Any experience with diet break?

daedalus01
daedalus01 Posts: 44 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone have past experience with having a "diet break", a week or two at maintenance? Over the past three or so year's I've been in a constant deficit. Over this time I've lost 170 lbs. I'm currently at 165lbs, 28 year old, 5'11 male. I'm at a weight I like, however I still have a little fat I would like to shift. At least I think it is, I do have a lot of loose skin, but I'm sure there's fat with it too. My split is good, my gains have slowed which is to be expected as I've made great strength gains in that time. Currently feeling a hunger like never before, find myself hungry even after meals, currently cutting at 2200cals per day, on a 6 day workout, 4 of which are lifting days.

Eventually I would like to go into a slow bulk and focus on lifting, however with this skin it's hard to tell what my body fat percentage is and what my next action should be. With my birthday and Christmas coming up, figured if there was a time to increase my calories and maintain, now is as good as any. All that aside, did the break from the deficit help in any way? The 170lbs loss was not difficult with my mindset, I'm a put your head down and crack on type of guy and I'm not at all used to feeling so mentally drained. I've had a de-load week before, and just found myself feeling like I wasted a week.

Sorry for the wall of text.

Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Honestly, if it were me, I'd go on to maintenance calories and continue lifting. Your body will slowly change over time, building muscle and losing fat. I do this a lot. I can cut for a while, but then the heavy lifting makes my hunger out of control, and I stop logging for a while--watch the scale and how my clothes fit instead. Don't think of it as wasting, you need to fuel your body properly.
  • scuba6randy
    scuba6randy Posts: 34 Member
    So are you trying to lose or gain weight? it's hard to make out by your post. 165 for someone your height is "slim". I'm 180 currently at 5' 8.5" (medium muscle build), I'd be at about 10% body fat at 165, which is where I want to be. If you're lifting to gain muscle, you wont see a lot of gains at your current body weight being in a constant calorie deprivation state. No wonder you feel like you're starving. Your body will burn up muscle tissue if you're not consuming enough protein too. If you still feel like your body fat % is too high but trying to increase muscle, try one or two days a week going a little over your total required calorie maintainance. example- say.... it takes 2400 to maintain your weight, you've been existing on 2000-2200cal, increase to 2500 or 2600 for a day or two a week. Even take a week off the "diet", just don't eat "crazy" during those days or week. It'll keep your metabolism up, give your body something to build muscle with. Muscle is your fat burning machine. If you're working out too much or not eating enough, your body will burn muscle as well as fat and your fat loss will slow down. Hope this helps and answers your question.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I had a diet break about a month ago (two weeks). BEST thing ever, both psychologically and physically, that I could have done for myself. 170 pound loss is incredible, congratulations!
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 877 Member
    edited December 2014
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Honestly, if it were me, I'd go on to maintenance calories and continue lifting. Your body will slowly change over time, building muscle and losing fat. I do this a lot. I can cut for a while, but then the heavy lifting makes my hunger out of control, and I stop logging for a while--watch the scale and how my clothes fit instead. Don't think of it as wasting, you need to fuel your body properly.

    ^This.

    However, I have taken "breaks" from calorie deficit while on vacations. (Although never longer than a week.) It hasn't hurt. So, if you still want to lose weight, the break won't hurt. I just think you are there now and need to work on the building muscle.

    Congrats on the fantastic weight loss!

    56604121.png
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    A week is hardly worthwhile. I'm taking a month because my doctor has just diagnosed anaemia and put me on iron tablets 2 times a day. I've been doing this 2yrs 8mths so far, had great results, but it IS hard on your system day in day out and a 'nutritional boost' from eating at maintenance for a while is probably a good thing for everyone who has had a long period at deficit. Health is more important than anything else.
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    I ate at maintenance for two weeks recently. Due to some extra stress going on in my life, I struggled to get to the gym or get a decent workout in and that was the only thing i think that saved me from gaining. I recently started eating at a deficit again and have slowly added back workouts, (3 hours a week) and dropped over 2lbs very quickly, when before going to maintenance i was eating at a deficit, and working out 4-5 times a week and losing a half a pound. So i say it does help your system and recharges things to do it. Good luck!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    WaterBunnie wrote: »
    A week is hardly worthwhile. I'm taking a month because my doctor has just diagnosed anaemia and put me on iron tablets 2 times a day. I've been doing this 2yrs 8mths so far, had great results, but it IS hard on your system day in day out and a 'nutritional boost' from eating at maintenance for a while is probably a good thing for everyone who has had a long period at deficit. Health is more important than anything else.

    I'm also doing a month. I initially chickened out because I was like "oh I want to lose the rest of the weight now!" but then when I went back on my deficit my squat struggled and I felt hungry. I've been at this for 6 months so I'm guessing that I just need a proper long break.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
    you are really lucky to cut at 2200! I maintain at 1700, and cut at 1400. I take a break a couple of times a week... because... hungry!
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
    i'd say... if you are hungry, eat! as long as you don't go over, it's all good ;)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Congratulations on your major achievement

    I think you should go maintenance for a few weeks. You are certainly at a low weight for your height and I assume the extra skin would out you at an even lower one

    Try maintenance but continuing to log
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    I just started to do a two week maintenance diet break every 8-9 weeks of being in a deficit. I took a maintenance break when we moved and it help, and since I am at my all time low I want my body to have time to adjust. I was on my deficit for about 11 months total and I could not image 3 years of deficit. Congrats on your lost! I think maintenance mode, not a break, it what you should focus on. Take a few months at maintenance, and keep up with your work out routine. Honestly, sounds like you need to recomp and work on your slow bulk. After all, a bulk will add fat and muscle that you will eventually again cut too.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Congratulations on your weight loss!

    I also recommend maintenance and continued weight lifting.
  • daedalus01
    daedalus01 Posts: 44 Member
    Thanks for the replies and advice, I will try some time at maintenance. Good luck with your journey :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories