Thread: refeeding the right way?

Originally Posted by Cris2Blis

Secondly... I just need to hear that it will be ok to have this free day for 24 hrs before I go pick up a few bags of rice cakes, captain crunch, and some ice cream!

I don't think a refeed means you can eat a ton of junk. I think it just means you eat a lot more calories of the right foods for a day. Everyone does need a cheat meal too once in awhile to keep their sanity, so that is allowed too.

Good luck, it sounds like you are doing well. If you are trying to lose weight I think 1300 calories is about right for your height and gender.

sorry, should have specified that the ice cream will be low fat. my understanding is to shoot for high carb, low fat foods on this day, while keeping protein at a moderate level. thanks for the info ricky!

Originally Posted by Cris2Blis

currently 148 lb, female, 5'6, 20% BF, 4 day split, 3 days cardio.

Hmmmm.... At 20% BF you may not need a 're-feed'...

For about a month (may 6th-june 6th) I was stuck to a 40-45% P, 35-40% C, 20-25% F diet staying between 1650 and 1800 cals. Avg grams were 170/170/40, give or take here and there. I think I had one or two cheats during the month (not a cheat meal, or carb up etc just a small amount of something). Since the 6th I've dropped the cals, specifically the carbs, and I've been closer to 1300. The past week has been mod carb/low cal... and I think I definitely need a refeed this weekend. First of all, am I correct in this thinking?

Too many people diet for a brief period and then think that they then need to 'refeed' to prevent their leptin from getting too low and to 'boost their metabolism'.... But the degree to which this occurs is proportional to things like BF% and total cal/carb intake. The lower your BF%, the lower your calories, the lower the carbs and the more active you are then the more you need to re-feed.

With a BF% greater than about 15% (female) and without signs of metabolic and leptin 'meltdown' (eg: complete obsession with hunger, low temperature, lack of libido, cranky, no energy, and menstrual issues in females) you may not need it. Also - Your cals are low (1300) but they are not super low...

So I think that a high carb day may be a better idea - but not a refeed.

Also - if you wanted to 'treat' yourself you could just have a cheat meal and then get back to it...

Personally - I would consider a high carb day and then I would probably re-assess diet/cals and cardio levels... If what you are doing is not working for you then just dropping back down to what you were doing is not going to be beneficial.....

Secondly... I just need to hear that it will be ok to have this free day for 24 hrs before I go pick up a few bags of rice cakes, captain crunch, and some ice cream!

Hi carb days should be low fat, high carb, moderate protein... Keep sucrose (sweets, really sugary cereal etc) lower and watch fructose and lactose as well... A LITTLE FF ice-cream would be ok - but not regular ice-cream. Try to stick to your more starchy carbs.

Also, I'm a little confused about whether or not I should keep track of any macros or just eat! And no fish oil caps on this day right? Sorry I guess that was more than a quick question... but any info. is greatly appreciated!!!!

Track if you want - some do, others don't.

Keep the fish oils but minimise other fats.

::removes all thoughts of ice cream and cereal:: Emma, thanks for the input!! Good thing I asked. I don't know if it makes a difference but this week my cals have been at 1,100 rather than 1,300 from a few weeks back. I see what you're saying about the higher BF%. So it would be better to make Sunday a high carb day? That actually sounds better anyway. What are your thoughts on that idea (mod carb/low cal Mon-Sat then high carb on Sun) versus carb cycling through the week? Carb cycling was my other thought but I really like to have the same meals daily to eliminate the possibility of messing up. Thanks again for your quick response!

Originally Posted by Cris2Blis

So it would be better to make Sunday a high carb day? That actually sounds better anyway. What are your thoughts on that idea (mod carb/low cal Mon-Sat then high carb on Sun) versus carb cycling through the week? Carb cycling was my other thought but I really like to have the same meals daily to eliminate the possibility of messing up. Thanks again for your quick response!

One high carb day every 7 days may be too little if your cals/carbs are going really low (sub ~1300) during the week. If you are going to do the NO carb (less than 40-50g), high protein low fat thing then 1 high carb MEAL half way through the week and then 1 high carb day on the weekend would be better.

But honestly, at 20% BF, you probably don't need to do anything as fancy as carb cycling at this stage. A moderate carb linear diet would be enough to get you lean. You don't really need to start with the 'tricky' stuff till you are sub 15% (when female).

I would try something simple first. Above 100g of carbs (keep you out of ketosis), higher protein, moderate fats. eg: 1500 cals, 110-120g carbs (~1 x lean mass), 170g protein (~1.5 x lean mass), 40g fat (~0.35 x lean mass). Then the gradual addition of cardio (length, intensity or more days) over the course of 4 weeks or so... With this intake you would not need refeeds and it may be enough to get your BF to where you want.

If required, you could drop to 1350 cals with ~100g carbs, 170g protein, ~30g fat but I would not go ANY lower and once you hit about this level of cals/carbs it would probably be smart to start a bit of cycling. 1 day a week of higher carb/cal. Nothing extreme - something like 1800 cals with high carbs (say 2 x lean mass = 230g), moderate protein (150-170g ) and LOW fats (<25g if you can manage it).

When you get a little leaner then you could add in a mid-week higher carb meal/day too. Or, you could do two higher carb days (Sat and Sun) and then lower carb during the week.

Thank you Emma-Leigh, I really appreciate the info!!!