Should I do a refeed?

[ChrisG2]

Been cutting strong for about 9 solid months and am around 17%ish body fat (my estimate, abs are starting to appear faintly). Progress is starting to come to a screeching halt and I feel it's because my metabolism is slowing down. I eat around 2000-2200 calories a day of "clean foods" and planned to integrate hiit and cardio starting next week. Thoughts on what I can do?

 

[04ImprezaWRX]

Sounds like you killed your metabolic rate. 9 months is a long cut. I'm confused that you're just adding HIIT and cardio into your cutting diet. If you are cutting you usually are doing quite a bit of this already. I would look into some reverse dieting slowly adding more carbs and fats into your diet. Layne Norton has some pretty good videos on YouTube regarding metabolic rate and reverse dieting.

 

[ChrisG2]

Sounds like you killed your metabolic rate. 9 months is a long cut. I'm confused that you're just adding HIIT and cardio into your cutting diet. If you are cutting you usually are doing quite a bit of this already. I would look into some reverse dieting slowly adding more carbs and fats into your diet. Layne Norton has some pretty good videos on YouTube regarding metabolic rate and reverse dieting.

I hate cardio and I've just been procrastinating it but I calculated it all out and I've been losing 1 lb a week atleast that's what it averages out to. When reverse dieting do I eat in a deficit still or what?

 

[04ImprezaWRX]

I hate cardio and I've just been procrastinating it but I calculated it all out and I've been losing 1 lb a week atleast that's what it averages out to. When reverse dieting do I eat in a deficit still or what?

Watch those videos. Basically you will slowly add calories to increase your metabolism. I would slowly increase calories until you start seeing a difference. Eating in a deficit is not beneficial if you're not making any gains(losing weight). I would quit the cutting diet(calorie deficit). Start doing cardio and get yourself rebalanced.

 

[ChrisG2]

Watch those videos. Basically you will slowly add calories to increase your metabolism. I would slowly increase calories until you start seeing a difference. Eating in a deficit is not beneficial if you're not making any gains(losing weight). I would quit the cutting diet(calorie deficit). Start doing cardio and get yourself rebalanced.

is there any other way to judge progress besides the scale? Because I did drop down to 178 this past week from 180 but I ate like complete crap but not sure if water weight or what...

 

[ChrisG2]

Also just thought, I wonder if I just keep my same diet but adding in that hiit starting next week will be enough to ramp my metabolism and bust the plateau

 

[heybeavis1]

Sounds like you killed your metabolic rate. 9 months is a long cut. I'm confused that you're just adding HIIT and cardio into your cutting diet. If you are cutting you usually are doing quite a bit of this already. I would look into some reverse dieting slowly adding more carbs and fats into your diet. Layne Norton has some pretty good videos on YouTube regarding metabolic rate and reverse dieting.

Metabolic "damage" is not backed up by science. Metabolism clearly slows down cutting weight over time, but not to the point that you´re suggesting, and even less on a 17-ish% bf.
To OP: You can do a diet break. Eat 20% above your maintenance, focusing on clean food (good carbs, low fat) for one week.

 

[pyrobatt]

Metabolic "damage" is not backed up by science. Metabolism clearly slows down cutting weight over time, but not to the point that you´re suggesting, and even less on a 17-ish% bf.
To OP: You can do a diet break. Eat 20% above your maintenance, focusing on clean food (good carbs, low fat) for one week.

Metabolic adaptation is however. But it takes Years thus the average American who thinks they have bad genetics. Consistently undereating via work days then letting go on weekends.

I agree on the diet break however. It's a marathon not a race.

 

[heybeavis1]

Metabolic adaptation is however. But it takes Years thus the average American who thinks they have bad genetics. Consistently undereating via work days then letting go on weekends.

I agree on the diet break however. It's a marathon not a race.

Yes, that was what I meant (metabolic adaptation), and as I stated, it definitely happens. What Layne says is that you can gain weight even on a supposed deficit due to "damaged metabolism". On the Minessota study, metabolic rate just dropped by 40% after 6 months at 50% maintenance with 2 hours forced walking, and the subjects reached aprox 4% bf at the end of the study. Like I said, there´s enough leptin on a 17-ish to keep things going.
OP, diet break. And you can enhance your results on your adapted metabolism with adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola rosea. It would be a cool plus in your protocol besides HIIT

 

[ChrisG2]

So to sum it all up, I should take a little break then I should be good to go?

 

[heybeavis1]

So to sum it all up, I should take a little break then I should be good to go?

Yes. And if you´ve been pushing really hard on the gym these past months, you can do a deload with the diet break too. It would help getting rid of minor injuries, aching

 

[ChrisG2]

I don't have any aches so I probably won't, but thank you guys for the tips!

 

[pyrobatt]

So to sum it all up, I should take a little break then I should be good to go?

Break doesn't mean go to the buffet everyday but yes. You may even find it easier once your break ends

 

[ChrisG2]

Break doesn't mean go to the buffet everyday but yes. You may even find it easier once your break ends

I did it yesterday and today is my last day or is that Too short?

 

[pyrobatt]

I did it yesterday and today is my last day or is that Too short?

Go ahead and break for a week or 2.