Do I need a Diet Break?? Help please!
mgall86
Posts: 30 Member
I am on my 8th week of EM2WL. First month, lost 3 pounds and 2 inches. This last month, nothing! I admit, I have had days where I junked out in the food department, but overall I have stayed true to my TDEE - 15% cut. I almost always come about 100 calories under my goal for the day. As far as exercise, I do strength training 3x a week, cardio (30-40 minute walks at 3.5 mph) about 4x a week. Even on my rest days, I can't help the urge to at least take a quick walk around the neighborhood or do something with the kids 
But I keep seeing everyone say that a diet break is needed every 4-6 weeks or so to get your metabolism moving again. I am wondering if this is for everyone? I haven't had any inches lost or weight lost in the last 4 weeks.
Is a diet break something I would need to do? And if so, what does this "break" entail? Do I still do my regular workouts and just not log my calories or worry much about them? Or do I still log and try to eat at my TDEE without a cut amount?
Any help is soooo appreciated! My wedding is two months away and I want to be feeling and looking better for my big day!
Thanks!
But I keep seeing everyone say that a diet break is needed every 4-6 weeks or so to get your metabolism moving again. I am wondering if this is for everyone? I haven't had any inches lost or weight lost in the last 4 weeks.
Is a diet break something I would need to do? And if so, what does this "break" entail? Do I still do my regular workouts and just not log my calories or worry much about them? Or do I still log and try to eat at my TDEE without a cut amount?
Any help is soooo appreciated! My wedding is two months away and I want to be feeling and looking better for my big day!
Thanks!
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Replies
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For a diet break log all of your calories and eat at TDEE for 1-2 weeks. Also, given that you are consistently ended 100 calories under TDEE - 15%, you could be cutting a bit more than is ideal causing your metabolism to slow a bit. Either way, I'd recommend a diet break to rev things back up. Once you drop back down try to stay closer to your cut number.0
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I'm not sure, maybe more background will help others comment?
Were you doing a very low calorie diet for a long time before you started EMTWL? Were you dieting before EMWL?
Are you sure your TDEE is correct? If you list your stats, we can run them.
If you regularly come in 100 calories under your goal, you may be at more of a 20% cut which could slow your progress depending on how much you have to loose.
How many calories under your TDEE do you come it at usually? I've read several posts that talk about staying around 300 calories below your TDEE for best results... but that lowers your cut percentage usually.
Just trying to think of all possible info needed to help determine if you need a diet break.0 -
Yes, try it. Many people say that after the diet break is when they see their results the most, or at all!0
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Well I just had to change my stats in the Scooby Calculator because I gained a pound. So my new stats are:I'm not sure, maybe more background will help others comment?
Were you doing a very low calorie diet for a long time before you started EMTWL? Were you dieting before EMWL?
Are you sure your TDEE is correct? If you list your stats, we can run them.
If you regularly come in 100 calories under your goal, you may be at more of a 20% cut which could slow your progress depending on how much you have to loose.
How many calories under your TDEE do you come it at usually? I've read several posts that talk about staying around 300 calories below your TDEE for best results... but that lowers your cut percentage usually.
Just trying to think of all possible info needed to help determine if you need a diet break.
Weight-210
Height-5'3
Age-26
Activity Level-Moderate
I was on the TDEE - 15% cut
Yes, I have always yo-yo'd on low cal diets since I was in high school. But before starting all this, I was gaining weight and eating way too much for probably 6 months or more.
I didn't really think 100 calories under my goal was all that bad. I have this idea, I guess, that I would rather come under than go over my daily goal. I guess I have had days where I am 300 calories under my goal as well. Would just a few of these here be the reason behind me stalling?0 -
The new stats put my cut value at 2289. My TDEE without a cut is 2693.0
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Well I just had to change my stats in the Scooby Calculator because I gained a pound. So my new stats are:I'm not sure, maybe more background will help others comment?
Were you doing a very low calorie diet for a long time before you started EMTWL? Were you dieting before EMWL?
Are you sure your TDEE is correct? If you list your stats, we can run them.
If you regularly come in 100 calories under your goal, you may be at more of a 20% cut which could slow your progress depending on how much you have to loose.
How many calories under your TDEE do you come it at usually? I've read several posts that talk about staying around 300 calories below your TDEE for best results... but that lowers your cut percentage usually.
Just trying to think of all possible info needed to help determine if you need a diet break.
Weight-210
Height-5'3
Age-26
Activity Level-Moderate
I was on the TDEE - 15% cut
Yes, I have always yo-yo'd on low cal diets since I was in high school. But before starting all this, I was gaining weight and eating way too much for probably 6 months or more.
I didn't really think 100 calories under my goal was all that bad. I have this idea, I guess, that I would rather come under than go over my daily goal. I guess I have had days where I am 300 calories under my goal as well. Would just a few of these here be the reason behind me stalling?
I think that could do it. I understand the mentality of under being better than over, but one thing I've learned since doing EM2WL is that it's more of a diet mentality. Try to think of it as a range. 15% cut is what you're aiming for, but anything up to TDEE will either help you lose or if you go all the way to TDEE help you maintain. So it's not the end of the world to be 20 calories over 15% cut rather than 100 calories under. That being said, you will have days where you end up slightly under, but 100 on a consistent basis is too far under IMO. I actually set my goal at TDEE - 10% so that I have a bit of wiggle room if I don't make it all the way to goal for the day - not saying you need to do it that way, but definitely find something that works for you to get those cals in!
And also, none of us are perfect at this. I have definitely had days where I ended up way under from where I should have - it happens to all of us. But I do think it's important to try to get there most of the time so that the random off day doesn't cause issues.
I'd definitely suggest going for the diet break and then trying to stay closer to your cut when you drop back down. Good luck!0 -
I take a diet break by taking a break from my exercise routine. I usually do this every 6 weeks, sometimes I stretch it to 8. Especially with lifting it really helps give my body a rest to really repair. So I continue eating at my TDEE cut, but I stop all my exercise for an entire week. I do nothing more than take the dog for a leisurely walk a few times that week. It is so tough to mentally do, but physically I feel so much better after.0
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Thank you so much for all the help! I have been feeling a little "alone" with all this as I am surrounded by family and friends on VLCD who are losing weight like crazy. It can get depressing. And with my wedding coming up, stress is rising lol.
What you said about being anywhere at or above TDEE -cut makes a lot of sense. I had never thought of it like that before. I still have problems with thinking that more calories in=weight gain. I guess I will do the reset for a week or two and then try and stick closer to my cut value when I start back up again.
Again, thank you so much!0 -
This might be a dumb question, but do I factor in my exercise when logging calories? Let's say I total 2600 calories, but I burned 300 with exercise. Do I need to eat back those 300 calories?0
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No you don't eat back your exercise calories. They're already included in your TDEE.
However if you have a crazy burn day and the calories burned NET you below BMR then you would eat back enough calories to net above BMR.
That's probably not something that you'll need to worry about whilst eating at TDEE. Just something to bear in mind when you eat at your cut level.0 -
Thank you! I will definitely keep this in mind when I start back at cutNo you don't eat back your exercise calories. They're already included in your TDEE.
However if you have a crazy burn day and the calories burned NET you below BMR then you would eat back enough calories to net above BMR.
That's probably not something that you'll need to worry about whilst eating at TDEE. Just something to bear in mind when you eat at your cut level. 0 -
Thank you! I will definitely keep this in mind when I start back at cutNo you don't eat back your exercise calories. They're already included in your TDEE.
However if you have a crazy burn day and the calories burned NET you below BMR then you would eat back enough calories to net above BMR.
That's probably not something that you'll need to worry about whilst eating at TDEE. Just something to bear in mind when you eat at your cut level.
Also, I just looked back through my diary and realized there were many days in the last couple weeks where I went over my cut value. I have been under the impression that you are supposed to eat back calories from exercise, no matter the amount! I don't know how I missed this
This could be one reason why I haven't had steady weight loss and have gained a little. I think I am going to stop logging my exercise in MFP so that I don't confuse myself more lol. I log it all in my sports tracker anyways so I can just keep track of it on my phone
Hopefully knowing this now, I can move forward and see results!
Thanks again!0 -
You could log your exercise calories as '1' burned then write the real number in the exercise notes if you like to see it all in one place. I do this and just keep in mind that anything over 400 calories means more food
doesn't happen much though.
I prefer to log my exercise like this because the only number I then see on my phone is how many i still have left to eat
It confuses your MFP pals that don't EM2WL when they see '1' on their feed lol0
