Diet breaks

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Replies

  • CasperNaegle
    CasperNaegle Posts: 936 Member
    We just have a cheat meal from time to time, sometimes it turns into a cheat weekend. We just get right back on it. We won't break until we hit maintenance for good.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Gena575 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    After prolonged periods of dieting, a short break at maintenance can help to return hormones to normal levels.

    The thing I was looking for was a definition of "prolonged period." 3 months? A year? This whole individual, do what feels right, find your own way thing frustrates me at times lol!

    OP the diet break to help stabilize or regulate hormones, does not have to be 3 months.. A person can actually take a diet break weekly, bi weekly, monthly to do this. So if you diet really heavy for 5 days and refeed for 2, this is a way. Or you can diet heavy for months then do a diet break that way. Some reach a stall for months at a time and then take a diet break.

    Take in mind if you take a diet break during weight loss periodically it can prevent you from getting into a plateau or stall. In this scenario, you can also increase your NEAT and EAT to this as well.

    Each persons diet break though is personal preference. For those that suffer burnout, etc. it can be two weeks, month or months. It depends on your goals.

    If you are looking for scientific evidence that backs up diet breaks, refeeds, etc.. there is a million and one articles and studies on this topic.

    Ya, I eat at maintenance for a few days each month premenstrually and during the heavy days of my period. Because of this, and because my deficit has never been aggressive, I have yet to feel the need for a further diet break.

  • DebSozo
    DebSozo Posts: 2,578 Member
    edited September 2016
    I've never been much of a binge eater (hate feeling full immediately after eating and bloated the next day) and have never yo yo dieted or been obese. I don't like gaining weight so I don't go overboard on certain days or meals or weekends. It is probably why I stayed in a normal BMI for most of my life until I hit "middle age". Then the game plan changed. So I think situations can change over time. I try to not go much over maintenance calories unless it is a special occasion.
  • richln
    richln Posts: 809 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Gena575 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    After prolonged periods of dieting, a short break at maintenance can help to return hormones to normal levels.

    The thing I was looking for was a definition of "prolonged period." 3 months? A year? This whole individual, do what feels right, find your own way thing frustrates me at times lol!

    Here are two articles on diet breaks:

    Diet breaks
    * http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/
    * http://strengthunbound.com/when-to-take-a-diet-break/

    Here is another one that gives more solid guidelines on frequency:
    http://rippedbody.jp/diet-break/
    I agree with this author that current leanness and rate of fat loss are important factors to consider, as well as how you are currently feeling physiologically and psychologically.
  • sweetpea813
    sweetpea813 Posts: 112 Member
    I'm taking a break today. My kid is home for fall break and we already had Chick Fila for breakfast. I've been so good with eating, tracking and exercise but I just feel like having a day off. I don't feel guilty because I know I'll get back to it tomorrow.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I took one diet break...I took it when I was at a point where the rate of loss was rather slow, to be almost non-existent...this was probably four or five months in. I took a break for about three weeks close to a maintenance level of calories and just let everything, including my mind reset...and then carried on for the last few months.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    richln wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Gena575 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    After prolonged periods of dieting, a short break at maintenance can help to return hormones to normal levels.

    The thing I was looking for was a definition of "prolonged period." 3 months? A year? This whole individual, do what feels right, find your own way thing frustrates me at times lol!

    Here are two articles on diet breaks:

    Diet breaks
    * http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/
    * http://strengthunbound.com/when-to-take-a-diet-break/

    Here is another one that gives more solid guidelines on frequency:
    http://rippedbody.jp/diet-break/
    I agree with this author that current leanness and rate of fat loss are important factors to consider, as well as how you are currently feeling physiologically and psychologically.

    Good chart. It's a sensible starting point for people who are new to weight loss and/or diet breaks. I'd kind of like to see one based on BMI, simply because it's easier for many people to figure out BMI than it is to figure out body fat. The BMI outliers would be better served by looking at body fat levels.
  • Gena575
    Gena575 Posts: 224 Member
    Thank you all for your thoughts and comments. The links were perfect! Now to reconcile those with the myth of starvation mode in my brain lol! But they make total sense. And the body fat chart...well, every calculator out there has me over the 32% threshold for a 12-16 week break time frame so there is that as well.

    But some of the descriptions of "it's time" are so on point. I'm tired. I'm grouchy. I'm fantasizing about food...yeah. time to let my brain have some relax time over this I think. I'm still nervous about re-entering a deficit zone, but hopefully this recharges the motivational batteries.

    So starting Friday, a 10 day break is happening. I'm going to attempt to stay between 2000-2500 (tdee is in the 2600 range), listen to my body and stop eating at "the sigh" and still make fairly healthy choices. Except the chips ahoy lmao!
  • jimshine
    jimshine Posts: 199 Member
    I started a break last fall. I knew with holidays and such, I was simply going to eat more. I actually stopped the diet 100% after a few weeks of maintenance. I gained a bunch back, but it came off a lot quicker that time around.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I take a few breaks a year...the week of my birthday (next week) and Christmas absolutely, and then 1-2 more in the spring and summer.
  • Gena575
    Gena575 Posts: 224 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    I take a few breaks a year...the week of my birthday (next week) and Christmas absolutely, and then 1-2 more in the spring and summer.

    Yeah...I'd already planned breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas lol! My family cooks too many special and amazing things for those holidays. Not going to be passing up almond cookies and homemade noodles. Carbs be damned.
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