Refeed meal

[marblemadness]

Hi to all,
I have a question...i m 198 lb with 10-12% bf and 500 cals under maintence and i need to know if i can have a refeed day sometimes...whitout gain fat
Thanks to all in advice!

 

[AntM1564]

You'll be fine. One day, especially a refeed day, will not make you gain any fat. Your body will thank you for the extra carbs. You may even wake up lighter. If you do weigh yourself the next day and you're heavier, it will just be water and glycogen.

 

[marblemadness]

Thank you very much for the reply
Can i have that refeed on a day when i have an heavy workout...
Another question...when i refeed i up the carbs, left the same pro and down the fats, right?!

 

[john.patterson]

Thank you very much for the reply
Can i have that refeed on a day when i have an heavy workout...
Another question...when i refeed i up the carbs, left the same pro and down the fats, right?!

That's a pretty common protocol for a carb refeed. Keep protein at your normal intake, 1g per pound at the least, and drop fats if you'd like. A refeed day should be at or above your maintenence calorie intake, just to give your body a break. Don't try to maintain your deficit on your refeed day, a little boost in calories and carbs will do you good, especially since you're already pretty lean.

 

[AntM1564]

Thank you very much for the reply
Can i have that refeed on a day when i have an heavy workout...
Another question...when i refeed i up the carbs, left the same pro and down the fats, right?!

That's a pretty common protocol for a carb refeed. Keep protein at your normal intake, 1g per pound at the least, and drop fats if you'd like. A refeed day should be at or above your maintenence calorie intake, just to give your body a break. Don't try to maintain your deficit on your refeed day, a little boost in calories and carbs will do you good, especially since you're already pretty lean.

Perfect response. And to answer your question about the day of the refeed, there are two trains of thought.

1. Have the refeed on your hardest training day/most depleting day. The extra cals and carbs will be put to good use. Or two, the day before our hardest day to prep you for that hard training day. I prefer the former.

 

[john.patterson]

Perfect response. And to answer your question about the day of the refeed, there are two trains of thought.

1. Have the refeed on your hardest training day/most depleting day. The extra cals and carbs will be put to good use. Or two, the day before our hardest day to prep you for that hard training day. I prefer the former.

I would agree 100%. I tend to keep my refeeds on my intense workout days or days of muscle groups that I feel are lagging, which typically ends up being leg day.

 

[marblemadness]

A sort of carb backloading...i think...
Thank you very very much...and sorry for my english!

 

[AntM1564]

I would agree 100%. I tend to keep my refeeds on my intense workout days or days of muscle groups that I feel are lagging, which typically ends up being leg day.

Same, heavy leg days for me!

 

[DirtyWilly]

Refeeds are an amazing tool but can be a bit complex so they tend to be overlooked in my opinion.

Keeping it simple, the most optimal refeeds come after a depleting, but not damaging workout. (Think volume, not max load.) You want greatly reduce fat intake and keep protein intake higher, especially Whey. Your sources of carbs should come from high glycemic foods, but preferably glucose/dextrose based within the first hours. (Gatorade, hard candy) Try to avoid fruit, fructose, and taper onto starches sparingly. Calories/macros are harder to recommend, but there is information out there showing negative fat gain even after 700g of carbs a day from a full body depleting workout.

You really need to know what your goals are to determine how to best use refeeds or carb loads. Are you going for size, strength, endurance? Are you trying to supercompensate, increase capacity, or reset hormones? Best advice from personal experience is to plan them out so you don't just end up eating a pizza and calling it a day. (Which you CAN do, but have have to plan it.)

 

[marblemadness]

I m trying to do a carb cycling where refeed days are a part of the cycle.
I use high (like refeed), low and zero carb days, like this (from monday): HLZHLLZ.
The amount of carbs are in line with the kind of my workouts, from leg day to full body and hiit days.
I m pretty lean but i wish to have one single digit body fat, now i m around 10-12%.

 

[marblemadness]

Thank you for your post...any info its good for me!

 

[jaces]

try and do them every 2 weeks rather than every week and skip fructose and opt for glucose type sugars when refeeding e.g. eat skittels rather than bannanas or atleast fruit with low fructose like pineaple or so

 

[marblemadness]

try and do them every 2 weeks rather than every week and skip fructose and opt for glucose type sugars when refeeding e.g. eat skittels rather than bannanas or atleast fruit with low fructose like pineaple or so

Two weeks on and two weeks off is better than doing every week?

 

[marblemadness]

...and if i choose to have 2 week on and 2 off of carb cycling, in the 2 off can i have a diet like 40-40-20??

 

[AntM1564]

If you're carb cycling, there is no need for refeeds. Your high carb days are enough.

 

[DirtyWilly]

I'm not suggesting this, but I've personally gotten the best results from two weeks zero carbs, followed by a refeed weekend. I'm also much heavier and much higher body fat. Everything I've read about carb nite and carb back loading (though I haven't had a chance to read the books directly) seem to get better results carb loading more frequently. For example, carb back loading tends to follow an every other day or nearly every other day late night carb load (after weight lifting basically). You may get better results from more frequent refeeds/carb loads being a lower body fat percentage.

The two week thing might be a little too hardcore for such low body fat, you may end up losing more muscle than it's worth.

 

[Gains2NV]

I been running with 3 days low carb (under 50) then 1 day high carb dropping fats. Its been going good steady drop. End of the day be at a caloric deficit and pick a plan you will stick to work hard and weight will drop

 

[marblemadness]

Ok...
I can't do a low carb day/week like keto...i try in the past but i m feeling too weak
At this point, lose 1-2 point of bf is very hard...i hope that carb cycling help me
I m tracking all macro and calories, 2 full body, 3 hiit workout and 2 light aerobic- active rest days

 

[Gains2NV]

Your most likely gonna have to drop cals a bit or add some more cardio in.

 

[marblemadness]

Hi, i m 500 cals under maintance...
I have 2 tabata and 3 hiit workout a week, plus 2 full body...

 

[marblemadness]

I dont want to drop the weight, im trying to burn the last strip of fat..

 

[john.patterson]

I dont want to drop the weight, im trying to burn the last strip of fat..

You can't 'strip fat' and not lose weight. Thats physically impossible. If you're not willing to do low carb days and have low energy, then getting below 9-10% bodyfat probably isn't for you

 

[marblemadness]

Yes, i know what u say...but i dont want to lose too much weight...i lost some muscle mass too at this point

 

[marblemadness]

Im on 10% bf...or a little more, feel strong and never sore, but i think if i ll drop the calories more than 500 cals, its not a good thing for my muscle mass...i dont know...

 

[AntM1564]

Yes, i know what u say...but i dont want to lose too much weight...i lost some muscle mass too at this point

Then don't be at a deficit of 500 cals.

 

[marblemadness]

Ahahah...right!
I think that patience and time are better than 500 more cals under...

 

[DirtyWilly]

Look into carb back loading. Seems to be good results for those with lower body fat.

Try weight training body parts you never hit like the hip flexors/abductors for example. Try some sprints, you'd be amazed at the different body parts you use - gluts, hams, stuff that's hard to hit with weights. While a bit more bro science, I feel I lose substantially more fat if I do exercises that leave me sore. The standard lifting routine including the big three (bench, squat, deadlift) don't leave me sore at all. I have to go out of my way to do things to get sore. Just some ideas to help.

 

[marblemadness]

Well...thanks for this info...
I have a sled home made too..
Dead lift and squat dont leave me sore, im doing pause squat too.
I find that add some crossfit wod is better than normal weight lifting workout.

 

[Gains2NV]

Or maybe some fasted cardio. Some people are against it but some for it when it comes to getting sub 10s. Question is why you trying to go so low. Assuming your body fat is accurate going any leaner unless for a show isn't really needed. I would say start slowly adding some calories back in. You may just feel like you losing muscle cause you appear flat.

 

[marblemadness]

I m trying to see how i can get ripped without losing too much muscle mass.
I think you said the right thing...i appear a bit flat now because i lost some muscle...

 

[jaces]

I m trying to see how i can get ripped without losing too much muscle mass.
I think you said the right thing...i appear a bit flat now because i lost some muscle...

you flat because you are dieting , losing some muscle is part of dieting .. just go om with it till you hit 8% then start ''bulking'' for a while til you hit 12% then stop and diet back down to 8% that way you will minimize muscle loss

 

[marblemadness]

Well to know!
Thanx!