The night after a 'big feed'

jarrodc
jarrodc Posts: 102
edited December 18 in Health and Weight Loss
So normally I eat in a deficit of roughly 900 calories a day for weeks at a time... And then sometimes I break this period by having a 'big feed' -- Where I eat probably 1-2k over my TDEE.

I've noticed roughly 24 hours after this big feed, I often somehow look noticeably more toned (that is, less body fat).

Is this normal? Is it my body coming out of some kind of energy-conserving state and consuming reserves before it goes back to its normal state? Or am I crazy?

Anyone know anything about this?

Replies

  • mischa_12
    mischa_12 Posts: 126 Member
    That is quite bizarre! i wish that happened to me lol. Every time i binge, the day after I have a more solid belly because it's more filled out and I'm pretty certain it's fat and not muscle...wishful thinking.
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    That is quite bizarre! i wish that happened to me lol. Every time i binge, the day after I have a more solid belly because it's more filled out and I'm pretty certain it's fat and not muscle...wishful thinking.

    I certainly get a solid belly right after and bloating for the next 12 hours roughly... But roughly 12-36 hours after I start looking a noticeably more toned :/ it's bizarre.
  • fontinathefox
    fontinathefox Posts: 124 Member
    I have the same where after I've eaten (or drunk!) a lot, the next day my stomach always looks really flat, and my waist looks smaller. It's very strange. I'm sure it evens itself out later on though, unfortunately.
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    mischa_12 : wrong, it's not fat
    jarrodc : likely water releases after a big feed.
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    mischa_12 : wrong, it's not fat
    jarrodc : likely water releases after a big feed.

    Water release? How does that work?
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Okay heres the physiology of it.


    you diet down and hormonally your body revolts.

    Leptin drops down and halts most fat burn in favor of slow lean tissue burn when in the unfed state.

    Then comes the big refeed!

    Leptin levels go up up up.
    The body says "Shiza!!!! i'm not starving!!!"
    The next day you drop a big deuce and vuolla you weigh 2lbs lighter and look fantastic in the mirror.
    Youll also get a boost in metabolism for a while!

    BTW jarrod you look lean in your pic.
    Whats your stats?
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    Cool! I really need to read into this, I think I heard someone else talk about this exact thing.

    Hey thanks! I think my pic makes me look leaner than I am :) I'm 5 foot 6.5 inches and weigh in around 70-74kg... I think I'm roughly 12% body fat (just eyeballing it, I don't get tested).
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    Helloitsdan ROUGHLY explained it, but there are some clarifications :

    "you diet down and hormonally your body revolts. "
    Not in a day or tow, takes much more time


    "Leptin drops down and halts most fat burn in favor of slow lean tissue burn when in the unfed state. "
    Incorrect, catabolism required advanced stage, again, doesn't happen in a day or two (more after real depletion on both liver and intra-musculary glucose for a prolonged time, or an incorrect usage of the ressource (much training fasted, without the proper inakes)

    "Then comes the big refeed!

    Leptin levels go up up up. "

    Again, not in a day or two

    "vuolla you weigh 2lbs lighter"
    more water release than hormons higher, since they didn't drop down at that stage

    "Youll also get a boost in metabolism for a while!"
    There is not any real study that shows that, a refeed is more working for the pshyche than the body, that last disposes well of the nutrients and always figures something out
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    I'm working on a post here
    http://goo.gl/IYRT0
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    I want Raz's back!

    Thanx for the info!
    I'm still quite new and sometimes fill my mind with so much info I dont even know what I know.
    =D
  • sugarbone
    sugarbone Posts: 454 Member
    Haha this is what I do! I eat a heavier deficit than most people then refeed. How long do you refeed for? one day? a week? Whenever I eat over my TDEE significantly after a period of dieting my stomach is flatter the next morning and it feels like nature is lying to me. :-)
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    not to mention the retained sub-cutaneous water that add extra "thickness" ;-)
  • YuffieKisaragi
    YuffieKisaragi Posts: 13 Member
    This is going to sound nuts but a lot of the healthy foods I love bloat me super bad, so I've noticed I actually APPEAR heavier after a day of eating like, nothing but beans. But then there are days when I go on a fast food binge (usually about once a month...at least pre-diet) and I would notice the next day I'd always have a "skinny" day. So I dunno, maybe it's the same with you.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    its because of glycogen (water within muscles)... usually lower calories means less carbohydrates then when you consume a vast amount it fills the muscles with water giving them a larger/ more defined appearance which is why in my opnion low carb dieting isnt effective for aesthetic purposes
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    Thanks for the info Raz, really insightful stuff :)
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    its because of glycogen (water within muscles)... usually lower calories means less carbohydrates then when you consume a vast amount it fills the muscles with water giving them a larger/ more defined appearance which is why in my opnion low carb dieting isnt effective for aesthetic purposes

    I'm definitely not low carb, but maybe it's due to depleting my glycogen due to my deficit, good though :)
  • Fairysoul
    Fairysoul Posts: 1,361 Member
    um no one should under 1200 just saying.
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
    Ya eating more food in the form of carbs allows your body to store the energy in the form of glycogen. It surrounds the muscles with the energy and water. That is why after people "carb up" you get extra energy. Runners do it before a big race and lifters, like myself use it to get that extra bit of energy on big lift days.

    Your 900 cal defect is quite a bit bro. Id go for 500 tops and make sure you eat your carbs its energy brah.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    um no one should under 1200 just saying.

    No one mentioned eating under 1200.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    um no one should under 1200 just saying.

    i think he said he eats a DEFICIT of 900 cals a day. Not that he EATS 900 cals a day...
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
    1 gram of CHO carries 3 grams of water, do the maths ;-)
  • jarrodc
    jarrodc Posts: 102
    um no one should under 1200 just saying.

    i think he said he eats a DEFICIT of 900 cals a day. Not that he EATS 900 cals a day...

    correct
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