Refeeds and Leptin

**Jodi** · 12-20-2003, 10:52 AM

Refeeds and Leptin

Refeeds are typically done while cutting; that is, creating a caloric deficit so your body is forced to rely on fat as an energy source. Most people on any low carb diet---i.e. less than 1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day----or implementing any extreme caloric deficit should incorporate a refeed.

Refeeds are used to raise Leptin, refill muscle and liver glycogen, as well as providing sanity release from dieting as your body is temporarily thrown into a state of metabolic balance. Please read Par Deus's first article on Leptin and its benefits:
http://magazine.mindandmuscle.net/ma...D=51&issueID=3

A Quick, Layman’s Explanation of Leptin:

Leptin is considered an anti-starvation/metabolic balance hormone. As your Leptin levels decrease, the signal is sent to inform that your body is going into starvation mode. As your body goes into starvation mode we all know what happens---your fat loss slows down immensely or in some cases to a screeching halt. So in order to kick fat loss into gear again, you need to raise Leptin.

Common sense dictates that the body seeks balance, and if you endeavor to upset that balance---you have to outwit your body. We were built for survival, and unfortunately for the fitness/bodybuilding-oriented folk, “survival” didn’t mean 170 pounds of ripped mass at 6% bodyfat.

I can’t count have many people have asked this the question of why they lost fat after cheating. They have been so good and clean on their diets for weeks and results slowed down, they got frustrated, they cheated and 2 days later woke up lighter and leaner than before the cheat. Main reason right there, they raised Leptin. Raising Leptin levels will give your body the kick-start it needs for the next few days to keep you out of starvation mode as you diet. As long as your body is out of starvation mode, the faster the fat loss, and the less likely you are to lose LBM, while suffering on all counts in the process. Like I said above, this a brief explanation and there is so much info on Leptin so please read Par’s articles for a more detailed and scientific explanation.

Eat Your Way Out of Metabolic Hell

So, now you are probably thinking, "How do I increase Leptin?” Ready for this...........Eat lots of Carbs. I'm not necessarily talking slow burning carbs here either folks.

I know, most of you reading this right now are thinking

is she talking about? Simple explanation: The way to raise Leptin is to actually spill over into your fat cells.

Yes, I said it, SPILL OVER!! In order to fill your muscle glycogen you need carbs, once your glycogen stores are full, you are now spilling over into your fat cells. 1 Step Backwards for 2 Steps Forward. Remember folks you can't get fat in 1 day. This is not a new method of fat loss either. Bodybuilders are doing this everywhere and with fantastic results. A Refeed Day is NOT and I repeat NOT a cheat day. There are rules to this that should be followed to avoid gaining fat during the refeed

Typically a refeed is done every 4-5 days, although the frequency of the refeeds can be adjusted to suit the person. The lower the caloric deficit you've managed to create, and the lower your BF%, the more often you should refeed. Why? Because your leptin levels plummet as your calories drop and your bodyfat decreases; remember, we want to stay out of starvation mode.

How do you know when you should refeed more often, or less often? Unfortunately, it’s a personal process of trial and error; no two people are alike, and the general refeed plan is just that---general. If you find yourself constantly obsessed with food, and if you’re losing a significant amount of muscle and strength, you may have to refeed more often (perhaps every 2 to 3 days).

A refeed may also be shorter or longer in duration. For instance, some prefer to refeed for 24 hours, in which case they may consume anywhere from 25 to 50% above their maintenance caloric intake. For shorter refeeds, such as those that last for 6 to 10 hours, people often do not count their calories; rather, they pack down as much as they can within the designated time-frame to ensure that their fat cells have a hefty bag of new fuel to stoke the metabolic furnace with.

Appropriate Foods For a Refeed

During your refeed, you should aim for around 1G of protein per Pound of body weight, keeping your sources of fat to a minimum, so you are only taking the fats that are in your proteins and carbs. Now, here is the fun part: CARBS!

Yes, lots and lots and lots of carbs. Not necessarily brown rice, sweet potatoes and oats here either:

Bagels
Pasta
Rice
Bread
Cereal
FF/SF Ice Cream
Pancakes
Waffles
Crackers

Yes, all the things we crave

If its low fat or fat free, have at it! Remember, no additional fats.

You should keep fructose to a minimum though. Sticking to 50-100G [for fructose, probably lower, like 25%] for the day is plenty. Remember sucrose is 50% glucose and 50% fructose so seeing that we need to watch our fructose, staying away from sucrose (table sugar) is probably best. Yes, in order to elevate our levels of leptin, we want to spill over muscle, not liver glycogen.

Wrapping It Up---For Now

Now, don't bother stepping on the scale the next day---you will be heavier. Remember, carbs make you hold water but in a day or two it will be all gone and your body will burning fat like mad again.

Some of you being scared of other carb sources may opt to refeed with slow burning carbs and that's fine. Just keep in mind its going to take a hell of alot more oatmeal to raise Leptin than 1 bowl full, and if you’re doing a relatively short refeed, you may want to reconsider your food choices; a short refeed absolutely requires a drastic increase in your calories, as well as the consumption of refined carb sources.

The fiber in the slow burning carbs can be counter-productive when trying to raise leptin, that's why we use refined carbs. Refined carbs raise Leptin much quicker and you won't feel like a stuffed pig all day for having to eat 3C of oats to equal what 1 bagel could have done. And for those of you who are scared, it’s up to you to look at the entire picture, especially in light of how the body seeks balance. Then, if you truly understand the issue, you will no longer fear the calculated nature of a refeed, even if it requires you to consume those foods that are typically----at least in your mind----forbidden.

Anyone carb cycling does not need to follow this refeed. Reason being is because the carb cycling diet uses the High Carb days (every 2 days) to raise Leptin.

I plan on adding more to this as I go. This is just the beginning.

I'd like to thank Dante for his edit's to this write up.

**Monolith** · 12-20-2003, 10:59 AM

Nice work!

RE: carb cycling... you say slow burning carbs arent as effective at raising leptin levels, which is why carb cycling uses "refeeds" every 2 days. Could the carb cycling diet be tweaked to use something like a high carb, no carb, low carb, no carb, high carb, and then use those "tastier" carbs on the high carb days?

**Jodi** · 12-20-2003, 11:16 AM

I'm sure you could, anythings possible. However, I think it would disrupt the diet. During a refeed you are watching your protein and keeping fat low. During carb cycling your protein and fat remain consistant throughout, no matter what day your on.

That is my thought anyway, I would like to hear TP's thought as its his diet concepts and he know more about it than I.

**MeLo** · 12-22-2003, 06:12 PM

Jodi, so refeed helps you to lose more fat,faster than if you stick to a strict diet 24/7? that would be good!

**atherjen** · 12-22-2003, 06:32 PM

AWESOME outline of refeeds Jodi! Well put together I must say!

**donescobar2000** · 12-22-2003, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by MeLo
Jodi, so refeed helps you to lose more fat,faster than if you stick to a strict diet 24/7? that would be good!

Refeeds are taking a step back to move 2 steps forward. My cutting cycles include refeeds or carb ups. It really depends on what diet I am doing. 2.0 refeeds are more like a carb orgy. Excuse my french. I can easily consume 1400 grams of carbs.

**MeLo** · 12-22-2003, 10:59 PM

1400 carbs???!?! that's 5600cals from carbs alone!

btw, im planning to lose 5 more lbs to make my bf% even lower. right now im on my first week. is it wise to implement the refeed on the first week?

**MeLo** · 12-23-2003, 02:51 AM

btw... im only 15. i still can grow taller etc... should i incoperate a refeed more often and slash my calories by too much?

**MeLo** · 12-24-2003, 06:03 AM

my stats are 15 year old male 6-0 170lbs

**Leslie** · 12-24-2003, 06:21 AM

Are you doing a no/low carb diet?

**MeLo** · 12-24-2003, 06:03 PM

no, im currently having at 1g of carbs per pound. I thought playing enudrance sports like basketball and its training 3 hours 4 times a week, i need more of them...

my schedule are : Monday:Practise/Gym(upper body)
:Tuesday: Plyometrics
: Wednesday: Practise/Gym(Leg)
: Thursday:Plyometrics
: Friday: Practise/Plyometrics
:Saturday: Practise/ Practise(Double training session)
:sunday: off

**Premo55** · 12-29-2003, 09:40 PM

1g of carbs per pound of bw is still low carb. If you feel you're feeling lethargic in the gym, do a refeed once a week.

Peace.

**jetguy** · 12-31-2003, 07:45 PM

Happy New Year Everyone;

Very new to this forum.

I have gone up and down in both weight and size throughout the years, went from 285 lbs and a 51 inch belt to 195 and 31 inches, BUT, with my schedule and all I went back to 270 and 43 inches.
My question is this, I started with Hydroxicut (I don't have an empty bottle for the correct spelling), and it worked wonders, the US stuff I picked up on overnighters that can't be bought here in Canada, Has anyone used the "Canadian" stuff and found good results?.
Time to start back on the road to health before the airline spends another bunch of money on a new uniform again (ha! ha!)

JetGuy

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-04-2004, 03:48 AM

So I do a refeed how often per week? Is it based on how low carb you're doing? And how long is the refeed? One meal, 1 day or two?

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-04-2004, 03:52 AM

Oh, and do I refeed on down days or does it matter?

**donescobar2000** · 01-04-2004, 06:19 AM

What is your BF% and current weight. Also how much carbs are you ingesting per day?

**Jodi** · 01-04-2004, 10:16 AM

If your energy is low and cravings are high, that is usually a good indication of your body requiring a refeed.

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-04-2004, 10:44 PM

Originally posted by donescobar2000
What is your BF% and current weight. Also how much carbs are you ingesting per day?

18%
221lbs
35 grams each day

**donescobar2000** · 01-05-2004, 04:21 AM

How long do you run on 35 grams per day? Meaning in a week.

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-05-2004, 04:43 AM

five days

**donescobar2000** · 01-05-2004, 04:50 AM

on that 5th or 6th day you can go up to 1400 grams of carbs this assuming you are glycogen depleted. If you want to be safe I would probably cut it to lower. This is due to you BF%. Maybe go for 1000 grams or untill you are satisfied.

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-05-2004, 04:52 AM

I assume clean carbs? Non sugar right?

**donescobar2000** · 01-05-2004, 04:56 AM

Originally posted by TheGreatSatan
I assume clean carbs? Non sugar right?

Anything that is lowfat. I would stay away from breads because all it will do is bloat you. Some is okay but not all bread. Sugar is fine. Just limit fructose (fruit and in some packaged food) to no more than 50 grams. Enjoy a box of cereal.

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-05-2004, 05:20 AM

Thanks for the help. Much appreciated.

**donescobar2000** · 01-05-2004, 05:27 AM

NP

**Jodi** · 01-05-2004, 10:54 AM

Originally posted by TheGreatSatan
I assume clean carbs? Non sugar right?

Please re-read this thread from the top

**Muscleparasite** · 01-07-2004, 03:05 PM

Hey, on low carb days can I eat a high fat protein like sausage if my carbs are lower than 100 grams? I am carb cycling at 11%BF.

**TheGreatSatan** · 01-08-2004, 08:25 AM

Yes. You'll just have to make sure you're burniing it up. On refeed days avoid the fat.

**nourisha** · 04-01-2004, 08:31 AM

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**KillerAbz** · 05-10-2004, 12:18 PM

Thank you, I am printing this one out actually...

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