insulin is an important hormone for your muscles. Signaling growth hormones, shuttling energy to the muscle for repair and other responses. So when you workout, especially in the form of lifting (heavy?), glycogen stored in the muscles are used for energy. Once you have finished your workout, your body is looking for anything to use for repairing those muscles and replenishing glycogen.
This is the best time to take in carbs like cereal, rice, potatoes, pancakes, syrup, gummy bears....it kicks up insulin and the body is very responsive to this.
Carb sources like beans, veggies, fruits....high fiber stuff....are not optimal in this instance as they don't cause an insulin response the way the other carb sources do.

So anyway, hopefully that helps some one understand why a refeed is needed....
And it is basically what I know and understand....

And one other thing, a refeed if you are in the depleted state, should be equivalent to that of your glycogen stores.....
Which to calculate, you are looking at 15 * LBM in kg.
So your refeed day (or two) should be high carbs, moderate protein, and low/little/no fat

So for me, I weigh 175 lbs, my LBM is prolly ~165, in kg that is ~75
So 15 * 75 = 1125 gr of carbs needed to replenish glycogen
So I would prolly do two days on a refeed, where I take in ~500 gr in carbs each day, and then prolly about 150 gr of protein. Fats I would keep low, maybe just take fish oil pills with meals.

blktngldhrt

PrizePopple wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

CherryChan81 wrote: »

my trainer asked me to do carb refeed once a week... so, just trying to find better carb choices... one thing for sure, I asked him whether I can eat cronuts, he said NO... sadly...

Since carbs are not a requirement for humans I to find it an unusual as well to be talking about replenishment. Maybe switch hitting weekly is helpful for the body.

Carbs in grapes, apples are better than refined carbs like bread and stuff typically.

Omg, I love this.

I would eat pancakes, honey nut cheerios, potatoes, sour patch kids (there's over 50g of carbs in one bag)..oatmeal. I would eat it all.