Help! Is a refeed/cheat day a good idea for a low cal diet? (I've plateaud)
Hello everyone! I'm hoping some of you can advise me please.
I'm on a low cal diet and recently my weight loss has basically flatlined. I've lost only 1lb over the last two months. I am still eating less calories than I use (according to every calculator I have looked at) so I think that my metabolism has slowed down.
From what I read a simple way to speed up my metabolism again is to incorporate a refeed/cheat day that will help release leptin.
The theory goes that having one day of high calorie, high carb food will fool my body into thinking that food is plentiful again so will release leptin which will return my metabolism back to normal. This sounds logical and I've read lots of testimony saying that it works but my problem is that when time I looked this up is it is advice for people on low carb diets, often body builders, and I'm neither. Mostly I eat low calorie and low GL foods (with some choclate daily) so wouldn't have the lack of carb issue. So I don't know if the chemistry/effect will work for me.
Do any of you do this as part of your diet? If so what has your experience been like?
Does one high calorie day per week boost metabolism?
I've heard of people doing that and having it work for them. If you can be sure to keep it to one day, keep things healthy and don't go overboard, it won't hurt to try.
BUT(!)... be sure it's only a day or two (I've heard of people doing 2). I was in the exact same spot as you a year ago. I flat-lined about mid November and only lost about .6 of a pound by mid December. So, I decided to eat "at maintenance" for a week to try and jump start it. One week turned into one year and maintenance turned into binge eating. And now I'm a year later and 45 pounds heavier.
If you track your calories, I'd recommend eating 500-1000 calories more than you do to lose weight and of the same type of foods. One day of this won't do any damage. For people who do this weekly, they have one maintenance level day, if I remember correctly.
I do believe that a high calorie day can interrupt a plateau. I think it's good to mix up your calorie level. That's been my experience.
How low is your low-calorie diet? I'm no expert, but I think anything under 1200 on a regular basis is too low, and puts you into starvation mode. But that's just my opinion.
I agree on the higher calorie time. However, this doesn't have to be higher "bad" calories. Instead of things like pizza, you may want to just increase your calorie intake with healthier foods. I've tried it and I found that not only does it keep me on track mentally but it also makes it easier for me to go back to my lower calorie plan.
You may also want to change your exercise. If you're doing high intensity, try something low to moderate for a day or two.
Have you tried cycling your calories? I've found that I do best if I have a range that I eat within, but vary it up. Some days I'm at the higher end and some days are at the lower end.
YES. For me, this has been the key in breaking plateaus- However, it was by accident that I discovered how well this worked for me.
I had a few events (like a friends wedding) where I knew I just could not stick to my plan. I'd eat on plan exactly up until the event, and eat what I wanted (in moderation), there. I was at least 500 calories over during these times. To my surprise, each time I had days or weekends like this, I dropped 2-4 pounds after getting back on plan.
Sure enough, after indulgent Xmas eating, I've just lost another 3 pounds this week.
I'm going to eat on plan until I stall again, and then do a couple days in a row of upping my calories (ideally with healthy foods, tho). It's worked for me 4 or 5 times now.
I'm on an average of 1400 daily at the moment. At my age and amount of movement that's just above my BMR. I should use up about 1750 daily in my slow Winter life. I range naturally (ie with life interfering with my diet planning) between 1250 and 1600.
I will definitely try this now.
I don't have to worry about binging thankfully as I don't exclude any food from my diet so I'm not craving anything. I'm also not emotionally wobbly so no comfort cravings either.
From what I read high carb foods are the best to refeed as they replenish glucose stores which helps to produce leptin so I will try this.
The amount of calories I should take in I'm still worried about though. Does it have to be above the amount of calories used? Right now I'm thinking I should try 2000kcal. What do you think?
Thank you K9Owner. I'm delighted that this has worked for people. There is hope!
How are the abs going? Can you see them yet?
The link is very interesting but still not specific. He says 12 hours of overeating. That could be an extra 200kcal or an extra 2000. How much is too much?
I'm not sure what he means by overeat for 12 hours either. I'm guessing he means that if I start at 10am that I eat between and up to at 10pm.
I think it will work, Into -- let us know how it turns out. I've done this, but unintentionally -- I get into a situation where I eat much more, just for one day, and then I'm amazed that I drop a couple of pounds the next day (or a couple of days later, if the food included lots of sodium).
I'm relieved to hear that you are eating 1400. I think that is a great level for steady, safe weight loss, for most people!
Well Queen Sarah, what can I say? I don't like being hungry and I don't like sagging skin. Easy does it works for me and 1400 is kind and do-able.
My goal now is to be one and a half inches smaller around the waist. I measure rather than weigh so I think that will be around 12lb lighter from what I remember from long long ago.
I will keep you all posted on how this goes. I'm thinking of trying 2100 on the refeed day. It's just above the biggest maintenance figure I can find for my height, age etc. Please let me know if you think that this is too much/too little. I can't find calorie recommendations for this refeed day.
Now I think I need to do two excess calorie days a week. Grrrrr.
I did some research and came across something that I'm not allowed to post from the zigzag diet.
It's for a zigzag diet plan. What bothers me here is that it says that if you go 72 hours on lower than needed calories then your metabolism adjusts. Which means that the leptin levels go back and any more low calorie days are pointless after this. So this suggests that I need two days per week eating more than necessary to compensate. Which freaks me out because there is no way I could stick to my weekly calorie goal then unless I eat almost nothing on another day. And I don't do hungry.
So if I do what I can do, I would have 2100 on Sat and Wed and 1400 on the rest. (I should need between 1700 and 2000 a day depending on how much exercise I do, it varies) I still feel like I'm gambling with my body here and could very well gain weight after this. I really really hope that my metabolism bounces back to what it's supposed to use quickly.
So this is the new plan. Two days per week high calorie 2100 and the rest at my personal minimum, 1400. This will leave me with 1400 more per week than what I'm eating now on my plateau. But it will leave me with an average of 1600 per day for the week which according to the calorie calculators (that no longer seem to work for me) is still a little below what I use. So I may get off the plateau but very very slowly. If I start to gain I don't know if I should stick to it. I think I will try this for three weeks anyway.
How long will it take for the leptin levels to adjust? I wish I could find more research on this, or at least research that agrees with other research.
Does anyone know is eating more than daily needs once a week enough to boost leptin levels? One article isn't enough to convince me. If it's twice a week then I'm going to have a really hard time creating a calorie deficit. I really really really hate going hungry. But I will start with twice a week for three weeks and see what happens.
Any hints for coping with one very low calorie day would be appreciated. I think sooner or later I may have to go there.
I was at a plateau before Christmas and had a massive cheat day with the holiday. It helped me get back on track. I am supposed to have a net 1100 as i eat 1800 but burn 700. I probably doubled that day.
Help! Is a refeed/cheat day a good idea for a low cal diet? (I've plateaud)
