Refeeding On Keto: Monthly Refeed Days — Good Or Bad?

Refeeding is a strategic increase in calories, mainly from carbohydrates, to help achieve body composition goals. It is intended to give your body a temporary break from calorie restriction. While some sources suggest that refeeds should occur weekly, bi-weekly, or every three to four weeks, others argue that the traditional keto diet, which aims for ketosis, does not benefit from a carbohydrate refeed as it takes the body out of ketosis.

Refeeding is a strategic increase in calories, mainly from carbohydrates

The main goal of refeeding is to consume a surplus of calories in a controlled manner, with a focus on carbohydrates. This practice is intended to counteract the negative effects of being in a prolonged calorie deficit, such as lower hormone levels, increased hunger, lethargy, and weight loss plateaus. By temporarily increasing calorie intake, individuals can raise their leptin levels, a hormone that regulates appetite and encourages calorie burning.

The recommended frequency of refeeding while dieting is weekly, bi-weekly, or every three to four weeks. For those with a body fat percentage below 10% for men and 18% for women, weekly refeeding is advised. For individuals with moderate body fat percentages (10-15% for men and 18-25% for women), a bi-weekly refeeding schedule is suggested. Those with higher body fat percentages (above 15% for men and 25% for women) can plan a refeed every three to four weeks.

It is important to note that refeeding too frequently may lead to unnecessary fat gain, while refeeding too infrequently may cause a plateau in reaching body composition goals. Additionally, refeeding is not recommended for those following the traditional keto diet, as it involves breaking ketosis by significantly increasing carbohydrate intake. However, individuals on the keto diet who feel they need a refeed day can consider a non-traditional approach, focusing on achieving a caloric deficit rather than ketosis.

Refeeds should occur weekly, bi-weekly, or every 3 to 4 weeks

Refeeds are an important part of a healthy lifestyle, especially when one is trying to lose weight. They are a planned increase in calories for a day, either weekly or bi-weekly, to give your body a break from calorie restriction.

Refeeds are important to counteract the negative effects of being in a calorie deficit, such as lower hormone levels, increased hunger, lethargy, tiredness, and hitting a weight loss plateau. They are also important to prevent a distorted relationship with food, which can be caused by cheat days, where there is uncontrolled and unplanned eating. Refeeds, on the other hand, involve thoughtful planning and controlled food intake.

The frequency of refeeds depends on an individual's body fat percentage, the intensity of their caloric deficit, and the duration of their diet. If you have a lower body fat percentage, it is recommended to have refeeds more frequently, i.e. weekly. For those with a moderate body fat percentage, it is recommended to have refeeds bi-weekly. If you have a higher body fat percentage, refeeds can be planned every 3 to 4 weeks.

It is important to know the right frequency of refeeding because too many refeeds may lead to unnecessary fat gain, and not enough refeeds may lead to a plateau in reaching your body composition goals.

Refeeding can help increase diet adherence

Refeeding can be a great way to increase diet adherence. It is a strategic increase in calories, mainly from carbohydrates, that can help us achieve our body composition goals. By including a refeed day, we can give our body a temporary break from calorie restriction and counteract the negative effects of being in a calorie deficit, such as lower hormone levels, increased hunger, lethargy, and tiredness.

One of the main benefits of refeeding is that it can help prevent a weight loss plateau. When we diet, our metabolism can slow down as our body thinks food is scarce. By including a refeed day, we can increase our calorie intake temporarily and reassure our bodies that food is coming in, so it doesn't feel the need to hold onto excess fat. This can help to speed up our metabolism and encourage fat loss.

Another benefit of refeeding is that it can help lower the risk of binging. Most research has found that food restriction can lead to overeating or binging. By including a refeed day, we can gently and purposefully increase calories, which may reduce the urge to binge. It can also help satisfy cravings and decrease feelings of deprivation.

Refeeding can also help improve physical performance. During periods of calorie restriction, our body's ability to store glycogen is limited. Refeeding, especially with a focus on carbohydrates, can help replenish glycogen stores and improve performance in the gym or during physical activity.

The frequency of refeeding depends on multiple factors, including body fat percentage, the intensity of the caloric deficit, and the length of the dieting phase. If we have a lower body fat percentage, we may need to refeed more often as we have lower levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite. More frequent refeeding can help increase calorie intake and temporarily boost leptin levels.

In conclusion, refeeding can be a powerful tool to increase diet adherence. It can help prevent weight loss plateaus, lower the risk of binging, and improve physical performance. By tailoring the frequency of refeeding to our individual needs, we can maximise the benefits and achieve better long-term results.

Refeeding can prevent fat loss plateaus

Refeeding is a strategic increase in calories, mainly from carbohydrates, to help achieve body composition goals. It is a planned period of higher calorie intake that can help mitigate the pitfalls of calorie restriction, such as hunger, low energy levels, decreased performance, and weight loss plateaus.

Refeeding can be an effective tool to prevent fat loss plateaus for several reasons. Firstly, refeeding helps to regulate hormones such as leptin and ghrelin, which control appetite, hunger, and metabolism. During calorie restriction, leptin levels tend to decrease, leading to increased hunger and cravings. Refeeding with higher carbohydrate and calorie intake can temporarily increase leptin levels, helping to mitigate hunger and cravings, and prevent a weight loss plateau.

Secondly, refeeding helps to prevent muscle loss and promotes muscle protein synthesis. Prolonged calorie restriction can lead to muscle tissue breakdown, resulting in decreased strength and metabolism. Refeeding provides the body with sufficient calories and carbohydrates to prevent muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth.

Thirdly, refeeding can enhance physical performance by replenishing glycogen stores in muscles depleted during exercise and calorie restriction. This can lead to improved exercise performance, endurance, and recovery.

Additionally, refeeding provides a psychological boost by offering a mental break from strict diets, improving motivation, and promoting long-term adherence to weight loss plans.

The frequency of refeeding depends on factors such as body fat percentage, the aggressiveness of the caloric deficit, and dieting duration. Individuals with lower body fat percentages may require more frequent refeeding, while those with higher body fat percentages can have refeeding less often.

Refeeding can keep metabolism from slowing down

Refeeding is a strategic increase in calories, mainly from carbohydrates, to help achieve body composition goals. It is a planned increase in calories for one day on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, or every 3-4 weeks, depending on body fat percentage, the aggressiveness of the caloric deficit, and the duration of the diet.

Refeeding days aim to increase daily calories by 20-30%, with most of the increase coming from carbohydrates. This is because carbohydrates have been shown to increase leptin levels more than protein or fat. Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that regulates appetite and encourages calorie burning. When an individual is in a calorie deficit, leptin levels decline, and the body begins to look for ways to reduce this deficit, which can lead to increased hunger and a slowdown in weight loss.

Benefits of refeeding

Refeeding may help to:

• Prevent a weight loss plateau by increasing leptin levels and counteracting the effects of adaptive thermogenesis, a survival process that slows weight loss.
• Lower the risk of binging by reducing feelings of deprivation and satisfying cravings.
• Improve physical performance by replenishing glycogen stores.

With the traditional keto diet, there is no research that supports having a carbohydrate refeed as it can take the body out of ketosis, and larger increases in carbs may not be well-tolerated. However, if an individual feels they need to include carbohydrate refeeds, they may consider a non-traditional approach to the keto diet, where the goal is to achieve a caloric deficit rather than ketosis. This approach may be more receptive to refeeds as the carbohydrate intake would not be as low, and the body would be better able to tolerate temporary increases in carbs.

The frequency of refeeding depends on multiple factors and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. In general, individuals with a lower body fat percentage should refeed more frequently, while those with a higher body fat percentage can refeed less often. Here are some guidelines:

• Body fat percentage below 10% for men and 18% for women: refeed weekly
• Body fat percentage of 10-15% for men and 18-25% for women: refeed bi-weekly
• Body fat percentage of 15%+ for men and 25%+ for women: refeed every 3 to 4 weeks

It's important to note that refeeding too frequently may lead to unnecessary fat gain, while not refeeding often enough may cause a plateau in reaching body composition goals.

Refeeding can help keep metabolism from slowing down too quickly. When an individual is in a calorie deficit, their metabolism may slow down as the body senses that food is scarce and lowers the rate at which it burns calories. This is known as adaptive thermogenesis, a protective process that alters the body's metabolism to increase energy intake and decrease energy output. By introducing a refeed day, leptin levels can be temporarily increased, which may help to keep the body's fat-burning process working more efficiently.

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