Reverse dieting

nataliewalters5851
nataliewalters5851 Posts: 14 Member
edited December 2015 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Starting a reverse diet this week. Should take about 2-3 months and then plan on either recomping or going into a bulk to build muscle. We'll see how it goes. Would love some tips from other ladies in the same situation. I've lost about 40lbs and mentally the challenge of not looking at the scale and losing weight is really hard!

Replies

  • codsterlaing95
    codsterlaing95 Posts: 221 Member
    Add 100 cals every week until you reach your TDEE
  • wdfchicka07
    wdfchicka07 Posts: 4 Member
    nataliewalters5851 wrote: »
    Starting a reverse diet this week. Should take about 2-3 months and then plan on either recomping or going into a bulk to build muscle. We'll see how it goes. Would love some tips from other ladies in the same situation. I've lost about 40lbs and mentally the challenge of not looking at the scale and losing weight is really hard!

    I agree I'm in the same spot. Check out anthonydexmier.Com he has a good blog and program and he's really good at mindset!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    Why is your reverse going to take you months? If you add back 100 calories per week you should be in maintenance relatively soon.
  • nataliewalters5851
    nataliewalters5851 Posts: 14 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Why is your reverse going to take you months? If you add back 100 calories per week you should be in maintenance relatively soon.

    From what I've read, it's been suggested to start adding 5-10g of carbs and 1-2g of fat per week to see how you react and if there's any weight gain on the scale. Not sure where the 100 cals per week comes from but I'm willing to hear any info. I don't want to add calories in to quickly because I don't want a large increase in weight. I'm trying to maintain my weight until I get back to maintenance.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    nataliewalters5851 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Why is your reverse going to take you months? If you add back 100 calories per week you should be in maintenance relatively soon.

    From what I've read, it's been suggested to start adding 5-10g of carbs and 1-2g of fat per week to see how you react and if there's any weight gain on the scale. Not sure where the 100 cals per week comes from but I'm willing to hear any info. I don't want to add calories in to quickly because I don't want a large increase in weight. I'm trying to maintain my weight until I get back to maintenance.

    You don't need to do that. 100 calories is not "quickly". In fact, it's slow. Adding 5-10g of carbs and a couple grams of fat is like 60 calories per week. I don't really see the point.

    Adding 100 calories is what is also suggested so you don't add a ton of water weight. Either way, a gain on the scale is not going to be fat while you reverse because you are technically still in a deficit. You are going to see fluctuations as you add food. Just stay calm and keep it up.
  • mishsayshi
    mishsayshi Posts: 13 Member
    I reversed dieted by starting at maintenance for my body. I was eating about 1200 and i jumped by adding 300 every week for a couple weeks till my maintenance. I gained water weight at first about 9 lbs. Then one morning after consistently eating the same number of calories without lowering them even though the scale went up i reweighed and was back at my pre- reverse dieting weight eating much more than before. I am actually trying to gain weight right now so i will continue to add by 100 calories each week now instead of 300 since i feel like i am closer to finding out my surplus. I am maintaining on what the mfp calculator tells me is to gain at and lose on the mfp tells me to maintain. That was my experience and i am still learning. I guess it depends on how agressive you want to reverse or not. Its personal and no shoe fits everyone. Best of luck on your reverse
  • zatotheck
    zatotheck Posts: 13 Member
    The general advice is 100-150 calories every 7-10 days.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    nataliewalters5851 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Why is your reverse going to take you months? If you add back 100 calories per week you should be in maintenance relatively soon.

    From what I've read, it's been suggested to start adding 5-10g of carbs and 1-2g of fat per week to see how you react and if there's any weight gain on the scale. Not sure where the 100 cals per week comes from but I'm willing to hear any info. I don't want to add calories in to quickly because I don't want a large increase in weight. I'm trying to maintain my weight until I get back to maintenance.

    You don't need to do that. 100 calories is not "quickly". In fact, it's slow. Adding 5-10g of carbs and a couple grams of fat is like 60 calories per week. I don't really see the point.

    Adding 100 calories is what is also suggested so you don't add a ton of water weight. Either way, a gain on the scale is not going to be fat while you reverse because you are technically still in a deficit. You are going to see fluctuations as you add food. Just stay calm and keep it up.

    this, and you are going to gain about five pounds of water weight no matter what you do, due to glycogen replenishing itself.

    I would suggest adding a 100 a week until you hit maintenance...
  • klove808
    klove808 Posts: 346 Member
    I was going through this. Then just went back to keeping somewhat of a deficit due to what the scale was saying. I don't understand the gaining water temporarily part?
  • jacklifts
    jacklifts Posts: 396 Member
    edited December 2015
    Layne Norton discusses reverse dieting in one of his youtube videos. The point of it, according to him, is to push your calories as high as possible while minimizing fat gains. If I recall correctly, the first jump is either 10% or 20%, then after that point, add the 10g carbs and 1-2g of fat per week. From what Eric Helms has said, there isn't any sort of research on this stuff, just anecdotal experience from these guys.

    EDIT: I should also say, to the extent of my understanding, the purpose of reverse dieting is to be able to maintain at a higher caloric level, so you can cut at a higher caloric level later on. It's not meant for bulking per se.
  • lylzzf3841
    lylzzf3841 Posts: 2 Member
    Well I think it really depends on how many calories you are on when ending cutting. I personal lost around 50lbs in 9 months while training like crazy. And the end of my cutting I was only eating 600kcal and training 5 times per week, twice per day... Then I got to the point where I'm really closed to anorexia... I understand the fear looking at the scale, and I decided to start a new life. I started reverse dieting 3days ago, now in the baseline phase. Let's get through this together!!
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    jacklifts wrote: »
    Layne Norton discusses reverse dieting in one of his youtube videos. The point of it, according to him, is to push your calories as high as possible while minimizing fat gains. If I recall correctly, the first jump is either 10% or 20%, then after that point, add the 10g carbs and 1-2g of fat per week. From what Eric Helms has said, there isn't any sort of research on this stuff, just anecdotal experience from these guys.

    EDIT: I should also say, to the extent of my understanding, the purpose of reverse dieting is to be able to maintain at a higher caloric level, so you can cut at a higher caloric level later on. It's not meant for bulking per se.

    I was going to suggest she watch Dr Norton's videos too, he has a few on reverse dieting.
  • elite_nal
    elite_nal Posts: 127 Member
    Tips...

    1) To start the reverse dieting process, increase your calorie intake by 5-10% per week. If you’ve been dieting for an extended period then go with 5%, or if you were doing a shorter “mini” cut go with 10%.

    2) Set your reverse dieting macros at 1g protein per pound of body weight, 25% of total calories from fat and the rest from carbohydrates. (Protein contains 4 calories per gram, fats contain 9 and carbs contain 4)

    3) Continue with this process until you reach your calorie maintenance level, which is the maximum number of calories you can eat without your weight increasing.

    From there, you can either stay at maintenance or move into a surplus to build muscle.

    A reverse dieting plan will maximize your chances of long term success by giving you a structured way to re-introduce calories into your meal plan, rather than just binging at the end of your cut like so many people do.

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