Anyone else take a week-long diet break??

mgall86

I feel like such a pain asking questions all the time! lol

I originally wanted to do my diet break for about two weeks. I was on TDEE -15% cut for about 8 weeks before going back up to maintenance.

My question is, do I really need to eat at TDEE for the whole two weeks? I am getting really anxious to get back to the cut, I just don't know if I can make it another week. I am on day 6 right now.

Anyone else take just a week-long break without any problems? I'm thinking one week would be enough, but I don't want to screw with my metabolism even more and risk not seeing any changes when I get back on cut.

Thanks!

PLUMSGRL

From what I've been reading, taking a minimum of one week (to 2) every 4-6 weeks at TDEE helps to prevent plateaus.

HeidiHoMom

I did one week a few weeks back and will be doing one week again in another week or two.

wa_tracy

today is day 1 of eating at TDEE. My plan is to do it just for a week and get back to a cut.

TonyaBtrfly

Im planing on doing a week at TDEE starting this Saturday. Its been about 12 weeks. I plan on taking a week break at tdee every 12 weeks.

mgall86

This is great news. I don't know how much longer I could go eating at TDEE. I think one week is the perfect amount of time based on what you all have said. I am ready to be back on the cut already!! lol

Thanks!

twinmomtwice4

I just took a "diet break" for the last 6 days while on vacation and just stepped on the scale this morning. My weight is still the same but my clothes feel looser. I didn't work out at all but did a lot of walking and swimming.

alcon79

I plan on taking my diet break next week. I've been on cut for about 6 weeks, so my plan is 1 break week every 6 going forward.

photojunkie28

I'm glad you asked this question. I was wondering how others are going about the process too. I have been at cut for 7 weeks now and get measured Thursday 8/16. I can't wait to see the results of all of my hard work becuase the scale really isn't showing as much movement as I would have liked. Then I'm going to do a one week cut with 4 days of exercise rest and another 7 weeks of cut.

Since it has been progressively easier to cut calories every week i'm scared of my body holding on again. Anybody else have that issue? The hunger signs are once again not so apparent?

meggyh20

This is my reminder to do so. I really haven't taken a break other than my vacation in June, and that was about 6 weeks ago so I'm due. I actually haven't purposely eaten at TDEE for any amount of time yet, so this should be fun.

zukkiz

I take 1 week off every 5 to 6 weeks.

mgall86

I decided to just do one week. Got back to my cut yesterday. Already feeling less bloated! Turns out I had miscalculated my calories in the Scooby Calculator somehow so I was eating above my true TDEE that whole week

So, I am really anxious to see some changes now that I'm back at cut! It was a nice little break while it lasted and I definitely feel more energized and raring to go!

jenniekw

I'm taking my first one starting this Sat, although Sat and Sunday I'm not even worrying about eating at TDEE. It's our Anniversary getaway weekend and not worrying about what I'm eating and how much for those 2 days. The rest of the week i will weel at TDEE...lol

Crystalchaos72

I eat at tdee for weeks at a time....give or take a few days (sometimes under but not that often) I just eat to fuel my body and apparently it needs it more often than not but I would suggest a week or 2

graysmom2005

Has anyone done this and found it worked? What were your results??:flowerforyou:

HeidiHoMom

I did it and lost a pound the following week.

mgall86

I'm sure most, if not all of this was water retention, but just since I have been back on the cut (this is my fourth day), the scale has gone down a couple of pounds. I realize this might not be actual fat loss, but just to know that the bloating is going away feels good!

70davis

Bump

angelina2585

I was going to take a week-long break. At that point I'd been MFPing for a total of 21 weeks - 11 of those were 'Eating More'.

What actually happened was:-

Week 1 - had flu. Ate at cut and a little below for a few days and no exercise. Then increased to my full TDEE as per Scooby with just one small walk and one half hour workout. Didn't weigh myself.

Week 2 - thought *this* would be my proper 'break' week so kept at full TDEE and back to my normal activity level. Lost 1.5lbs so went for another week to see if my weight would stabilise.

Week 3 - as previous week but put that 1.5lbs back on. Heck might as well try another week and see what happens

Week 4 - stayed the same.

So basically stayed the same over the 4 week period.

I've just today come to the end of my 2nd week at my CUT level.

Last week I was 1lb down and this week 1.75lbs down! Well blow me down!! I have no idea where it's come from because my measurements are the same. I've had 4 days this week where I've eaten over my cut allowance. 2 days to net over BMR after my workouts and the days in between the workouts basically because I was STARVING.

Am doing another 2 weeks at CUT then a week at TDEE followed by a 5 week on/1 week off to coincide with a trip during the 'break' week.

EmmiDahling

I ate at a cut for my first 4 weeks on MFP (about 20%). I lost a steady 2ish pounds a week. I took a diet break last week and gained .4 pounds (which I'm sure was just the weight of the extra food in my belly). This week I was back to cut and dropped 4 pounds as of this morning.

MessyLittlePanda

I've just done 6 days diet break and gone back to cut today. I went back to cut a day early just because my eating over the last few days has been horrendous, we've been busy moving house so it's been just grabbing food on the run, energy drinks to keep me going, takeaways and ready meals because we couldn't cook due to everything being in boxes, eating late, and alcohol from the stress! I feel horrific, bloated, puffy and tired. What I'm saying is there are good diet breaks and bad ones - eating a bit more of your usual good, healthy diet is much better than going on a week long bad food and drink bender!