Diet Break vs Reset

keyboardwench

Hi all! Rambling question, please bear with as I'm trying to figure this out. I've always been a huge fan of EM2WL and lost a good solid 10lbs based on this philosophy about this time last year but ran into problem: some time over this fall/winter I went on vacation, started eating like crap, high sodium, bad foods from work, high carb, low on healthy stuff etc. As a result I ended up gaining.

I tried going down to a cut around Mid January (about 20%) and have yet to see any results on the scale or measuring tape or picture wise. I've got a BodyMedia armband now and it's calculated my average TDEE for the last four months as 2464 calories. Scooby says it's about 2330 calories for me at moderately active too, so I know about where I stand.

But the thing is I didn't lose anything in January and am wondering if somehow I need a reset or even a diet break for a bit?

The only reason I think I may need it is because for about three weeks in November I was eating very low calorie. Not intentionally, I was going through a break up and just didn't have an appetite. My weight dropped and when I started eating normally again, it packed on again. I lost 7lbs when in break up mode, gained the 7 back plus 3 more since moving on with my life. So I was wondering if it was possible if this short three week period may have been the cause of why I'm not fairing too well at the cut thing?

If you do think it's the short period of low calorie, do you think a week long diet break should sufficiently take care of my metabolism or should I attempt the real reset or even something in between the two?

I know I should be patient but my pants are getting tight and it's annoying me lol. I also know that I desperately need to clean up my foods, stop eating Tim Horton's (where I work/it's easy like that but so bad and high in sodium plus filled with carbs), and get more clean food-wise... slowly getting there. It's been a messy school year to say the least but I'm very proud of the strides I'm making lately and working on this too.

Thanks for all the help!

Other stats:
Female, 20, 5"4', 149lbs
Exercise about 3-5 times a week. Rock climbing for a couple hours once a week, jogging (training for a fun race with friends two times a week), weights twice a week. On my feet with my part time job for about 15 hours a week serving coffee. Still, bodymedia came up with those numbers and I trust it.
TLDR: didn't eat much for 3 weeks, lost 7lbs, started eating normally and gained 10lbs. cut for last three months and scale has not budged. have been eating TDEE for last 4 days. wondering if I should do just a break or reset?

Raynn1

Likely, no you shouldnt need to do a reset, per say. You have been eating "normally" for a while. A three week slip in November shouldnt affect your overall intake that much to supress your metabolism.
However, if you feel the need, there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a diet break and eating at TDEE for a few weeks. It can help gain composure, put things into perspective for you and get you ready for a good cut.

20% might be too big of a cut. Id suggest going 10-15% and seeing what happens.
What are your Macros set to? A good combo is 40% carbs, 30% fat 30% protein. Concentrate on getting in the protein first, then worry about the rest.
Drink your water... lots and lots.
Take pics and measurements. While my scale shows a 4 pound gain from when I began a year ago (including a reset).. my upper body composition says something totally different. (Lower body is slower:))
You say you are lifting weights 2x a week? Id maybe work in increase that to three, and dropping a cardio session. Its likely you are burning too many cals in cardio, and not replenishing them. Theres no need to burn so many:)

HTH:)

volume77

your device is overestimating cals burned

fresh_start59

I don't think three weeks of low calorie in November is causing the problem now.

I would take a break and eat at TDEE for a week or two then drop the calories down again.

In the EM2WL starter pdf it says:
"We recommended one week off after every 4-6 weeks in deficit, or two weeks off after every 8-12 week deficit."

My body is stubborn and I like to eat, so I took a one-week break after 4 weeks.

natini

Body Media's aren't always correct. I would eat according to scooby and do a 15% cut.

Mom2M_and_O

Body Media's aren't always correct. I would eat according to scooby and do a 15% cut.

A 15% cut according to scooby is nearly the same number as 20% according to her BMF based on the numbers she gave.

amandacepstein

Hi all! Rambling question, please bear with as I'm trying to figure this out. I've always been a huge fan of EM2WL and lost a good solid 10lbs based on this philosophy about this time last year but ran into problem: some time over this fall/winter I went on vacation, started eating like crap, high sodium, bad foods from work, high carb, low on healthy stuff etc. As a result I ended up gaining.

I tried going down to a cut around Mid January (about 20%) and have yet to see any results on the scale or measuring tape or picture wise. I've got a BodyMedia armband now and it's calculated my average TDEE for the last four months as 2464 calories. Scooby says it's about 2330 calories for me at moderately active too, so I know about where I stand.

But the thing is I didn't lose anything in January and am wondering if somehow I need a reset or even a diet break for a bit?

The only reason I think I may need it is because for about three weeks in November I was eating very low calorie. Not intentionally, I was going through a break up and just didn't have an appetite. My weight dropped and when I started eating normally again, it packed on again. I lost 7lbs when in break up mode, gained the 7 back plus 3 more since moving on with my life. So I was wondering if it was possible if this short three week period may have been the cause of why I'm not fairing too well at the cut thing?

If you do think it's the short period of low calorie, do you think a week long diet break should sufficiently take care of my metabolism or should I attempt the real reset or even something in between the two?

I know I should be patient but my pants are getting tight and it's annoying me lol. I also know that I desperately need to clean up my foods, stop eating Tim Horton's (where I work/it's easy like that but so bad and high in sodium plus filled with carbs), and get more clean food-wise... slowly getting there. It's been a messy school year to say the least but I'm very proud of the strides I'm making lately and working on this too.

Thanks for all the help!

Other stats:
Female, 20, 5"4', 149lbs
Exercise about 3-5 times a week. Rock climbing for a couple hours once a week, jogging (training for a fun race with friends two times a week), weights twice a week. On my feet with my part time job for about 15 hours a week serving coffee. Still, bodymedia came up with those numbers and I trust it.
TLDR: didn't eat much for 3 weeks, lost 7lbs, started eating normally and gained 10lbs. cut for last three months and scale has not budged. have been eating TDEE for last 4 days. wondering if I should do just a break or reset?

I don't have the experience to comment on break vs reset, but something else really stood out for me.

I think you have been under a lot of stress between the breakup, school, work schedule, etc. I would suggest you do what you need to do to de-stress a bit. I think you are also stressing about your food! Maybe relax a little within whatever calorie range you choose, and try to add in some good foods, protein, etc. I would not worry about eating carbs given your activity level. You need them, which is probably why you are craving them. Enjoy your life. Don't stress about "clean" foods. Eat what you want to eat and enjoy every bite. Check out GoKaleo on Facebook or her web page for some perspective about that. Keep up the lifting!