How often do you trick your body or metabolism?

Kimblesnbits

Whether it's a cheat meal, or over your cals to throw your body off the usual routine, how often do you do this? Once a week? twice? And how long after did you notice the lbs drop?! Thanks!

shovav91

One cheat meal/ going over on calories one or two days a week generally seems to work. Always keep your body guessing so it constantly has to adapt. Routine is only going to hinder weight loss because the body is so adaptable. Great question!

DannyMussels

Every 1-1.5 months I change my workout routine, to target a few different muscles, or hit them another way.

Actually, its been almost every month for the past 6 months.

RonSwanson66

Why do you believe you can "trick" your metabolism?

Do you think we would've evolved this far if our bodies were so easily confused???

rainbowbow

Every 1-1.5 months I change my workout routine, to target a few different muscles, or hit them another way.

Actually, its been almost every month for the past 6 months.

i was going to comment... but... is that seriously rebecca black's face on your body? because you just made me lol irl

Kimblesnbits

No one else does this?

2Bgoddess

I weigh myself constantly, but i weigh in with the doctor every second week. right after that, is my cheat meal. I guess i am not really tricking my metabolism, but placing my cheat right after the weigh in gives me the most time to undo the damage...

engineman312

a "cheat" meal is great. a cheat weekend is not. and ppl need to understand that cheat does not mean undo all the good you've done by going to KFC and Burger King and Pizza Hut in two days.

my cheat meal is pizza. i loooooooove pizza. so i'll usually allow myself a slice (or three) once a month. ooooh, with some garlic knots too. i go for whole wheat crust and with a chicken topping usually. loooooove it.

as far as keeping the body guessing with work outs, well i have an odd work schedule, so i'm always doing something different. on different days/nights.

Silverkittycat

Why do you believe you can "trick" your metabolism?

Do you think we would've evolved this far if our bodies were so easily confused???

I agree. Why would you want to trick your metabolism? Don't you want to give your body the nutrition needed to function at your best?
I'm confused. sigh. My head has obviously not evolved far enough.

Delphyne

I have a cheat day, I see it as the light at the end of the tunnel. As for tricking your metabolism, I have heard some of the guys at my sons gym talk about doing that when they are trying to get down to their fight weight, but that is for small amounts of weight quickly, I don't know how it would do for people who need to lose large amounts like me.

BobbyClerici

I go for the weekly binge for a good feeding to shock my body.
And because it's fun...

ashnm88

I like to change it up by having a day I don't exercise, and the odd cheat meal.

BobbyClerici

I agree. Why would you want to trick your metabolism? Don't you want to give your body the nutrition needed to function at your best?
I'm confused. sigh. My head has obviously not evolved far enough.

Our physiology has not evolved one bit over 20,000 years but our culture sure has.
That said, kept in perspective, the free day may help counter the risk that your body senses a fasting state. Metabolically, you're trying to convince your body that it doesn't have to lower its metabolism, shed muscle, or defend its fat stores in response to the change in its "environment".

That's what happens when we diet and restrict food intake.

vsmurrow

I like to trick my body every two weeks by running twice as long as I usually can. Cheat meals are for short-term losers.

schninie82

ScrewyChars-5740196

Silverkittycat

I agree. Why would you want to trick your metabolism? Don't you want to give your body the nutrition needed to function at your best?
I'm confused. sigh. My head has obviously not evolved far enough.

Our physiology has not evolved one bit over 20,000 years but our culture sure has.
That said, kept in perspective, the free day may help counter the risk that your body senses a fasting state. Metabolically, you're trying to convince your body that it doesn't have to lower its metabolism, shed muscle, or defend its fat stores in response to the change in its "environment".

That's what happens when we diet and restrict food intake.

Thanks, I sort of understand the thinking behind it. Wouldn't your body adapt or anticipate that type of schedule/approach though?

BobbyClerici

a "cheat" meal is great. a cheat weekend is not. and ppl need to understand that cheat does not mean undo all the good you've done by going to KFC and Burger King and Pizza Hut in two days.

my cheat meal is pizza. i loooooooove pizza. so i'll usually allow myself a slice (or three) once a month. ooooh, with some garlic knots too. i go for whole wheat crust and with a chicken topping usually. loooooove it.

as far as keeping the body guessing with work outs, well i have an odd work schedule, so i'm always doing something different. on different days/nights.

So true, and NO, it's not a gimmick for "short term losers" as the teen smarmed with all the wisdom and understanding of a rock...lol

And the risk is a cheat meal becoming a 2 day binge - OUCH!
Again, you nailed it.

alecta337

I have heard some research that after a while of dieting our body becomes resistant to losing weight (plateau). At this point it is beneficial to let your body get used to this new weight. You can do this by eating maintenance calories for 2 weeks to a month, however long you feel is best. Then resume the calorie deficit. When you change from maintenance back to deficit, your body will be "shocked" into losing weight again. Just as fast as you lost when you started dieting in the first place, unless its your last 10 lbs, cause those are the hardest to lose =]

I hope this helps.

I heard about this on either NPR or WebMD... so I trust it, but you don't have to

BobbyClerici

I agree. Why would you want to trick your metabolism? Don't you want to give your body the nutrition needed to function at your best?
I'm confused. sigh. My head has obviously not evolved far enough.

Our physiology has not evolved one bit over 20,000 years but our culture sure has.
That said, kept in perspective, the free day may help counter the risk that your body senses a fasting state. Metabolically, you're trying to convince your body that it doesn't have to lower its metabolism, shed muscle, or defend its fat stores in response to the change in its "environment".

That's what happens when we diet and restrict food intake.

Thanks, I sort of understand the thinking behind it. Wouldn't your body adapt or anticipate that type of schedule/approach though?

No, it's smart, but not that smart.
It's been my experience that a short burst of high calories shifts my set point, and I just feel good all the following week.
And also it psychological in that we don't feel deprived.

AddA2UDE

I like to trick my body every two weeks by running twice as long as I usually can. Cheat meals are for short-term losers.

I'm sorry, How much have you lost with your VAST amount of experience? BobbyClerici has lost over 60 lbs and splurges once a week. I believe he may have the more qualified answer. I'm jus' sayin'...................................

Psychomasokism

I keep my body on its toes by doing HIIT on my runs.

I don't think you can trick it though. Lord knows I've tried! But every time I think I'm being sneaky by undereating on my calories my body has a nasty way of letting me know it knows. So I overindulge (usually at night). It happens once or twice a week depending on how low my intake has been (anything at or under 1200).

But for the most part, I've learned to listen to my body, and if I feel a half carton of ice cream calling my name for lunch then dammit im gonna eat it! It's one thing, and if it works for me, *kitten* it

Silverkittycat

I agree. Why would you want to trick your metabolism? Don't you want to give your body the nutrition needed to function at your best?
I'm confused. sigh. My head has obviously not evolved far enough.

Our physiology has not evolved one bit over 20,000 years but our culture sure has.
That said, kept in perspective, the free day may help counter the risk that your body senses a fasting state. Metabolically, you're trying to convince your body that it doesn't have to lower its metabolism, shed muscle, or defend its fat stores in response to the change in its "environment".

That's what happens when we diet and restrict food intake.

Thanks, I sort of understand the thinking behind it. Wouldn't your body adapt or anticipate that type of schedule/approach though?

No, it's smart, but not that smart.
It's been my experience that a short burst of high calories shifts my set point, and I just feel good all the following week.
And also it psychological in that we don't feel deprived.

That's awesome that you've found out what works for you! You're doing so well!
Do you think it works if you're trying to gain weight? An under calorie day once weekly would result in gain? I'm curious to hear other's opinions and experiences, I'm really quite interested.

Silverkittycat

I'm sorry Kimblesnbits, didn't mean to threadjack. :embarassed:

catshark209

Yeah I wanna know if this works for weight gain. I need 5lbs.

BobbyClerici

That's awesome that you've found out what works for you! You're doing so well!
Do you think it works if you're trying to gain weight? An under calorie day once weekly would result in gain? I'm curious to hear other's opinions and experiences, I'm really quite interested.

No, we all know about gaining...lol That too easy, but there are those here into gaining weight for the muscle, but that's not me.

karinaes

on the weekends.. usually the whole weekend! "/ .. oops! hehehehe.. eh!

stephabef

It's always unintentional, but it happens rarely enough so that it helps rather than hurts. For example, once a month I'll make plans to go for "a drink," which turns into multiple drinks and some food choices I wouldn't normally make. The next day, I'm back on track. This happens once or twice a month, and thus far it's been a good thing for my loss!

lexiwho

It's always unintentional, but it happens rarely enough so that it helps rather than hurts. For example, once a month I'll make plans to go for "a drink," which turns into multiple drinks and some food choices I wouldn't normally make. The next day, I'm back on track. This happens once or twice a month, and thus far it's been a good thing for my loss!

This is exactly what happens with me. I'm still steadily losing and usually end up losing more the week after I have my splurge.

mytime60

Just started reading a book called Spike 84 that actually bases a diet on changing up your calories on different days to trick your metabolism. Just started reading it, so I can't say whether or not I will follow the theory; but I know I've been calorie counting with MFP for just about a year and did really well for the first 9 months. I have hit the plateau and not been able to get off it since; so it intrigues me anyway.

Silverkittycat

I agree. Why would you want to trick your metabolism? Don't you want to give your body the nutrition needed to function at your best?
I'm confused. sigh. My head has obviously not evolved far enough.

Our physiology has not evolved one bit over 20,000 years but our culture sure has.
That said, kept in perspective, the free day may help counter the risk that your body senses a fasting state. Metabolically, you're trying to convince your body that it doesn't have to lower its metabolism, shed muscle, or defend its fat stores in response to the change in its "environment".

That's what happens when we diet and restrict food intake.

Thanks, I sort of understand the thinking behind it. Wouldn't your body adapt or anticipate that type of schedule/approach though?

No, it's smart, but not that smart.
It's been my experience that a short burst of high calories shifts my set point, and I just feel good all the following week.
And also it psychological in that we don't feel deprived.

That's awesome that you've found out what works for you! You're doing so well!
Do you think it works if you're trying to gain weight? An under calorie day once weekly would result in gain? I'm curious to hear other's opinions and experiences, I'm really quite interested.

Still interested in other's experiences, but I think I'll pass on experimenting with an under-calorie day, I just don't think that a 24 hour "cheat day" would result in my body doing any up and downing of hormones (anything) for more than a few hours.

I can see the psychological benefits for those doing re-feeds after restricting though. :flowerforyou:

RAFValentina

About every 6 weeks-8 weeks... but not to trick it... I was just losing too much weight and so I felt if I gave my self a rest weekend where I didn't train, ate what I wanted when I wanted, it would let my body heal, stock up and stop me going insane!