Proper timing for diet breaks

SisterSueGetsFit
SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,212 Member
edited February 2020 in Health and Weight Loss
I am curious about people’s opinion of when diet breaks are recommended. I’m mostly interested so that I’m better prepared to handle maintenance. Long story short, I lost about 55-60 pounds 3 years ago. I’m back up 20. I started back with a serious effort of tracking at the beginning of February. I am down 4.5 pounds, but I understand a chunk of that is mostly water weight. I am a 5’5” 42 year old female, currently weighing 172 pounds. I have about a total of 40 pounds I’d like to lose to be at my “ideal” goal weight.

I’ve been reading the “of refeeds and diet breaks” post, but mostly pretty lightly as it’s very lengthy. As mentioned above, I gained back a significant portion of the weight I had originally lost. I lost it pretty quickly and was probably not eating enough calories and have upped them this go-around. I was also woefully unprepared for maintenance. Hence, trying diet breaks this time around.

So… When do you find is the best time to take one? I have a trip coming up April 17-20 and was thinking that would work perfectly for my schedule. But… is it too soon? Should I do one earlier? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Lyle McDonald recommends them aver 8 to 12 weeks. Go to the first page of the Refeeds and Diet Breaks thread and read his article. After that, the thread has personal experience and questions that can be useful but the meat of the info is in the article.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,212 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    Lyle McDonald recommends them aver 8 to 12 weeks. Go to the first page of the Refeeds and Diet Breaks thread and read his article. After that, the thread has personal experience and questions that can be useful but the meat of the info is in the article.

    Thank you. Perhaps I will just try to go through the entire thread this evening. It's winter in MN after all...Not a lot to do. :smiley:
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,212 Member
    And, 12 weeks would be about perfect timing for my vacation and Easter. Because ham and mashed potatoes. Yum.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    Coordinating it with your trip is an excellent idea. Probably 12-16 weeks of deficit max, then diet break is okay for you at your current weight. Your holiday would make 10 weeks or so, which is fine. The leaner you get, the more frequent breaks should be.



  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    Lyle McDonald recommends them aver 8 to 12 weeks. Go to the first page of the Refeeds and Diet Breaks thread and read his article. After that, the thread has personal experience and questions that can be useful but the meat of the info is in the article.

    Thank you. Perhaps I will just try to go through the entire thread this evening. It's winter in MN after all...Not a lot to do. :smiley:

    Haha, good luck with that!! There's cute cat and dog pics in places, if that helps :). If you have more questions, feel free to post them in there, I and probably several others get alerts for new posts.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,212 Member
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    Coordinating it with your trip is an excellent idea. Probably 12-16 weeks of deficit max, then diet break is okay for you at your current weight. Your holiday would make 10 weeks or so, which is fine. The leaner you get, the more frequent breaks should be.

    @Nony_Mouse Thank you! I did read the leaner you are the more frequently they should occur. Right now I'm not anywhere near lean...but I sure hope to get there! I really want to enjoy my trip without guilt, but mostly I need to be prepared to not gain it back this time. I truly believe this will help.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,212 Member
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    Lyle McDonald recommends them aver 8 to 12 weeks. Go to the first page of the Refeeds and Diet Breaks thread and read his article. After that, the thread has personal experience and questions that can be useful but the meat of the info is in the article.

    Thank you. Perhaps I will just try to go through the entire thread this evening. It's winter in MN after all...Not a lot to do. :smiley:

    Haha, good luck with that!! There's cute cat and dog pics in places, if that helps :). If you have more questions, feel free to post them in there, I and probably several others get alerts for new posts.

    Bahaha! I've got my own cute dogs. :lol: But it all helps. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to respond. I notice how patient and helpful you are will everyone's questions.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    Lyle McDonald recommends them aver 8 to 12 weeks. Go to the first page of the Refeeds and Diet Breaks thread and read his article. After that, the thread has personal experience and questions that can be useful but the meat of the info is in the article.

    Thank you. Perhaps I will just try to go through the entire thread this evening. It's winter in MN after all...Not a lot to do. :smiley:

    Haha, good luck with that!! There's cute cat and dog pics in places, if that helps :). If you have more questions, feel free to post them in there, I and probably several others get alerts for new posts.

    Bahaha! I've got my own cute dogs. :lol: But it all helps. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to respond. I notice how patient and helpful you are will everyone's questions.

    Well if you're joining the diet breaks/refeeds crew, you need to post pictures of those pups in the thread!

    And thank you :) It's always nice to feel appreciated (especially when you're a grumpy ball of hormonal water retention!).
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    SisterSueGetsFit wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    Lyle McDonald recommends them aver 8 to 12 weeks. Go to the first page of the Refeeds and Diet Breaks thread and read his article. After that, the thread has personal experience and questions that can be useful but the meat of the info is in the article.

    Thank you. Perhaps I will just try to go through the entire thread this evening. It's winter in MN after all...Not a lot to do. :smiley:

    Haha, good luck with that!! There's cute cat and dog pics in places, if that helps :). If you have more questions, feel free to post them in there, I and probably several others get alerts for new posts.

    Lol, it does meander a bit. I think the first 5 or 6 pages are the ones that are most content dense.

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