A while back when reading on MFW Lyle alluded to the fact that the effectiveness of keto diets could be attributed to the use of weekly refeeds and their subsequent effect on leptin levels etc.
However, reading John Berardi's column this week he seems to eschew the whole refeed theory saying;
"When on a low carbohydrate diet and rapid fat loss is your number one priority, it seems like cheat meals and periodic refeeding aren't good ideas. Simply eliminate calories from your diet and/or increase your exercise activity."
This would seem he favours something like a "fat-fast" diet plan over the low carb plan advocated by Lyle. The reason I ask is that recently a friend who is very overweight went on a low carb-keto diet and has had little success with it. She's eating 1200-1300 calories a day and has devoted a monk like discipline to following the diet. (I work with her and see her eat breakfast, morning tea, and lunch) She trains martial arts 3-5 times a week, and weight trains 2-3 times a week.
Once a week she has a refeed with very little fat and moderate protein and carbs. But she seems to be losing very little in the way of fat or even body weight. Considering that she is very overweight, logic would dictate that even some weight loss would have been possible by now. (She has been following it for almost two months and her body fluctuates by 1-2 kilos)
Do you think maybe the refeeds are the problem? I think the refeeds are a good idea, not just from a physilogical point of view but makes sense psychologically if you can follow a diet knowing you can relax it a little on the weekend.
What does everyone else think?
However, reading John Berardi's column this week he seems to eschew the whole refeed theory saying;
"When on a low carbohydrate diet and rapid fat loss is your number one priority, it seems like cheat meals and periodic refeeding aren't good ideas. Simply eliminate calories from your diet and/or increase your exercise activity."
This would seem he favours something like a "fat-fast" diet plan over the low carb plan advocated by Lyle. The reason I ask is that recently a friend who is very overweight went on a low carb-keto diet and has had little success with it. She's eating 1200-1300 calories a day and has devoted a monk like discipline to following the diet. (I work with her and see her eat breakfast, morning tea, and lunch) She trains martial arts 3-5 times a week, and weight trains 2-3 times a week.
Once a week she has a refeed with very little fat and moderate protein and carbs. But she seems to be losing very little in the way of fat or even body weight. Considering that she is very overweight, logic would dictate that even some weight loss would have been possible by now. (She has been following it for almost two months and her body fluctuates by 1-2 kilos)
Do you think maybe the refeeds are the problem? I think the refeeds are a good idea, not just from a physilogical point of view but makes sense psychologically if you can follow a diet knowing you can relax it a little on the weekend.
What does everyone else think?