Refeeds

[tcc2]

For those who do refeeds...

I have been dieting for the last 6 weeks. I've whittled off about 10 pounds while not missing any planned weights. Just finished with my 5RM and I've got two weeks left in my current HST cycle.

I'd like to drop another 5-7 pounds but I'm thinking a week of refeeding might be helpful to restart my metabolism. Has anyone else used refeeding? What has your experience been? Other questions:

How many calories do you eat during your refeed relative to your maintenance level?
What is the duration? One week, 3 days, 24 hours?
Is your refeed just extra carbs or do you push up other macronutrients as well?
Is there a better (or worse) time in an HST cycle for refeeding?
How about during an SD (probably the worst time for higher calories)?
Do you think someone (like me) who has taken the dieting process slowly (10 pounds in 6 weeks) even needs a refeed?

Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Aaron_F]

Quote[/b] (tcc2 @ June 09 2003,12:06)]Do you think someone (like me) who has taken the dieting process slowly (10 pounds in 6 weeks) even needs a refeed?
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Refeeds do not have to do with the dieting itself, but how your body reacts to lower body fat levesl (ie leptin goes down with bodyfat, so the body knows that its happening whether it happens quickly or slowly)

In terms of 10lbs, it depends, do you have increased hunger is the fat loss slowly?
because it may be that 10lbs is nothing to your body, but once you get down low in BF, things will alter, fat loss will slow and hunger will catch up.
What weight are you, what BF do you think you are? etc

 

[tcc2]

Aaron,

Thanks for responding. I'm 180 and I'm still approx. 13-15% body fat. But the weight is coming off more slowly now and I find myself more tempted than before. I was wondering if a refeed would help me get my motivation back and jumpstart my metabolism.

 

[Aaron_F]

After about 6-10weeks of dieting, its always useful to bump the calories back up to maintenance or just above to give hte body a bit of recovery. Just for a week or so. and once you have done that, you can diet again, maybe even a little harder, and add in a refeed, once per week for 24hours.