Cheat Days and Refeeds

Anyone out there seem cold all the time?  I mean, you just cannot get warm with a hot soak in the tub or a blistering shower.  I have been feeling this way at work about the last three weeks and my wife has complained about it lately too.  It seems it being winter has masked as symptom of a slowing metabolism I completely forgot.  Then have to ask myself, is my metabolism slowing or am I just disappointed with my progress?  I am eating right (well my macro could be tighter), I am dropping some sort of cardio in at least five days out of seven and I am sleeping ok.  Well, I could be sleeping better but between late evening workouts that wire me and having to hit the bathroom because of all this increased water and fiber intake (well you get the point).  One of my co-workers mentions Refeeds last week (as he is in the process of cutting) and one of my MFP friends posts to her wall about a Cheat Day.  Fireworks go off in my head.  My metabolism has slowed!

You may start to notice that you will feel cold all the time, you get sick very easy, sluggish feelings, workouts become harder, and your mental lethargy is at an all-time high from cortisol levels being stressed to the max. These are all signs that the diet phase needs something and that is change. Granted as the diet does prolong you will experience some of the effects above not to mention sleepless nights and dreams of walking into a buffet because you are starving, or there will be those who have vicious snacking habits and it will get the best of them and their mental struggle with sacrifice for their goal. - See more at: http://www.machinemuscle.com/refeeds-and-cheats-impact-on-metabolism/#sthash.WzUbOLxz.dpuf

 I think most of us know how to cheat while on a diet, but I don’t want to cheat.  I measured out my Frosted Mini Wheats and my half cup of Light Almond Milk this morning.  My mind was screaming “Hey?  Is that an appetizer?  No way is that enough food!”  I ate it and I am not hungry, but Audrey II (the Food Drunk Demon that lives within me) is screaming “Feed Me!”

I am proud I have put a leash on Audrey II, though I can feel it whenever I pass that great burger joint or I see the hot light is on at Krispy Kreme.  I can’t cheat?!  Cheating is the path to the dark side.  Cheating leads self-loathing.  Self-loathing leads to emotional eating.  Emotional eating leads to FAT!  I then read more about Cheat Days and Refeeding…

For many they will need to schedule periodic breaks in their diet or include cheat meals/reefed days to help boost those hormones, t3, and leptin levels to keep the cutting diet going and to keep the fat coming off to get into the best shape of their life. While this does not sound ideal to throw in say a burger and fry, or doubling your carb intake it has its benefits. Revving up the metabolism and kicking your body in overdrive from time to time will have its benefits regarding fatloss/weightloss when dieting gets longer and the body is starting to slow down. - See more at: http://www.machinemuscle.com/refeeds-and-cheats-impact-on-metabolism/#sthash.WzUbOLxz.dpuf

So does this mean I get a pass?  I can cheat, but is not really cheating.  The rational side of me thinks back to being caught cheating in the second grade on some darken in the bubble test.  The test we were taking was not for a grade so it could not really be cheating.  I am sure I screwed on my best seven year old puppy face, but Mrs Wise did not seem to taken with my retort at being caught in the act.  I still did not to get to go and play at recess, while the other kids danced around just outside the glass having what it seemed was the best time of their lives.  A cheat day just cannot be right.  Maybe that is why they call it a refeed?  Because no one gets caught on a refeed!  They announce it while they are seeming to break the rules because the rules don’t apply to refeeds.  They are the in your diet, where your conscience cannot tag you and mocking say “Your it!”

Some science to back up the reasoning on these refeeds and cheats meals, let’s look further into this. Even if you are nailing your caloric intake day in and day out and knowing you are reading your body with the proper macros/micro’s to meet your goals for the day let’s see what this can do to an individual. The individual starts to find stalls occurring and when I say a stall I mean they cant figure out what is going on. They dropped calories, they added another HIIT session and another week goes by and nothing changes, energy drops, and they are fatigued/mentally weak. The reasoning is that long periods can cause hypocaloric periods that can cause the metabolism to slow/shutdown to an extent. This is where the refeeds and cheats play a key factor.

As leptin has been stated it has been studied since 1997 (as far as PubMed goes on their research) This hormone helps us understand that when controlled can increase fatloss and weightloss. The Anti-Famine and starvation hormone (as stated by many researchers) has a huge role in increasing metabolism for brief periods and regulating hunger. When you feel a hunger pain or an increase in wanting food this is a key factor being the premise and the effect on your neurological brain signals. While dieting leptin can decrease fat oxidation, increase appetite, and decrease your metabolic rate. Therefore the smaller the fat cells in your body the more that can be synthesized as far as hunger/lower energy expenditure during dieting and have a mimicking effect on famine situations. As we ramp up calories expanded (Cardio) and decrease overall caloric intake we need to find a way to shock the body and increase fat burning this is where the refeeds and cheats do come into play. - See more at: http://www.machinemuscle.com/refeeds-and-cheats-impact-on-metabolism/#sthash.WzUbOLxz.dpuf

So now what do I do?  There has to be a plan for all this.  I just can’t make a cheat day like The Rock...

While The Rock may be able to cook that, I know I would just be me hitting the all you can eat buffet like the Tasmanian Devil.  Small children would be crying and wabbits would be fleeing toward Albuquerque.  Even Audrey II would have to cry uncle.  Turns out there is a difference between a refeed and a cheat meal.  They are not exactly the same. 

For those starting (on a refeed) out I would do the following: Drop around 20-25g Protein, 5-10g Fat and increase carbohydrates by around 75-100g (around 100 kcals in Protein, 50-100 in fat and 350-400 added into carbs) while that does produce a slight surplus these will change as it does prolong. Someone who has been dieting for 15-16 weeks may be double this as far as carb intake goes and they may increase by around 200-250g or they will do 2 smaller refeeds to help keep the metabolism turning as their body will simply eat up the carbs for being in a deficit for so long and being on a restricted intake on the other 5-6 days of the week where they do not refeed.

Cheat Meals on the other hand I have an outline to prevent the client/individual from going overboard.  My outlook is pretty simple, most individual utilize a cheat meal with a great home cooked meal from their parents, their wife/husband, or a meal eaten out with friends/family (Social Occasion). This is where I like to say split an appetizer. Say you get a onion ring basket, fried zucchini sticks, some sort of sliders or potato skins among your party. Indulge on 2-3 of them to get the satisfaction and move onto the next portion of your meal. If you have a side salad to boot that is free game because greens are not very many calories and it will help curb hunger/appetite on your meal. Then grab an entrée of your choice, whatever your heart desires or may want. Many individuals it may be a burger/fry meal, for some it may be a great big burrito, for some it may be chicken wings or a few slices of pizza so eat up and enjoy! Then if you want you can split dessert with those at your table or whoever made the meal for you. Say you are dieting around the holidays and there is a slice of pumpkin pie left on the counter that is sealed up, split it with your wife/husband and move on. The cheat meal is done and complete and get right back on your diet the next day or next meal. For some it is very hard to mentally adapt right back on your diet if you do cheat earlier in the day, so this is why I would suggest to leave it as your last meal of the day so you can shut off, wind down, and get ready for bed soon after and get back on track the next day. For those who just need a meal on their own getting a takeout order works very well. Say you are digging some chinese. Grab an eggroll or some soup with it as your appetizer, take down an entrée of general Tso’s chicken and polish off a cone of ice cream, a few servings of ice cream, a doughnut or two, or a few cookies and call it a cheat meal and get back on the swing of things. - See more at: http://www.machinemuscle.com/refeeds-and-cheats-impact-on-metabolism/#sthash.WzUbOLxz.dpuf

So a cheat is still a cheat, but it is cheating with a purpose.  Kind of like my second grade test, but skipping the shame and detention.  Or is it the guilt from being caught?  Refeeds are akin to cheating, in that you change your diet with a purpose to the point of it being a math lesson.  Where cheat days are mental breathers to keep you on the train, refeeds are physical recharges to keep your train on the track.

Trying both the cheat meal and the refeed may be wise, see how you respond, see how you react as far as weight gain from both processes, and see how you mentally and physically feel. These are KEY indications on what works best for your body and what you should utilize in the future to help dial you into the best shape of your life! - See more at: http://www.machinemuscle.com/refeeds-and-cheats-impact-on-metabolism/#sthash.WzUbOLxz.dpuf

 I am not a cheater, though I have cheated in the past.  Ok, I am a cheater... but I am not planning to cheat.  I can see Mrs Wise in my head as I try to plan out the crime in my head, the swish of her finger back and forth while the tsk, tsk of disappointment escapes her lips.  No cheating, I am stronger than Audrey II... well... right now I am.  So maybe I need to plan for a refeed, and I can back it up with a heavy workout the day following.  My penance for planning out something akin to a diet crime, but not really a crime.   More of a Rube Goldberg mixed with Spy vs Spy, with me bring one spy trying to pull one over on the other Spy (keeping all my fat locked away).

 

-- TapouT FTW

Getting into Gear

I see a lot of people jump into MFP, having decided to take the first step but they really don't have a clue what to do.  Most people are not prepared for the journey they are about to undertake, they just see the destination wayyyyy over there and want it.  For certain, if you want to get in the race you have to get on the track.  They are starting in the right place but really don't know what to do next.  The other people here at MFP become a sort of make shift pit crew.  New users can hear a lot of noise but that still may not prepare them for them for life on the track.

I am one of the unfortuante ones who knows the path to success but was too lazy to get on it.  I was never a "certified trainer" but I was a Sergeant in the Army, and I had soldiers of my own.  My company commander saw I was good at "special needs" PT (those the unit considered fat or broken), and I whipped them back into shape.  Not because I yelled the loudest or was the meanest, but because I looked at what the root cause of the problem was and developed a program that was best for them.  90% of the time, weight was the issue.  Chances are, you are not in the military.  So, I am not going to address anyone as such.  BUT, I can give you ten tools to help succeed.

1. Start today.  Does not matter if it is 10:00 PM and your day is over.  Log it as best you can.  How many times have you said "I will start tomorrow" but tomorrow does not agree with starting?
2. Go get a digital scale to weigh your food.  You are going to need it.  Guessing at calories = guessing at weight loss.  It also leaves it up to us to fill in the blanks.  We can think we are doing great and kidding ourselves in the process.  You gain muscle in the gym, but lose fat in the kitchen.
3. Get a tape measure.  Something like the MyoTape is a good one that you can use on yourself.  (http://www.amazon.com/AccuFitness-MT05-MyoTape-Body-Measure/dp/B000G7YW7Y.  BodyBuilder.com offers freebies of these with some purchases (that is how I got mine).
4. If you don't have access to a scale, go get one.  It does not have to be fancy.  I would recommend digital that can hit the half pound.
5. Go take a picture of yourself in something as close to your birthday suit as possible.  Do this once a month.
6. Go to a site that allows you to calculate your Body Fat Percentage.  I like this one (http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/body-fat-percentage-calculator).  Go into MFP and set each of these stats to track these measurements.  You will measure yourself twice a month, record the stats and calculate your BF%.
7. Weigh yourself twice a week.  However, don't get upset at weight fluctations.  Keep your eyes on your tape measurements and BF%.  They are a better judge of your fitness level than just weight.  Just hit the Records link whenever to see how you are progressing.
8. I recommend doing something to increase your heart rate for 30 minutes at least three times a week.  I personally try to do something six days a week, even if it only to go out for a walk.  Even a 15 minute walk at lunch is better than nothing.
9. I would recommend eveyone take the following three supplements: a multivitimin of some sort, CLA and Fish Oil (or Kryll Oil, etc).  The benefits behind taking these is very well documented.
10. Listen to your body.  I did not say listen to your cravings, because that will get you in a world of trouble.  Listening to your body is something most people have to learn.  To many people equate Food Drunk to full, but it is not.  A lot of people say that missing a meal is harmful to your health, but it is not (though it may slow your metabolism).  Maybe you are better off eating five or six small meals a day.  Maybe you need to consume the largest portion of your calories earlier.  Maybe you have more focus working out in the evening than getting up early in the morning.  These are all things you have to figure out.  Slow down when you eat.  If you have eaten your allocated portion, stop.  For instance, I eat my salad and then wait a bit.  Then I move into my next course.  Give your body a chance to figure out home much you have consumed.

Your goal is your own.  I don't know if you are here to gain muscle, lose fat, get in better shape, etc.  While you may have your eyes on the prize, I would look to a place for a pit stop now and again.  For instance, 50 lbs is a long way away.  Setting a short term goal of 5 lbs may be a good place to start.  My short term goals are not weight goals but activity cycles.  I want to finish a program (currently C25K) and then move onto the next program.  I want the sense of accomplishment for completing a physical goal.  As long as I am eating right, gaining muscle, endurance is increasing and I am "looking" better then I know my target body fat percentage is going to come along.

Your engine is started, the flagged has been waved... all you need to do is get into gear and press down on the accelerator.  I hope to see you fly around the track and look forward to reading your success story.

Disclaimer: I give this advise not as a medical professional.  If you are alergic to shellfish or have gout, you may need to look at your Fish Oil supplement more closely.  If you have an underlying medical condition, then you need to address your diet/activity changes with your healthcare provider.

down from 305 to 294 - 11 lbs lost so far.

How did I do it?  With the Lord's encouragement, I am counting calories and sticking to a daily calorie goal of 1775 calories per day.  Calculating the calories is fairly easy using the on line tool at www.myfitnesspal.com.  Another benefit of that website is there are many others there trying to lose weight, and we encourage each other, which helps quite a bit.  My goal is to reach 175 lbs., which would be a huge change for me.

The discipline of counting calories helps so much.  I stick to my plan, eat what is allowed based on the calorie count.  When I reach my allotted limit, I stop.  It seems easier now that I have a definite goal.  I've stopped all of the horrible foods that contributed so my to my weight gain--the candy, the ice cream, the cookies...

Losing 11 lbs is good, but I am not fooling myself into thinking the remaining 119 lbs will be easy.  My pattern in the past is to lose 10 - 20 lbs and then have a massive "cheat", followed by a loss of hope.  Then I gain everything back, plus more. LOL it sounds funny, but the flesh is weak.

Wish me luck.

Sabotage? Drive on!

I have been seeing this a lot in the MFP forums lately.  That being the pervasive interjection of unwelcome comments and critism agaisnt people making a life style change.  Now I am not talking about people slinging arrows on the forums.  Far from it.  From what I have seen, the folks who make up the MFP community are as supportive as they are informative.  I am talking about the people outside the digital domain.  It seems that family, friends and co-workers are the ones who seem to do the most harm.  However, aquaintance or complete strangers are being liberally mixed into the fold of late.  It seems that everyone has an opinion that whatever place you are trying to get out of is just fine.

"Why do you need to lose [insert your desired weight lose here]?"

"75 lbs overweight is not obese.  That is just the really, REALLY big people like my 600 lb life.  You are just a fat."

"I know you are on some sort of diet but you really need to try this [insert food you dont want]."

"You want to run 5k?!  I mean the parking is bad at Walmart but it is not that far?"

"Why don't you want to come out to lunch with us on Deep Fried Food Friday?  Your diet makes you [better/self righteous/more important than our friendship]?"

"Why do you want to gain weight?  You know it is all just going to turn to fat when you quit exercising."

Sabotage, pure and simple.  People don't like change and here you are, changing.  How dare you?!  You have become an ugly symbol of what they know deep down in their own heart to be true and need to fix, but are content to be idle.  They would rather be Fat, Dumb and Happy on the couch than be Fit, Determined and Hungry for Change in their heart.

You can have sympathy for the devil, but that does not mean you have to go to hell to give it.  If they are family, friend or co-worker you can just offer an olive branch, like "I am going for a run tomorrow but I would be happy to walk.  Would you care to join me?"  If they say no, you tried.  Don't let some misguided comment, snide remark or rude look derail you.  Like water off a ducks back, you cannot let their bad mojo weigh you down.

“If people want something to be wrong about you— they are going to make things wrong about you. That is why it is my belief to never try and prove anything to anyone. Real diamonds belong to people who know how to spot a real diamond; they don’t belong to people who need to be convinced that they are real diamonds. It’s the idiots who need to be convinced of something that they cannot already see.”
― C. JoyBell C.

-- TapouTFTW