Of refeeds and diet breaks

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  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    very encouraging and interesting, nice healthy change up.

    How are you estimating TDEE for others to duplicate this?
  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
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    heybales wrote: »
    very encouraging and interesting, nice healthy change up.

    How are you estimating TDEE for others to duplicate this?

    I was going to ask the same question. Great results!
  • r3488
    r3488 Posts: 77 Member
    edited April 2018
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    heybales wrote: »
    very encouraging and interesting, nice healthy change up.

    How are you estimating TDEE for others to duplicate this?

    Kind of similar to @AnnPT77's Method 3 in How to Find Your Maintenance Calorie Level (https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10638211/how-to-find-your-maintenance-calorie-level/p1). Specifically, I have a spreadsheet set up where I track my daily MFP net calories. I then average the 30 previous days (first value). Then, I take my average daily calorie deficit as calculated by my weight trend app and my actual weight loss (or gain) for the previous month and add it to (or subtract it from, if I was in a surplus) the first value. I then use the spreadsheet's chart functionality to make a nice graph. Hope that makes sense.

  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    TSH is highly variable depending on what YOU are used to, particularly during adolescence. Even though people may have a high level, this may feel normal to them. This is the inherent issue with hormones - there is no perfect zone for everyone.

    I went 30 years and likely hyperthyroid, but never diagnosed. Following a total thyroidectomy a TSH over 2.0 and I'm wrecked. All my appetite triggers are off and I just want to eat and sleep all day. Note that for most total thyroidectomy/cancer patients the goal is to keep TSH under 0.2 to minimize risk of cancer recurrence.

  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    Oh. I never get tired of potatoes!

    I have the same issue with not really doing the "special" stuff for refeeds any more. I usually eat beans and rice. Just a lot of them. Then again, I'm a vegetarian, and this is something that's normally hard for me to fit in, but it works perfectly during refeeds.

    Bean pasta is another food I use during refeeds... oh, and air popped popcorn! I spray it with olive oil and use Kernel Seasonings toppers on it for different flavors.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
    edited May 2018
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    Lurker coming out post-attempt 1 for diet break!

    I can't really give exact stats, since I was doing a competition and in a fit of fancy decided to "lose" extra pounds at the end with dehydration/decreased intake run/fasting day at the end, but from what I can best reconstruct, I think I only gained about 1-2 fat pounds.

    My advice for anyone new to this is to 1) read through at least the first 10-20 pages including taking in videos and podcasts (I read through everything), and 2) to be sure to preplan your break if you can, at least for the first week of it. It was a wild ride, and while I eventually was able to get the hang of things, I really struggled with "All. The. Things." moments since I didn't pre-structure.

    It was a very good learning experience, even if there was a LOT more learning than I thought there would be.

    I've commenced another 12-week deficit period, with the aim of doing 2-day refeeds at maintenance calories the first two days of each week. I have to admit that it's a bit overwhelming doing this with the aim of keeping things more nutritionally dense. I know I can add cereal and other sugary items into my diet to accomplish my macro goals, but do you guys have a resource or any advice for keeping things generally on the whole-foods side? I'm OK with having something special here or there, but find I'm operating a lot better by not doing too much on the "special" spectrum. It's a slippery slope that I struggle to navigate. I'm aiming for one meal a week where the special stuff can enter play. I'm getting a tad tired of potatoes and sweet potatoes, though, so I need to figure something out (never thought I'd say that!).

    If using the refeeds to spike carbs for the leptin response, you want to focus on high starch food (not that you have to, but it just helps with gastric load), and basically you'd be looking toward the obvious potatoes, pumpkins, corn, pasta, bread, and rice. Fat free cookies and cake mixes are another option.

    You could use this list for ideas: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

    Which was found from one of Lyle's articles discussing GI loads: https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrates-part-4-the-glycemic-load.html/
  • MelodiousMermaid
    MelodiousMermaid Posts: 380 Member
    edited May 2018
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    anubis609 wrote: »
    Lurker coming out post-attempt 1 for diet break!

    I can't really give exact stats, since I was doing a competition and in a fit of fancy decided to "lose" extra pounds at the end with dehydration/decreased intake run/fasting day at the end, but from what I can best reconstruct, I think I only gained about 1-2 fat pounds.

    My advice for anyone new to this is to 1) read through at least the first 10-20 pages including taking in videos and podcasts (I read through everything), and 2) to be sure to preplan your break if you can, at least for the first week of it. It was a wild ride, and while I eventually was able to get the hang of things, I really struggled with "All. The. Things." moments since I didn't pre-structure.

    It was a very good learning experience, even if there was a LOT more learning than I thought there would be.

    I've commenced another 12-week deficit period, with the aim of doing 2-day refeeds at maintenance calories the first two days of each week. I have to admit that it's a bit overwhelming doing this with the aim of keeping things more nutritionally dense. I know I can add cereal and other sugary items into my diet to accomplish my macro goals, but do you guys have a resource or any advice for keeping things generally on the whole-foods side? I'm OK with having something special here or there, but find I'm operating a lot better by not doing too much on the "special" spectrum. It's a slippery slope that I struggle to navigate. I'm aiming for one meal a week where the special stuff can enter play. I'm getting a tad tired of potatoes and sweet potatoes, though, so I need to figure something out (never thought I'd say that!).

    If using the refeeds to spike carbs for the leptin response, you want to focus on high starch food (not that you have to, but it just helps with gastric load), and basically you'd be looking toward the obvious potatoes, pumpkins, corn, pasta, bread, and rice. Fat free cookies and cake mixes are another option.

    You could use this list for ideas: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

    Which was found from one of Lyle's articles discussing GI loads: https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrates-part-4-the-glycemic-load.html/

    Thank you for chiming in so quickly! I must have somehow missed the starch reference for it being important versus other carb sources. Hopefully I will find my love for potatoes returning by the end of the week! I think it was honestly the whole "I-don't-have-enough-fat-macros-available-to-make-this-tasty" thing. I do find them tasty with salt and pepper, just not nearly as palatable as the lovely hyper-palatable trio, lol.

    @GottaBurnEmAll Thanks for the R/B thought. I hadn't been doing much for that over the last several months, so they'd pretty well fallen off the radar (medically ordered grain-free/gluten-free/dairy-free trial diet). Mmmm... spanish rice. I know what I'm doing for part of my carbs next week!

    ETA: starch reference statement clarification because I apparently can't brain tonight.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    I have celiac disease, so everything I do is gluten free!

    To dress up your potatoes, look for different herbs. Chives are good, roasting them with smoked paprika then hitting them with a squirt of lemon juice is tasty too.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    anubis609 wrote: »
    Lurker coming out post-attempt 1 for diet break!

    I can't really give exact stats, since I was doing a competition and in a fit of fancy decided to "lose" extra pounds at the end with dehydration/decreased intake run/fasting day at the end, but from what I can best reconstruct, I think I only gained about 1-2 fat pounds.

    My advice for anyone new to this is to 1) read through at least the first 10-20 pages including taking in videos and podcasts (I read through everything), and 2) to be sure to preplan your break if you can, at least for the first week of it. It was a wild ride, and while I eventually was able to get the hang of things, I really struggled with "All. The. Things." moments since I didn't pre-structure.

    It was a very good learning experience, even if there was a LOT more learning than I thought there would be.

    I've commenced another 12-week deficit period, with the aim of doing 2-day refeeds at maintenance calories the first two days of each week. I have to admit that it's a bit overwhelming doing this with the aim of keeping things more nutritionally dense. I know I can add cereal and other sugary items into my diet to accomplish my macro goals, but do you guys have a resource or any advice for keeping things generally on the whole-foods side? I'm OK with having something special here or there, but find I'm operating a lot better by not doing too much on the "special" spectrum. It's a slippery slope that I struggle to navigate. I'm aiming for one meal a week where the special stuff can enter play. I'm getting a tad tired of potatoes and sweet potatoes, though, so I need to figure something out (never thought I'd say that!).

    If using the refeeds to spike carbs for the leptin response, you want to focus on high starch food (not that you have to, but it just helps with gastric load), and basically you'd be looking toward the obvious potatoes, pumpkins, corn, pasta, bread, and rice. Fat free cookies and cake mixes are another option.

    You could use this list for ideas: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

    Which was found from one of Lyle's articles discussing GI loads: https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrates-part-4-the-glycemic-load.html/

    Thank you for chiming in so quickly! I must have somehow missed the starch reference for it being important versus other carb sources. Hopefully I will find my love for potatoes returning by the end of the week! I think it was honestly the whole "I-don't-have-enough-fat-macros-available-to-make-this-tasty" thing. I do find them tasty with salt and pepper, just not nearly as palatable as the lovely hyper-palatable trio, lol.

    @GottaBurnEmAll Thanks for the R/B thought. I hadn't been doing much for that over the last several months, so they'd pretty well fallen off the radar (medically ordered grain-free/gluten-free/dairy-free trial diet). Mmmm... spanish rice. I know what I'm doing for part of my carbs next week!

    ETA: starch reference statement clarification because I apparently can't brain tonight.

    No problem. The reason that the potato hack works really well for people who seemingly stall is because it's actually difficult to overeat them, especially if it's a mono-diet. Potatoes rate high on the satiety index of food, and without additional fat calories to dress them, it actually becomes a chore, so I completely understand getting tired of them.

    Though, for a more reasonable diet that includes potatoes, you actually could roast them with a bit of olive oil, S&P, chives, or whatever herbs you like, have them with some protein source and it's actually very a pleasing meal that hits all 3 macros without feeling like you broke the calorie bank.

    I actually do a stir fry of sweet potato with some ground bison, onions, garlic, seasoning, and throw in spinach at the last minute to cook them down in a non-stick pan.
  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
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    For potatoes that taste buttery but actually have 0 butter I use this method (but serve without the butter he serves with). Amazing! https://www.allrecipes.com/video/4494/chef-johns-syracuse-salt-potatoes/
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    anubis609 wrote: »
    I actually do a stir fry of sweet potato with some ground bison, onions, garlic, seasoning, and throw in spinach at the last minute to cook them down in a non-stick pan.

    Almost had me going there until last item, actually, mouth is still watering. And I'm guessing that's not some small sprig like amount for the color.
    ;-)