Refeeding anecdotes?

tianacaona

I’ve read about refeeding and will be incorporating them in my weight loss plan, but I’m curious to hear how others approach it. If you refeed, how frequently do you do it and how far in advance do you plan it?

mph323

I'm on my phone right now and don't know how to post links. Search for a thread called "Of refeeds and Diet Breaks". It's long but the basic info is in the first post. It's also fascinating!

sardelsa

Here is the link mentioned above

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

I use refeeds mainly for adherence and to boost workout performance. Also the leaner I get, the more helpful I find them. I do refeeds every week, usually start out with one day at the beginning and towards the end I end up with 2-3 days as I get really lean. I don't always follow a super traditional high carb/lower fat approach, I usually keep protein and fat fairly consistent or a bit higher, then carbs are extra high.

psuLemon

tianacaona wrote: »

I’ve read about refeeding and will be incorporating them in my weight loss plan, but I’m curious to hear how others approach it. If you refeed, how frequently do you do it and how far in advance do you plan it?

Depending how lean you are would determine frequency. The leaner you are the more frequent.. the more overfat you are the less frequent.. so anywhere from every 6 weeks for those sub 16% (males) / 22% (females), to every 6 months for those morbidly obese. An average person can refeed every 6-8 weeks.. more frequently for compliance and enjoyment.


I follow Lyle McDonald's UD 2 which has weekly refeeds in them. But that is because i have a 40-50% deficit the first 4 days and i am doing glycogen depletion. The ultra high carbs (500g+) is for super compensation; your body reprioritizes glycogen resynthesis over fat storage, which is also why you want very low fat.

sardelsa

psuLemon wrote: »

tianacaona wrote: »

I’ve read about refeeding and will be incorporating them in my weight loss plan, but I’m curious to hear how others approach it. If you refeed, how frequently do you do it and how far in advance do you plan it?

Depending how lean you are would determine frequency. The leaner you are the more frequent.. the more overfat you are the less frequent.. so anywhere from every 6 weeks for those sub 16% (males) / 22% (females), to every 6 months for those morbidly obese.


I follow Lyle McDonald's UD 2 which has weekly refeeds in them. But that is because i have a 40-50% deficit the first 4 days and i am doing glycogen depletion. The ultra high carbs (500g+) is for super compensation; your body reprioritizes glycogen resynthesis over fat storage, which is also why you want very low fat.

Oh are we talking refeeds or diet breaks? I thought OP was talking refeed days which are shorter periods of higher calories (carbs) vs. diet breaks which is eating at maintenance for a longer period of time (ideally a week or more).

psuLemon

sardelsa wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

tianacaona wrote: »

I’ve read about refeeding and will be incorporating them in my weight loss plan, but I’m curious to hear how others approach it. If you refeed, how frequently do you do it and how far in advance do you plan it?

Depending how lean you are would determine frequency. The leaner you are the more frequent.. the more overfat you are the less frequent.. so anywhere from every 6 weeks for those sub 16% (males) / 22% (females), to every 6 months for those morbidly obese.


I follow Lyle McDonald's UD 2 which has weekly refeeds in them. But that is because i have a 40-50% deficit the first 4 days and i am doing glycogen depletion. The ultra high carbs (500g+) is for super compensation; your body reprioritizes glycogen resynthesis over fat storage, which is also why you want very low fat.

Oh are we talking refeeds or diet breaks? I thought OP was talking refeed days which are shorter periods of higher calories (carbs) vs. diet breaks which is eating at maintenance for a longer period of time (ideally a week or more).

Refeeds are two consecutive low fat, high carb.. diet breaks are 1-2 weeks. Bot can be helpful. You dont have to do weekly refeeds, unless you are fairly lean.

TavistockToad

I'm just getting rid of the last 5 vanity pounds, so my deficit is only 250 cals, and i have a week at maintenance every 6 weeks of cutting. It helps me stick to my cut.

MelanieCN77

TavistockToad wrote: »

I'm just getting rid of the last 5 vanity pounds, so my deficit is only 250 cals, and i have a week at maintenance every 6 weeks of cutting. It helps me stick to my cut.

Do those few extra calories make a big difference to you? My last 5lbs that tiny margin never seemed much fun to play with.

TavistockToad

MelanieCN77 wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

I'm just getting rid of the last 5 vanity pounds, so my deficit is only 250 cals, and i have a week at maintenance every 6 weeks of cutting. It helps me stick to my cut.

Do those few extra calories make a big difference to you? My last 5lbs that tiny margin never seemed much fun to play with.

Massively, yes. I'm a runner and the difference in how i feel doing long dustances on a deficit compared to at maintenance is definintely noticeable so it helps with that too.

sardelsa

psuLemon wrote: »

sardelsa wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

tianacaona wrote: »

I’ve read about refeeding and will be incorporating them in my weight loss plan, but I’m curious to hear how others approach it. If you refeed, how frequently do you do it and how far in advance do you plan it?

Depending how lean you are would determine frequency. The leaner you are the more frequent.. the more overfat you are the less frequent.. so anywhere from every 6 weeks for those sub 16% (males) / 22% (females), to every 6 months for those morbidly obese.


I follow Lyle McDonald's UD 2 which has weekly refeeds in them. But that is because i have a 40-50% deficit the first 4 days and i am doing glycogen depletion. The ultra high carbs (500g+) is for super compensation; your body reprioritizes glycogen resynthesis over fat storage, which is also why you want very low fat.

Oh are we talking refeeds or diet breaks? I thought OP was talking refeed days which are shorter periods of higher calories (carbs) vs. diet breaks which is eating at maintenance for a longer period of time (ideally a week or more).

Refeeds are two consecutive low fat, high carb.. diet breaks are 1-2 weeks. Bot can be helpful. You dont have to do weekly refeeds, unless you are fairly lean.

Ok yea that's what I thought

ent3rsandman

The frequency is going to depend on you and your BF%. I tried doing them once a week at 20% bodyfat and it was definitely overkill. The first one left me feeling incredible, and I really feel like it helped push me in the gym over the next few days. After the second and third I didn't really feel that much different from the day before and kinda just felt like I was wasting calories. Once every two weeks would probably have been fine.

Usually I'll plan it a few days in advance and play it by ear unless I'm so hungry that nothing I eat that day would make me feel better. In that case I'd plan it for the day after because my refeed macros are pretty specific and harder to meet in the spur of the moment.

pinggolfer96

When I’m deep into a cut I do refeeds once a week with tracked 800+ gram carbs (I have very high tdee) and I absolutely love them. Always have a solid workout the next day, get a little mental break, and hit new low weigh ins a couple days later