Reverse Diet

Goldenk13
Goldenk13 Posts: 8 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I was just wondering if anyone here has done a reverse diet and how successful that was? After 4 years I've finally hit my goal weight and even went further. I tried to jump right back up into maintenance calories and started to notice a very rapid weight gain! I'm talking 4-6 pounds in a week or 2. That sent me into a yoyo for the past two months. I saw the weight gain and immediate went back to deficit calories. I did cut back on cardio to maybe 1 or 2 times a week, but I started lifting more weight and doing so more often. I saw something about reverse diet and did a little research and it seems like this may be a great option for me to slowly work back up to maintenance calories/macros. Has anyone here done this and had success? Or failure? There's not too much research on this, so any information is helpful!

Replies

  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    Have you checked out the Eat More to Weigh Less group? That's a pretty good place to start :) I think the general idea is that you gradually increase extra calories (from carb sources), and keep an eye on your weight - when you're consistently gaining (AKA you weight has gone up several weeks in a row) then you know you can maintain on the amount you were on before your last increase :) You will gain a little bit at first though, just due to water weight etc!
  • Goldenk13
    Goldenk13 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you! I've looked it up and just joined the group! Definitely excited to join a group with those on the same path as me!
  • SandraStamps
    SandraStamps Posts: 3 Member
    Reverse dieting is a diet turned upside-down. Instead of cutting calories and ramping up time spent on the treadmill, you increase metabolism by gradually adding calories back into your diet while reducing cardio.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Goldenk13 wrote: »
    I was just wondering if anyone here has done a reverse diet and how successful that was? After 4 years I've finally hit my goal weight and even went further. I tried to jump right back up into maintenance calories and started to notice a very rapid weight gain! I'm talking 4-6 pounds in a week or 2. That sent me into a yoyo for the past two months. I saw the weight gain and immediate went back to deficit calories. I did cut back on cardio to maybe 1 or 2 times a week, but I started lifting more weight and doing so more often. I saw something about reverse diet and did a little research and it seems like this may be a great option for me to slowly work back up to maintenance calories/macros. Has anyone here done this and had success? Or failure? There's not too much research on this, so any information is helpful!

    The initial weight gain will have been a combination of water, in-tract food, glycogen etc. This always happens when transitioning from a caloric deficit, especially if you weight train.

    What I have read, and personally found helpful, is to assume maintenance is 13 x bodyweight and then reduce by 10% for any metabolic adaptation. Eat at this level for 2-3 weeks or until your weight stabilizes and then increase slowly if you are transitioning into a recomp/bulk.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Goldenk13 wrote: »
    I was just wondering if anyone here has done a reverse diet and how successful that was? After 4 years I've finally hit my goal weight and even went further. I tried to jump right back up into maintenance calories and started to notice a very rapid weight gain! I'm talking 4-6 pounds in a week or 2. That sent me into a yoyo for the past two months. I saw the weight gain and immediate went back to deficit calories. I did cut back on cardio to maybe 1 or 2 times a week, but I started lifting more weight and doing so more often. I saw something about reverse diet and did a little research and it seems like this may be a great option for me to slowly work back up to maintenance calories/macros. Has anyone here done this and had success? Or failure? There's not too much research on this, so any information is helpful!

    The bold is a mistake! :smile:
    Give each big change in routine (diet or exercise) a month to settle out, you need to see the trend not the spikes.

    In the long run jumping up calories quickly or building up slowly ends up at the same place so very much personal choice and how much "scale anxiety" someone has.

    My own experience with going into maintenance was that my calorie balance level turned out to be higher than expected from my calculations based on my deficit numbers. Worth experimenting by pushing above what you think is your maintenance calories are. More fuel can make subtle changes to activity and exercise performance.
  • _Bro
    _Bro Posts: 437 Member
    I would agree with the comment above as you need to look at the overall trend.

    When I've utilized a carb cycle in the past a drop 7-10 pounds (weighing in at the same time each am) at the end of the week was typical. Of course, this was not actual weight and when I cycled back up with calories and carbs I would bounce back with maybe a pound or so loss.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    yep, its just basically gradually upping the calories over a period to maintenance calories. I did try to push it and hoped I could maintain on more calories with enough time but nah, I have to eat less than 2200 or I would gain.

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