Benefits to adding a weekly refeed during cut?

[ruckin]

I'm on a cutting cycle right now and I just noticed that during this current one, and also the last couple times I've cut weight, I never bother including a weekly refeed like I had done in the past. When I had included them in the past, it was more to give myself a psychological break to be honest, but nowadays I don't really struggle with eating in a big deficit every day for weeks and months on end. So I'm wondering if having a weekly high-carb refeed, even though I don't need the mental break, will give me an advantage anyway?

Or maybe I should just play it by ear and start including them once my strength gains stall.

I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts on this.

EDIT: I meant this to ask if there are significant fat loss benefits to adding it in, as opposed to just maintaining a deficit every day. I know the performance and phychological benefits.

 

[Xlgx]

Look up skiploading

 

[Docd187123]

Refeeds will help restore hormones that dos regulate while dieting such as leptin, ghrelin, thyroid, cortisol, etc.

 

[Nemesis RR]

I think they are a huge benefit as long as you do them with good food (not chocolate cake) and on a workout day. For me it revs up the fat burning.

 

[ruckin]

Look up skiploading

From what I read that seems to be a strategy for bodybuilders to use the days leading up to a bodybuilding show, or am I misunderstanding?

Refeeds will help restore hormones that dos regulate while dieting such as leptin, ghrelin, thyroid, cortisol, etc.

Good point, I should probably start implementing them once/if I start noticing that stuff being affected then.

I think they are a huge benefit as long as you do them with good food (not chocolate cake) and on a workout day. For me it revs up the fat burning.

Do you really see noticable, additional fat burning results? It just seems so counterintuitive to me that eating more calories can boost fat loss. Like I said, I've had good results doing them in the past, but that was more because it helped me stay on track mentally, not because I felt any direct fat loss benefits.

 

[Xlgx]

From what I read that seems to be a strategy for bodybuilders to use the days leading up to a bodybuilding show, or am I misunderstanding?
.

Doesn't have to be. I use it more as a lifestyle.

 

[Nemesis RR]

Do you really see noticable, additional fat burning results? It just seems so counterintuitive to me that eating more calories can boost fat loss. Like I said, I've had good results doing them in the past, but that was more because it helped me stay on track mentally, not because I felt any direct fat loss benefits.

Absolutely. Boosts metabolism up. Think of this. If you stay at the same calorie deficit will you continue to lose mostly fat or eventually any weight?

 

[JC456]

What they don't do

1) It's unlikely one day is going to upregulate hormones to any degree.

2) Eating more calories isn't going to burn more calories.

What they can do

1) They provide a glycogen boost which may aid performance.

2) They have some psychological benefits.

That is all.

 

[Xlgx]

Don't agree with your don't do^^^

 

[Nolij]

if you are not struggling ; you don't need them. I don't include them until 8 weeks out or when my carbs are too low and I feel like a zombie

 

[Demondosage]

I go solely by my look and how I feel. Sometimes I'll have a cheat meal once a week, other times it might be 2 days in a row and then back on the diet. I got to a point where I began questioning most traditional approaches . Why does it have to be just once a week? Maybe I'd look better if I reloaded glycogen into my muscles and sometimes once a week isn't enough for me, depending on my training. Over-dieting will yield guys flatter than pancakes, I say definitely do it.

Not to mention, why do this at all if you can't enjoy life once in awhile? There's no point when it becomes that degree. Just my opinion

 

[jaymaximus]

Not to mention, why do this at all if you can't enjoy life once in awhile? There's no point when it becomes that degree. Just my opinion

YES!