Do diet breaks work?

dana_mink

http://berzinatorfitnessdesigns.com/how-to-reset-your-metabolism-with-diet-breaks/

Has anyone taken a diet break? Its supposed to reset your metabolism and help with junk food cravings. I want to hear from anyone that has taken one of these and if it helps.

4legsRbetterthan2

To me it mostly sounds like if you are having all the issues outlines in the intro:

"You’re fighting fatigue and hunger, while your body is adaptive thermogenesising you (yes, I did just make that a verb).

Your metabolism is low, hunger is off the charts, and your workouts suck.

And the worst part?

You’ve stopped losing fat, despite all this torture."

Then you are either trying to lose too fast for your goal, or need to take the time to figure out meal timing and what to eat to keep you full within your calorie goal. It can be tough at first and may take some trial and error, but dieting really doesn't need to be torture.

usmcmp

If you have been tracking calories for many many months and losing significant weight it can be beneficial to take a break and eat at maintenance. Most people who think they have metabolism issues are not logging accurately, which is why they aren't losing. A diet break doesn't help with food cravings. If you're having a craving it's better to figure out how you personally deal with those best.

I have taken a diet break after my first bodybuilding competition. I ate at a very steep calorie deficit for 5 months. The break was for mental reasons and it did help me feel better.

crabbybrianna

I took one two weeks ago, I ate at maintenance for the week. I gained 11lbs (which all came back off over this last week since it was just water), but aside from that it didn't change anything. My metabolism wasn't reset, whatever that means, and I have the same cravings as before. I did it because I've been in a deficit since February and I wanted a week that I could just relax and eat more than I usually do.

janejellyroll

I would take one if I began to feel emotionally tired of counting, but if I felt fatigue and hunger regularly or if my workouts were suffering, I would suspect that my daily goal was too low. I would adjust that instead of taking a break.

jemhh

I am a big fan of diet breaks. When I am cutting calories and take a diet break, I just eat at maintenance for a week and continue logging and exercising as normal.

I'm not a big fan of this list as rules from that article.

Follow the rules:

1) Don’t treat it as a binge week

2) Eat 100 grams of carbs a day

3) Don’t track your food

4) Eat when you normally do

5) Break for at least 7-14 days

6) Deload or take a few light workouts

I'd agree with #1. Don't care about #2. Disagree with #3 (track or don't track but it's not a definite must or mustn't.) #4 Whatever, not sure why that'd be an issue. #5 That's fine. #6 Disagree for me.

I've never gained weight while on a maintenance break, btw. But YMMV.

My favorite articles on the subject:

Diet breaks
* http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/
* http://strengthunbound.com/when-to-take-a-diet-break/

RogerToo

dana_mink wrote: »

http://berzinatorfitnessdesigns.com/how-to-reset-your-metabolism-with-diet-breaks/

Has anyone taken a diet break? Its supposed to reset your metabolism and help with junk food cravings. I want to hear from anyone that has taken one of these and if it helps.

Hi Dana
I just decided a few months ago to take a break, That was partially influenced by 2+ years of dieting. I went on Maintenance and have been holding my weight. Another Influence was the Doctors response to my question of what should be my goal weight back in January, his answer was that I was good where I am. I Think (Know) that I need to lose a bit more weight, At least the mirror says so. OTOH It might be telling me I need to get what I have distributed better.

Either way my experience is that I need to eat properly and only add some calories such as an extra 200 to 300 calories, as a result I eat even more fruit, Luckily I love fruit.

The other thing I found is that I am sensitive to water retention if I eat out. Also that if I eat a sweet I have a craving for more sweets so I am tending to avoid eating out and sweets.

Good Luck
Roger

P.S. And FWIW I have lost more than I weigh and so far since February when I decided to hold at this weight I have been successful In fact I have lost one more pound since my 4/18/2016 check-in weight.

dmt4641

Diet breaks and refeeds are generally needed for physiological reasons when you get leaner and are getting down to low body fat percentages. Your hormones start fighting against the dieting process and it makes it hard to stay in a deficit with constant hunger and lower metabolic rate. Refeeds and diet breaks can help normalize your hormones for a while before you dive back into dieting.

However, a diet break can be beneficial for psychological reasons at any weight if you have been in a deficit a long time and feel burned out and just need a break. However, if you are not at a lower body fat percentage, the addition of a diet break won't necessarily help you lose weight physiologically.

Lyle McDonald has some good articles on diet breaks (one posted above). Check out Flexible Dieting pdf too, it has information on how often to take a break or refeed at different body fat percentages and how to go about it.

TR0berts

Deload or take a few light workouts? While consuming more Calories? Negative, Ghost Rider.

cwolfman13

I think they can be psychologically very beneficial and they can help reset your hormones which will impact your metabolism. All to often though, I see people use this as an excuse to go pig out when really they should just be eating a few hundred more calories to hit maintenance.

Neanbean13

Definitely for a mental break. However I'd still log and stay at maintanence. But I'm not dieting. If that means just eating 'healthy'. I follow the flexible dieting ideals and eat what I want if it fits. I rarely get cravings and rarely hungry. If you're constantly hungry, moody, dizzy or anything I'd have a look at your intake and exercise levels and adjust. And it's ok to have time off from being in a deficit just adjust your expectations accordingly

SCoil123

I'm sort of taking my first diet break now. I've been eating only at a small deficit but increased the intensity of my work outs recently and was always hungry and sore (taking much longer to recover). I'm eating at maintenance until I finish week one of my new program and then I'll return to my deficit. My work outs are better so I think it's helping.

cee134

I think they work as long as you go back to your diet.

The reason I like them is they help you learn to eat in maintenance which is hard to do. Also, diets aren't races, so there is no reason not to take little breaks, if it is positive to your goals.

stylistchicky

From my understanding....it takes awhile for your metabolism to readjust. Someone once said to ME..."it took years to put on the weight, why do you expect to take it off in 6 months."
My advice is just stick with it, this is a lifestyle change right? Making a new healthier lifestyle...it takes time. Stick with it...you'll be glad you did. Good luck.

kshama2001

I eat at maintenance for a few days every month when I am premenstrual and during the heavy days of my period. Probably because of this, I haven't felt a need for a diet break.

When I do the following, I don't have cravings:

1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
7. Stay hydrated
8. Have a calorie deficit that is appropriate for the amount of weight I need to lose. An overly aggressive goal can definitely lead to cravings.

jemhh

kshama2001 wrote: »

I eat at maintenance for a few days every month when I am premenstrual and during the heavy days of my period. Probably because of this, I haven't felt a need for a diet break.

When I do the following, I don't have cravings:

1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
7. Stay hydrated
8. Have a calorie deficit that is appropriate for the amount of weight I need to lose. An overly aggressive goal can definitely lead to cravings.

@kshama2001 , I've seen you mention eating at maintenance during your premenstrual period a few times. If you don't mind me asking, are your cycles very regular? I would like to do this but struggle a bit because mine are so irregular. I am never sure if I am hungry because my period will soon be arriving or for some other reason so I tend to err on the side of toughing through it, which isn't necessarily optimal.

kshama2001

jemhh wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

I eat at maintenance for a few days every month when I am premenstrual and during the heavy days of my period. Probably because of this, I haven't felt a need for a diet break.

When I do the following, I don't have cravings:

1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
7. Stay hydrated
8. Have a calorie deficit that is appropriate for the amount of weight I need to lose. An overly aggressive goal can definitely lead to cravings.

@kshama2001 , I've seen you mention eating at maintenance during your premenstrual period a few times. If you don't mind me asking, are your cycles very regular? I would like to do this but struggle a bit because mine are so irregular. I am never sure if I am hungry because my period will soon be arriving or for some other reason so I tend to err on the side of toughing through it, which isn't necessarily optimal.

They are regular, but how I know I'm premenstrual is because I always eat the same breakfast and at that time I finish it much quicker and am hungry for lunch hours earlier than usual. I notice this, look at the calendar, and realize I'm premenstrual. Increased hunger is always the first sign - I get sore breasts and sometimes a little moodiness the next day or so. Hmm, not sure when the weight gain comes in - will have to keep an eye on this.

Can you tell when you ovulate? Do your periods always come two weeks after? Sometimes it's ovulation that is irregular and menstruation commences on schedule.

85Cardinals

That Lyle MacDonald article on the full diet break is 10 kinds of awesome.

maidengirl_

I dunno about resting your metabolism with a diet break but I was going crazy eating in deficiency for 9 months and to avoid binge eating, I ate at maintenance.

kermax39

I have few days off here and there but no more than 2 days. If im not getting anywhere for a few weeks and becomming frustrated. Generally ill gain 3lbs, get back on it and find the 3lbs is gone in a few days, followed by a nice 2 lb loss by the end of the week. I know people on.here dont believe the metabolism can be 'kickstarted' but It works for me and I dont make a habit of it. I eat what I want on those 2 days and dont log. Iv lost 3 stone 4lbs all in.

Francl27

It didn't work for me at all. I took one when I went on vacation (not on purpose, but we ate out all the time, so it was hard to avoid) 18 months after starting my diet and 2 pounds from my goal, and my appetite/hunger shot up after that and it's been very hard to go back to a deficit since... that was over 2 years ago and I haven't lost a pound since! To be fair, I was already 18 pounds below the overweight BMI, but still. Frustrating.

alyssa0061

I took one about a month ago after being in a steep deficit since February and losing almost 100 pounds. It lasted about a week and a half and by the end of it I was more than ready to get back to my deficit eating. I didn't binge, stayed at or near maintenance and kept my normal eating schedule. It did help mentally. I just needed a little break. My weight loss picked right back up after. I actually lost a little that week as well so maybe my maintenance is higher than I thought as I was expecting to see a few pounds of water come on.

Christine_72

I recently changed my calories to maintenance, and any deficit will be created from exercise. It doesn't mean i have to hit my maintenance calories everyday, but they're there if i need them.
I've only got maybe 4ish kgs left to lose, so I'm not in any major hurry to get down to my goal weight.
It's also nearly summer here, and i naturally eat less anyway.

Psychgrrl

I took one for a few months when I was losing. Lost about 60 pounds, switched to maintenance. When I was ready to tackle the last 40, I slowly started decreasing my calories again.

Worked fine and helped me figure out how to make maintenance work.

Machka9

I stuck with my diet for 16 weeks and dropped back within my normal BMI range. That was my first goal and I didn't know if I wanted to lose more or not.

As it happened, we were going on holidays then anyway, so I took a 1-month diet break.

How it worked was that I ate anything and everything I wanted. But interestingly, my portion sizes were smaller, and I found myself doing things like ordering a salad at meals.

When I returned, I had put on 2 kg so I decided to lose that and stick with my diet for another 16 weeks to see where I would end up. I did, and lost those 2 kg plus another 10 kg.

I've been maintaining since.