The science of cheat days?

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I've made all of my progress without having cheat days. I never really liked the idea of them, so instead when something came up I would work it into my calories for the day. I never restricted any food groups so I didn't ever feel like I *needed* to "cheat." But when I reached my goal and started to increase my calories I dropped probably 3 or 4 pounds in a week while eating at my TDEE. It made me wonder if the idea of "shocking the body" might have something to it. Is there science behind this idea? I wondered if the higher calorie day might result in the body releasing some water weight or something?

psuLemon

It just regulates hormones. What you experienced won't happen often if you make it a habit. Essentially a calorie deficit is stress and when you prolong it (especially high deficit) your body creates hormones (cortisol) that can affect weight loss. So adding those extra calories just help regulate your hormones. This is why we suggest eating at maintenance for a few weeks when you plateau. It allows your body to repair the muscles and regulate stress hormones.

Also, it doesn't matter if you create a 3500 calorie deficit over a week equally (500 per day) or you cycle it. Over the week, if its 3500 calories, it should result in 1 lb of fat.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

It just regulates hormones. What you experienced won't happen often if you make it a habit. Essentially a calorie deficit is stress and when you prolong it (especially high deficit) your body creates hormones (cortisol) that can affect weight loss. So adding those extra calories just help regulate your hormones. This is why we suggest eating at maintenance for a few weeks when you plateau. It allows your body to repair the muscles and regulate stress hormones.

Also, it doesn't matter if you create a 3500 calorie deficit over a week equally (500 per day) or you cycle it. Over the week, if its 3500 calories, it should result in 1 lb of fat.

Ok thanks, that's what I was wanting to know.

mmapags

Based on what I've read the benefits of a cheat DAY are mostly psychological/ emotional. There is more info on diet breaks and cheat days in the link I've pasted in. It's an interesting read.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

Sarauk2sf

Unless you are very lean, there is no real evidence as far as a physiological benefit of a one day refeed is concerned. Any weight lost is just water weight. There is a potentially large physiological benefit however.


To get a metabolic benefit you need to do a longer period. The link mmapags provided above provides more explanation.

mustgetmuscles1

Interesting topic that I have been trying to find out more about after listening to Eric Helms talk about refeeds.

Ran across this video that talks about "Long Term Delayed Fat Loss Effect". Some interesting stuff but I dont know how accurate any of it is. It is entertaining and has some interesting theories though. : )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWvvs19NgEk

He also provided a link in the video description to this article that discusses it.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-ltdfle.html

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Thanks. I'm no longer trying to lose weight. I was just wondering what, if any, science there was behind the idea of a physiological reason for doing cheat or spike days.

I have done a full diet break before and I did benefit from it, but as was mentioned, I did it for a longer period (I think it was about a month).

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Interesting topic that I have been trying to find out more about after listening to Eric Helms talk about refeeds.

Ran across this video that talks about "Long Term Delayed Fat Loss Effect". Some interesting stuff but I dont know how accurate any of it is. It is entertaining and has some interesting theories though. : )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWvvs19NgEk

He also provided a link in the video description to this article that discusses it.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-ltdfle.html

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

Sublog

I've made all of my progress without having cheat days. I never really liked the idea of them, so instead when something came up I would work it into my calories for the day. I never restricted any food groups so I didn't ever feel like I *needed* to "cheat." But when I reached my goal and started to increase my calories I dropped probably 3 or 4 pounds in a week while eating at my TDEE. It made me wonder if the idea of "shocking the body" might have something to it. Is there science behind this idea? I wondered if the higher calorie day might result in the body releasing some water weight or something?

ITs just your body dropping water weight. Sometimes the increased food also means increased electrolyte balance. You didn't magically burn 4 lbs of fat. You already had burned the fat. You simply lost the water weight associated with it.

SideSteel

I've made all of my progress without having cheat days. I never really liked the idea of them, so instead when something came up I would work it into my calories for the day. I never restricted any food groups so I didn't ever feel like I *needed* to "cheat." But when I reached my goal and started to increase my calories I dropped probably 3 or 4 pounds in a week while eating at my TDEE. It made me wonder if the idea of "shocking the body" might have something to it. Is there science behind this idea? I wondered if the higher calorie day might result in the body releasing some water weight or something?

ITs just your body dropping water weight. Sometimes the increased food also means increased electrolyte balance. You didn't magically burn 4 lbs of fat. You already had burned the fat. You simply lost the water weight associated with it.

This may be relevant here:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I've made all of my progress without having cheat days. I never really liked the idea of them, so instead when something came up I would work it into my calories for the day. I never restricted any food groups so I didn't ever feel like I *needed* to "cheat." But when I reached my goal and started to increase my calories I dropped probably 3 or 4 pounds in a week while eating at my TDEE. It made me wonder if the idea of "shocking the body" might have something to it. Is there science behind this idea? I wondered if the higher calorie day might result in the body releasing some water weight or something?

ITs just your body dropping water weight. Sometimes the increased food also means increased electrolyte balance. You didn't magically burn 4 lbs of fat. You already had burned the fat. You simply lost the water weight associated with it.

This may be relevant here:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

Huh, that's really interesting. Thanks for the explanation. I knew it was water related, I just wasn't sure how.

pspetralia

It just regulates hormones. What you experienced won't happen often if you make it a habit. Essentially a calorie deficit is stress and when you prolong it (especially high deficit) your body creates hormones (cortisol) that can affect weight loss. So adding those extra calories just help regulate your hormones. This is why we suggest eating at maintenance for a few weeks when you plateau. It allows your body to repair the muscles and regulate stress hormones.

Also, it doesn't matter if you create a 3500 calorie deficit over a week equally (500 per day) or you cycle it. Over the week, if its 3500 calories, it should result in 1 lb of fat.

This explains a lot. Thanks!!