How long is too long to remain in a caloric deficit?
Savyna
Posts: 789 Member
Is there a certain point when someone should ease off for a bit and eat at maintenance for a while or should they just continue on until they reach their ultimate weight goal?
I've been at a small deficit for the 13 or so months, going from 2100 or so calories to about 1590 currently. My stats from last Friday (5/12) are 5'7", 27, 164.9lbs (last year I started at my all time high of 210ish pounds taken at doctors office). All of my workouts are progressive calisthenics 3 times a week.
I've been thinking of eating at maintenance for the summer while I try out SL 5x5 but was just curious if there should be scheduled breaks during weight loss where you just maintain for a while and/or is it a detriment to your body to go for a long time at a deficit.
Thank you for your input!
I've been at a small deficit for the 13 or so months, going from 2100 or so calories to about 1590 currently. My stats from last Friday (5/12) are 5'7", 27, 164.9lbs (last year I started at my all time high of 210ish pounds taken at doctors office). All of my workouts are progressive calisthenics 3 times a week.
I've been thinking of eating at maintenance for the summer while I try out SL 5x5 but was just curious if there should be scheduled breaks during weight loss where you just maintain for a while and/or is it a detriment to your body to go for a long time at a deficit.
Thank you for your input!
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Replies
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If you feel like you need a break, take a break 13 months is a long time. and 55 lbs is a lot of weight.
Take 2 weeks, a month, all summer at maintenance while trying SL 5x510 -
stanmann571 wrote: »If you feel like you need a break, take a break 13 months is a long time. and 55 lbs is a lot of weight.
Take 2 weeks, a month, all summer at maintenance while trying SL 5x5
Thanks ^_^0 -
A year is too long without a break in my opinion. Your body needs some time to reset hormones and undo any metabolic adaptations.7
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No need for break unless you want a break.9
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kommodevaran wrote: »No need for break unless you want a break.
True, but if you want a break, you may be overdue for a break
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I've been thinking of eating at maintenance for the summer
I've been going since last September and this has been my plan all along. I'm going to take the summer off, even though I'll be about 10 lbs heavier than I wanted to be by the end of June (230 instead of 220). I will be much more active so I'm not planning on joining a gym until September, but will be running, biking and stuff over the summer.
I'll get back at the weight loss in the fall.
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Tacklewasher wrote: »I've been thinking of eating at maintenance for the summer
I've been going since last September and this has been my plan all along. I'm going to take the summer off, even though I'll be about 10 lbs heavier than I wanted to be by the end of June (230 instead of 220). I will be much more active so I'm not planning on joining a gym until September, but will be running, biking and stuff over the summer.
I'll get back at the weight loss in the fall.
HaHa, I'm the opposite, I like to maintain during the winter cold months and slim down during the hotter months.
I agree, a break is needed sometimes. A year would be too long for me to keep reducing. I just had 60 pounds to lose so it worked out I stopped as the winter came around. Now after a fairly successful time of maintnance a few pounds have to come off and I can see them already loosening up.
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I don't think a break is neccessary - not harmful. But if you want to eat more, then eat more.1
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I don't feel like I need to eat more, my wanting to know about how long to stay in a deficit wasn't driven by hunger. Thankfully I've not been feeling depraved. I settled on finishing the next week and change of May in a deficit and to begin in June figuring out what calories I am able to maintain my weight at.
Thanks again everyone
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At the rate you're losing, you shouldn't be feeling deprived. Basically, if you have had a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day for 8 weeks, you need a 1 week break of eating at maintenance to restore your NEAT, your metabolism, to normal. Since your deficit has been less than 500 calories per day and you've been losing less than 1 lb per week, I not seen any research indicating that you 'need' a break. If you want to take a break from your calorie deficit and eat at maintenance for a time, by all means do so of your own volition. I have seen research indicating that as long as you maintain intellectual control of this break, you can successfully resume the calorie deficit at a time of your choosing.0
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I lost about 80 pounds in 10 months and then I got tired. I was really happy being the size I got to and I was happy to be in normal size clothes again. I decided to stop. I knew it wouldn't be forever. But I didn't want to think about losing weight anymore. So I didn't. I waited a year give or take a couple months. My weight went up or down 5 pounds but pretty much stayed the same. Last February I decided it was time again. I want the rest of my weight off. I decided to go slow so I lost about 5 pounds in a month. Then I was having some trouble with my food allergies again and did the elimination diet. I forgot how quickly the weight falls off when you cut out bread! Lost another 10 right away. I am well on my way. I have 5 pounds to go until the 100 pound mark and then maybe 40 more. I'm ready to dig in and get her done!7
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A little reading about diet breaks:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/3 -
If you decide to take a break from deficit, I recommend getting 100 extra calories a day for a week and see if that slows the loss. If not, take in another 100 per day the next week. Move into maintanence slowly when you decide it's time! And great work!4
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I don't feel the need for a diet break, perhaps because my calorie deficit is not aggressive and I eat at maintenance a few days a month when my appetite spikes premenstrually and during my two worst days. I don't feel deprived (or depraved).3
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My thoughts for my situation are that truly, for me this is a lifestyle change. So there are no breaks. I have to be responsible and accountable for what and how much I eat for every single day of my life, and do it being mindful of my past history of overeating. I have been on this path since October 2015, steady, and lost 115lbs. I would still like to lose another 15 to 20 lbs, but thats purely vanity at this point. I am maintaining reasonably well, still need some tweaking here and there, learning something new almost every day about what works and what doesnt. I can easily imagine being in the same (maybe better) mindset in 20 years.1
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Just to update: for the past 5 weeks I've been eating 100 calories more from the 1590 I had been cutting with. Now eating 1690 in theory (but have had days, especially training days, have eaten more). So far I've hovered around 163lbs, which is only .5 or so lbs more than the lowest I had been in late May. My squat has steadily been able to increase, sitting at 130lbs now, my deadlift is at 165lbs, bench press is 90-95lbs, overhead press is around 65lbs. I have about 2 more months to go with this to see where I land and will come back again with another update.6
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A little reading about diet breaks:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/
This. I was going to post this but it's already here.0 -
I lost 20lbs and took break. I ate more but still worked out hard. Now I'm going after my last 20 and eating a deficit. I didn't lose weight on my break but didn't gain either. Made some nice improvements in the gym though as far as strength.2
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When we have a cheat/splurge day or two or three, is it considered a "break"?0
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No. It's a couple of refeed days. Read the link above. The hormonal benefits will not occur with much impact in that short a time.0
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I just read a thread yesterday about this, but of course I can't find it now. Basically the idea is to eat at deficit for 6-10 weeks, then eat at maintenance for 10-14 days. The purpose of this is not to help weight loss, but it's mental. Anyone can "diet" for 6 weeks, knowing you get a break. You can plan this around holidays or vacations, etc. I'm going to see if I can find the thread I was reading.1
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I just read a thread yesterday about this, but of course I can't find it now. Basically the idea is to eat at deficit for 6-10 weeks, then eat at maintenance for 10-14 days. The purpose of this is not to help weight loss, but it's mental. Anyone can "diet" for 6 weeks, knowing you get a break. You can plan this around holidays or vacations, etc. I'm going to see if I can find the thread I was reading.
Not correct. The mental benefit is one factor. There is also a normalization of Ghrelin and Leptin. Read the link above for goodness sake!! It tells you all you need to know.2 -
This isn't the original post, but it'll do.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10481830/the-diet-break/p11 -
This isn't the original post, but it'll do.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10481830/the-diet-break/p1
That is the same link posted earlier in this thread and quoted. So, it appears twice. There are 2 sections. The Physiological Reasons. The Psychological Reasons. Both are important in a long term strategy to get to a healthy body weight and maintain your sanity.
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Whoops, guess I should have read the whole thread!0
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