Every Other Day Refeed (EOD) vs UD2

[kyoun1e]

I've been on and off UD2 for 12 weeks -- did one eight week run and another 4 week run separated by maintenance periods. Results were great: Went from 209 lbs to 185 lbs, didn't lose any muscle, and gained strength in some areas.

I'm still looking to get my BF % down in the 10-12% range over the nexst 4-6 weeks, but I'm tiring of UD2. It's a bitch of a program and my schedule looks hairy over the next month or so. UD2 could be like fitting a square peg in a round hole.

What I'd like to investigate is an EOD refeed routine. Anyone have any experience?

It's looser than UD2, but could help me inch my way towards my goal.

Here's what I was thinking...with bodyweight at 185 lbs and maintenance calories at apprs. 2,760 I'd diet and refeed as follows each week:

* 4 diet Days: 1,380 cals (50% deficit); Very little carbs; Low fat; Protein as close to 1.5g/lbm as possible while cutting cals 50%.
* 3 Refeed Days: Up cals 400-500 over maintenance to 3,100 - 3,200. Specifics of the refeed would more or less look like this:

- Protein: 1 - 1.5g/lbm (156 lbs lbm = 234g protein).
- Fat: <50g
- Carbs: The rest. We're probably looking at 450ish carbs on refeed days dominated by starchy carbs. I'd probably kick start the refeed an hour prior to the workout with a carb/protein shake, blast myself with a dextrose/protein shake right after the workout, and then try to sink the rest of the carbs in over the next 5 - 7 hours.

My total weekly deficit would run apprx. 4,100 cals.

As for workouts, since I"m dieting I know I need to keep volume low and intensity high so I was thinking about doing the following:

* 1 depletion workout on one of the diet days to accelerate fat loss.
* On each refeed day, go with rep ranges of 5 - 8 and hit a full body workout each time with mostly compounds...maybe a couple iso's (like bi's and tris). Would do very light cardio as well for 30 minutes.

Goal would be 1.5 lbs+ fat loss per week.

The beauty of this routine would be that I wouldn't be locked into certain workouts or diets on any given day like UD2. More flexibility is provided. If I see a "landmine" or social activity, I could make that a workout/refeed day and then diet the next. That said, I'd probably be sacrificing the dynamite nutrient partitioning that comes with UD2. And there's the compromise.

Any help or feedback on this routine would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

KY

 

[kyoun1e]

Wow...crickets.

I guess everyone would rather talk about eggs and chicken on this forum.

Or maybe this should have been placed in the training forum.

KY

 

[kyoun1e]

Not one of the "gurus" on this board want to take a crack at this?

Or maybe I nailed it?

The structure of UD2 has worked so damn well for me and I'm loathe to "fix what aint broke" but my schedule dictates the creation of a new flexible situation.

Thanks.

KY

 

[Marat]

It looks like you are turning his UD2.0 into a modified version of his PSMF with more frequent refeeding.

How about just doing a PSMF cycle? I can run the numbers for you if you'd like.

 

[kyoun1e]

It looks like you are turning his UD2.0 into a modified version of his PSMF with more frequent refeeding.

How about just doing a PSMF cycle? I can run the numbers for you if you'd like.

It's without a doubt UD2 meets his RFL (Rapid Fat Loss).

The reason why I don't want to do RFL is that I believe that as a category 1 dieter on RFL you go 11 straight days or something like that with a 2-3 day refeed. Not flexible enough for me. Thus, this EOD concoction.

I'm actually still doing UD2 but I soon expect my schedule to turn upside down so I'd like to have a plan B in place.

KY

 

[Marat]

Not flexible in what sense? What aspects don't work for you?

You mentioned a 4-6 week window. Perhaps 2 RFL cycles with a break in between would fit in that window. You be able to hit your goal and then maintain while things get hectic.

 

[DocHoliday]

Never exceed 1000 cals/day deficit! Do a refeed every 4th day to bring you up to 10% below maintenance.

 

[Built]

Never exceed 1000 cals/day deficit! Do a refeed every 4th day to bring you up to 10% below maintenance.

Why "never"?

 

[kyoun1e]

Not flexible in what sense? What aspects don't work for you?

You mentioned a 4-6 week window. Perhaps 2 RFL cycles with a break in between would fit in that window. You be able to hit your goal and then maintain while things get hectic.

UD2 flexible? Hah!

It has worked for me. 12 weeks worth actually and 27 lbs gone. That said, UD2 is pretty strict in terms of what days you do x, y, and z workouts and what days you do a, b, and c diet. My schedule just doesn't look like it will accomodate that rigidness.

RFL is attractive, but as I understand it, you would have to do 11-12 days straight as a category 1 dieter. Can't do it.

What I need is a plan where I diet hard when I can, then workout and refeed when I can.

KY

 

[kyoun1e]

Why "never"?

Yeah, I don't get that comment. I've cut calories 50% or more on UD2 diet days which equates to a 1,350 calorie deficit daily. And it worked.

I get a refeed every fourth day. Was actually thinking every third.

Also tinkering with the idea of doing both heavy (with low volume) workouts on refeed days followed by about 20-30 minutes of "metabolic" work -- high rep, light weight. Basically, a mini-depletion. Something Lyle recommends.

KY

 

[Marat]

I think your best bet would be just to give what you have written up a shot and adjust from there.

Diets like in RFL and UD2.0 are designed to be followed very closely in order to provide ideal results. Your twist on the diets may or may not be as effect as the diets are written on their own, but you at least have relatively sound logic in your approaches.


Just one thing, Lyle mentions putting the workouts on your refeed days, not on the low cal day.