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Weight loss, whether for aesthetic or performance-related reasons, is an extremely common fitness goal. While you may have run a successful diet and dropped some spare pounds, you might be left wondering what ... Read more
The post The Complete Guide to Reverse Dieting appeared first on BarBend.
Weight loss, whether for aesthetic or performance-related reasons, is an extremely common fitness goal. While you may have run a successful diet and dropped some spare pounds, you might be left wondering what to do after.
Some literature suggests that weight loss protocols often result in subsequent major weight gain if you don’t rebound properly and that a calorie deficit, while integral, is potentially harmful if continued in perpetuity. (1) If you’ve worked hard in the kitchen and the gym for months to hit a certain weight, only to rapidly gain it back, was all the restriction really worth it?
Credit: fortyforks / Shutterstock
Luckily, reverse dieting allows you to recover from a period of caloric restriction in a sustainable way, and might just be the key to running successful weight cuts long-term. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to do a reverse diet safely and effectively.
The Guide to Reverse Dieting
What Is a Reverse Diet?
A reverse diet is basically the opposite of a typical diet. Instead of slowly reducing calories over several weeks to try and lose weight, a reverse diet has you slowly and methodically adding back the calories you’ve taken away, typically from carbs and fat.
The goal of the reverse diet is to slowly get your nutritional intake back to maintenance levels or slightly above, without gaining a whole bunch of fat in the process. Adding back calories this way, in theory, should help account for some of the negative metabolic adaptations you may have experienced when dieting, such as dampened energy levels, suppressed hormones, or lethargy.
It sounds simple enough, but like all things you do in the world of nutrition, there’s a right and a wrong way to go about it, especially if you’re too conservative about bouncing back. (2)
What a Reverse Diet Isn’t
A reverse diet is not a “bulk.” The goal of a reverse diet is not to gain back a bunch of mass after dieting and it does not mean stuffing your face with any and everything that has calories. A reverse diet is more of a slow and controlled approach to get your body back to baseline efficiency over time.
A reverse diet still involves the tracking of your intake. If you’re looking for a blank check in the kitchen and a complete reprieve from nutritional tracking of any sort, it ultimately may be what’s best for you if you’re done with a weight cut and want to enjoy more calories — and thus higher performance in the gym.
How to Set Up a Reverse Diet
If you’ve got some experience with shedding fat or to make weight at a powerlifting meet, the process of a reverse diet should be quite intuitive. In essence, all you’re doing is retracing your steps. Here are those exact steps broken down for you.
Step 1 — Determine How You’ll Track
Unfortunately, relying on your memory is not going to cut it. To successfully reverse diet, you need to track your intake to properly account for what you ate on the day. Most nutritional tracking apps work just fine and can provide additional useful information, but whatever method you used to get down to your current weight will probably suffice.
Remember, though, that precision is key. To gain weight slowly and steadily without “undoing” most of your hard-earned weight change, your caloric benchmarks have to be tightly calibrated. However, before you begin in earnest, understand that a reverse diet doesn’t guarantee that you won’t regain any body fat at all following a diet.
Step 2 — Figure Out Your Calories
If you’ve been dieting, you should know roughly how many calories you have been eating, but make sure you have consistently tracked your calorie intake and averaged your body weights for a week or two to get a true picture of where you’re at with your nutrition.
Once you’ve determined that your current caloric intake is maintaining your weight, it’s time to sprinkle in some extra nutrition to kickstart the weight gain process. Aim for a very conservative increase on your current intake, at least to begin with — some sources recommend a very modest increase of one to five percent — at the onset. (3)
If you aren’t sure about where you’re at with your caloric needs, this is the time to hit up a handy calculator that does much of the work for you.
Calorie Calculator
Imperial
Metric
Age
Sex
Male
Female
Height
Feet
Meters
Weight
Pounds
Kilograms
Activity Level
Sedentary: little or no exercise
Exercise 1-3 times/week
Exercise 4-5 times/week
Daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week
Intense exercise 6-7 times/week
Very intense exercise daily, or physical job
BMR estimation formula
No
Yes
Calculate
Your daily calorie needs: Calories Per Day
Daily calorie needs based on goal
Goal
Calories Per Day
Maintenance
Fat Loss
Extreme Fat Loss
Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity.
jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
$('.calorie_calculator #eq').on('change', function() {
var bfat= $(this).find(":selected").val();
if (bfat == "3") {
$('.calorie_calculator #katch').show();
}else{
$('.calorie_calculator #katch').hide();
}
});
var units_x;
units_x="EN";
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="units"]').click(function() {
var units_v = $(this).val();
if (units_v == "SI") {
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').attr("placeholder", "Meters");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').attr("placeholder", "Centimeters");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').attr("placeholder", "Kilograms");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').val("");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').val("");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').val("");
//$('#macros-meters').prop('checked', true);
//$('#macros-feet').prop('checked', false);
units_x="SI";
$("input[id=macros-kilos]").prop("checked",true);
$("input[id=macros-pounds]").prop("checked",false);
}
else if (units_v == "EN") {
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').attr("placeholder", "Feet");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').attr("placeholder", "Inches");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').attr("placeholder", "Pounds");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').val("");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').val("");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').val("");
// $("input[id=macros-meters]").prop("checked",false);
// $("input[id=macros-feet]").prop("checked",true);
units_x="EN";
$("input[id=macros-kilos]").prop("checked",false);
$("input[id=macros-pounds]").prop("checked",true);
}
});
//alert(units_x);
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-system"]').click(function() {
var heightUnits = $(this).val();
if (heightUnits == "meters") {
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').attr("placeholder", "Meters");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').attr("placeholder", "Centimeters");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').val("");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').val("");
}
else if (heightUnits == "feet") {
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').attr("placeholder", "Feet");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').attr("placeholder", "Inches");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').val("");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').val("");
}
});
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight-system"]').click(function() {
var weightUnits = $(this).val();
if (weightUnits == "kilos") {
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').attr("placeholder", "Kilograms");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').val("");
}
else if (weightUnits == "pounds") {
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').attr("placeholder", "Pounds");
$('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').val("");
}
});
$('.calorie_calculator .calc-submit').click(function() {
var height = 0;
var calories = 0;
var katch = $("input[name='katch']").val();
if(katch==""){katch=20;}
katch = katch/100;
var eq = $('.calorie_calculator #eq option:selected').val();
var heightTens = parseInt($('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-tens"]').val());
var heightUnits= parseInt($('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-units"]').val());
var heightType = $('.calorie_calculator input[name="height-system"]:checked').val();
var heightTypex = parseInt($('.calorie_calculator input[name="heightTypex"]').val());
var weight = parseInt($('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight"]').val());
var weightType = $('.calorie_calculator input[name="weight-system"]:checked').val();
var age = parseInt($('.calorie_calculator input[name=age]').val());
var sex = $('.calorie_calculator input[name=sex]:checked').val();
var job = $('.calorie_calculator input[name=activity]:checked').val();
var bmr = '';
if (isNaN(age) || isNaN(heightTens) || isNaN(weight)) {
$('.calorie_calculator .calc-answer').show(0).html('Please enter values for all the fields.').addClass('bb_cal_error').one('webkitAnimationEnd mozAnimationEnd MSAnimationEnd oanimationend animationend', function() {
$(this).removeClass('bb_cal_error');
});
$('html, body').animate({scrollTop: $(".calc-header").offset().top-150}, 1000);
$('.calorie_calculator #cal_result').hide();
$('.calorie_calculator .ca_result .rs').html('');
}
else {
if(isNaN(heightUnits)) {
heightUnits = 0;
}
//alert('heightType:'+units_x);
if (units_x == "EN") {
height = ((heightTens * 30.48) + (heightUnits * 2.54));
}
else {
height = (heightTens * 100) + heightUnits;
}
if (units_x == "EN") {
weight = (weight * 0.453592);
}
if (sex == "M") {
if (eq == "1") {
bmr = Math.round(88.362 + (weight * 13.397) + (height * 4.799) - (age * 5.677));
}else if (eq == "2"){
bmr = Math.round(5 + (weight * 10) + (height * 6.25) - (age * 5));
}else if (eq == "3"){
// bmr = Math.round(weight*(100-(20)))/100);
bmr = Math.round(370+21.6*(1-katch)*weight);
}
}
else {
if (eq == "1") {
bmr = Math.round(447.593 + (weight * 9.247) + (height * 3.098) - (age * 4.330));
}else if (eq == "2"){
bmr = Math.round((weight * 10) + (height * 6.25) - (age * 5));
bmr = (bmr - 161);
}else if (eq == "3"){
bmr = Math.round(370+21.6*(1-katch)*weight);
}
}
switch (job) {
case "a1":
calories = Math.round(bmr * 1.2);
break;
case "a2":
calories = Math.round(bmr * 1.375);
break;
case "a3":
calories = Math.round(bmr * 1.466);
break;
case "a4":
calories = Math.round(bmr * 1.55);
break;
case "a5":
calories = Math.round(bmr * 1.725);
break;
case "a6":
calories = Math.round(bmr * 1.9);
break;
}
$('.calorie_calculator #cal_result').show();
$('.calorie_calculator .d_calorie_result').html(calories);
$('.calorie_calculator .maint_result').html(calories);
$('.calorie_calculator .fat_result').html(Math.round(calories/1.25));
$('.calorie_calculator .efat_result').html(Math.round(calories/1.67));
$('html, body').animate({scrollTop: $("#cal_result").offset().top-150}, 1000);
$('.calorie_calculator .calc-answer').html('');
}
});
});
#bb_cal_ui .calc-header {
border-bottom: 2px solid #8cc540;
padding: 5px 0 !important;
font-size: 36px;
font-weight: 700;
margin: 34px 0 30px 0px !important;
}
#cal_result .bmrtable, #cal_result .bmrtable td, #cal_result .bmrtable tr, #cal_result .bmrtable th{
border: 0px;
padding: 8px 2px;
}
#cal_result .bmrtable td{
border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc;
}
#cal_result .bmrtable th{
border-bottom: 2px solid #92c663;
}
.bmr_result_align{text-align:center; font-weight:600;}
#bb_cal_ui {
box-shadow: 0px 0px 10px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.09);
transition: background 0.3s, border 0.3s, border-radius 0.3s, box-shadow 0.3s;
margin: 0px;
padding: 18px 20px 20px 20px;
}
.calc-label span{display:none!important;}
div#bb_cal_ui .hidenow{
display:none;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .cals-and-calorie_calculator h2.calc-header {
background: #232323;
border: solid 1px #232323;
border-bottom: none;
border-radius: 3px 0px;
color: #ffffff !important;
margin: 0 !important;
padding: 15px;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-container {
border: solid 1px #cccccc;
border-top: solid 1px #ffffff;
border-radius: 0 3px;
padding: 10px;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-subheader {
display: block;
font-family: ProximaNovaExCnSemiBold;
font-size: 20px;
font-size: 2rem;
margin-top: 10px;
text-transform: uppercase;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-row {
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .cals-and-calorie_calculator input.calc-textbox {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 12px;
width: 100%;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .cals-and-calorie_calculator input.calc-textbox-half {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 12px;
width: 49.5%;
}
div#bb_cal_ui input.calc-textbox-halfd, div#bb_cal_ui select.calc-textbox-halfd {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 4px 15px;
width: 48.5%!important;
font-weight: 500;
background: #fff;
color: #000;
font-size: 17px;
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
div#bb_cal_ui input.calc-textbox-halfd, div#bb_cal_ui select.calc-textbox-halfd {
width: 100% !important;
}
.calorie_calculator{margin:0px !important;}
#bb_cal_ui h3 {font-size: 20px;}
#bb_cal_ui .calc-header {
padding: 5px 0 !important;
font-size: 22px;
margin: 10px 0 25px 0px !important;
}
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-float-right {
float: right;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio] {
display: none;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio] + label span {
background: url('/images/bgsprite.png') no-repeat -75px -1250px;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
height: 23px;
margin: 2px 5px 5px 6px;
vertical-align: middle;
width: 21px;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio]:checked + label span {
background: url('/images/bgsprite.png') no-repeat -50px -1250px;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio]:checked + label {
background-color: #f4f4f4;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-label {
border: solid 1px #5a5a5a;
border-radius: 3px;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
font-size: 1.4rem;
font-weight: bold;
padding: 6px;
width: 100%;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-label-small {
border: solid 1px #5a5a5a;
border-radius: 3px;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
font-size: 1.4rem;
font-weight: bold;
padding: 6px;
width: 49.5%;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-label:hover {
background-color: #f4f4f4;
}
.cals-and-calorie_calculator .calc-answer {
display: none;
}
#bb_cal_ui h3:after {
content: "";
display: block;
width: 100px;
padding: 0px 0;
border-bottom: 0px solid #8cc540;
}
#bb_cal_ui .calc-container{
padding:0px;
}
#bb_cal_ui .g-heading {
display: -webkit-box;
display: -webkit-flex;
display: -ms-flexbox;
display: flex;
margin-bottom: 0;
padding: 0;
-webkit-box-pack: justify;
-webkit-justify-content: space-between;
-ms-flex-pack: justify;
justify-content: space-between;
-webkit-box-align: center;
-webkit-align-items: center;
-ms-flex-align: center;
align-items: center;
float:right;
}
#bb_cal_ui .form-heading {
-webkit-box-flex: 1;
-webkit-flex: 1 0 auto;
-ms-flex: 1 0 auto;
flex: 1 0 auto;
}
#bb_cal_ui h3 {
font-size: 24px;
}
#bb_cal_ui h3, .tool-heading {
margin: 0 0 8px;
padding: 0;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle {
font-size: 0;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle input[type=radio] {
position: absolute;
visibility: hidden;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle input[type=radio]:checked+label {
background-color: #15131D;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle input[type=radio]:checked+label {
color: #fff;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle input[type=radio]+label {
background-color: #fff;
color: #777;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle label:last-of-type {
border-radius: 0;
border-left: none;
}
#bb_cal_ui .radio-toggle label {
font-size: 1rem;
padding: 5px 14px;
border: 1px solid #DADADA;
}
#bb_cal_ui .btn {
display: inline-block;
border: 0;
padding: 1em;
background: #E25F2F;
color: #fff;
line-height: 1;
text-align: center;
-webkit-transition: all .15s ease-out;
transition: all .15s ease-out;
}
#bb_cal_ui .btn, .clickable, #bb_cal_ui .menu-button, #bb_cal_ui .select select, #bb_cal_ui button, #bb_cal_ui input[type=button], #bb_cal_ui input[type=file], #bb_cal_ui input[type=submit], #bb_cal_ui label {
cursor: pointer;
}
.calc-note {
margin: 10px 0 40px 0;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .macros-slider-calculator h2.calc-header {
background: #232323;
border: solid 1px #232323;
border-bottom: none;
border-radius: 3px 0px;
color: #ffffff !important;
margin: 0 !important;
padding: 15px;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .calc-container {
border: solid 1px #cccccc;
border-top: solid 1px #ffffff;
border-radius: 0 3px;
padding: 10px;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .calc-subheader {
display: block;
font-family: ProximaNovaExCnSemiBold;
font-size: 20px;
font-size: 2rem;
margin-top: 10px;
text-transform: uppercase;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .calc-row {
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .calc-row-half {
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
width: 49.5%;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .float-right {
float: right;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .macros-slider-calculator input.calc-textbox {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 12px;
width: 100%;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .macros-slider-calculator input.calc-textbox-half {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 12px;
width: 49.5%;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .calc-dropdown {
height: 46px;
vertical-align: top;
width: 100%;
border-radius: 3px;
font-size: 16px;
}
.macros-slider-calculator .calc-answer {
display: none;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-container{
margin: 0px;
}
.calorie_calculator{
margin: 15px;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-subheader, .calc-subheader {
display: block;
margin: 25px 2px 8px 2px;
font-weight: 600;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-row {
margin-bottom: 5px;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .calorie_calculator input.calc-textbox {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 4px 15px;
width: 100%;
background:#fff;
color:#000;
font-size: 17px;
}
div#bb_cal_ui .calorie_calculator input.calc-textbox-half, div#bb_cal_ui input.calc-textbox-half {
box-sizing: border-box;
height: auto;
line-height: inherit;
padding: 4px 15px;
width: 48.5%;
font-weight: 500;
background:#fff;
color:#000;
font-size:17px;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-float-right {
float: right;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio] {
display: none;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio] + label span {
background: url('/images/bgsprite.png') no-repeat -75px -1250px;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
height: 23px;
margin: 2px 5px 5px 6px;
vertical-align: middle;
width: 21px;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio]:checked + label span {
background: url('/images/bgsprite.png') no-repeat -50px -1250px;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-row input[type=radio]:checked + label {
background-color: #8cc53f;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-label, .calc-label {
border: solid 1px #cccccc;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
width: 100%;
padding: 6.5px 15px;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-label-small, .calc-label-small {
border: solid 1px #cccccc;
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 14px;
font-weight: 600;
width: 100%;
padding: 6.5px 15px;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-label:hover {
background-color: #f4f4f4;
}
.calorie_calculator .calc-answer {
display: none;
}
#cal_result {
padding: 25px 0px;
}
#keto_cal_form, #cal_result {
margin: 0 auto;
}
.keto_cal_form_block .keto_cal_form_row, #cal_result .keto_cal_form_row {
margin-bottom: 45px;
}
#cal_result .result-body {
display: flex;
margin-right: -25px;
}
#cal_result .result-body > div {
color: #2b2b2b;
font-size: 16px;
letter-spacing: 0;
line-height: 45px;
background: #e6f3d4;
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(164, 183, 136);
border-radius: 4px;
text-align: center;
padding: 37px;
flex: 1;
margin: 0 25px 0 0;
display: flex;
flex-flow: column;
align-items: stretch;
justify-content: center;
}
#cal_result .result-body .rs {
font-size: 40px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #2b2b2b;
display: block;
}
.entry-content span {
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
#cal_result .result-body .rs-unit {
white-space: nowrap;
}
.entry-content span {
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
.calc-submit {
background: #2b2b2b;
border: 0;
height: 50px;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
font-size: 25px;
font-weight: 700;
color: #FFF;
transition: all 150ms ease;
text-transform: uppercase;
width: 100%;
margin: 30px 0 5px 0;
}
.calc-submit:hover {
background: #8cc53f;
}
/* Media Queries */
@media all and (max-width: 1023px) {
.three-columns {
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
}
.three-columns .article-block {
flex: 1 46%;
max-width: 46%;
margin: 20px 2%;
}
#cal_result .result-body {
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
#cal_result .result-body > div {
max-width: 45%;
flex: 1 46%;
margin-top: 28px;
}
}
@media all and (max-width: 600px) {
.navbar #main-menu > li > .nav-link {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
}
.button-box {
position: relative;
z-index: 5;
}
.hero-button-box {
text-align: left;
}
.hero-button-box .button.track.hero-button {
display: inline-block !important;
max-width: 200px;
margin-left: 15px;
}
}
@media screen and (max-width: 479px) {
.play-button-box {
left: calc(50% - 35px);
top: calc(50% - 35px);
}
}
@media all and (max-width: 767px) {
ul.list {
padding-left: 25px !important;
}
#cal_result .result-body > div {
max-width: 100%;
flex: 1;
}
}
Step 3 — Set Up Your Macros
Protein is arguably the most important macronutrient for a reverse diet due to its effects on muscle maintenance and hypertrophy. Establishing your protein intake should come first, and you should aim for anywhere between 1.8 and 2.4 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Dietary fat follows and is essential for healthy bodily function. Get your bases covered by making dietary fat 20 to 35% of your total caloric intake.
Finally, the remainder of your leftover calories should come from hearty carbohydrate sources. However, there’s some flexibility here. If you want more fat or protein and fewer carbs, you’re free to modify your macros as long as you’re hitting the minimum dosages.
Ultimately, a sample reverse diet for an 80-kilogram athlete, whose maintenance calories are 2600 per day, could look something like this:
The most straightforward way of keeping tabs on your reverse diet is to weigh yourself several times per week and then take a weekly average. While a noticeable bump in body weight is expected, particularly if you’re incorporating many more carbs than you’re previously used to, you can adjust your total intake on an as-needed basis.
Increases in water retention and muscle glycogen will generally result in a several-pound bump on the scale in just a week or two; remember to stay objective as much as possible and look at broader trends rather than single-instance fluctuations.
If you’re monitoring your progress with the scale, make sure you always weigh yourself under similar conditions — ideally in the morning after using the restroom and before you’ve consumed any food or water.
Credit: Silent O / Shutterstock
Beyond the scale, look to your performance in the gym to guide your progress. Any increase in caloric intake above maintenance levels should yield noticeable performance bumps in the squat rack or on the deadlift platform, and a conservative surplus should mean little fat regain along the way, despite not looking as “cut” in the mirror.
In fact, if you’re quite lean and embarking on your first reverse diet, it may be wise to avoid dwelling on what you see in the mirror. Overly concerning yourself with maintaining a certain exact physique can perpetuate body image issues in some cases. (4)
Benefits of a Reverse Diet
It’s not a magic bullet, but a well-planned reverse diet can do a lot to ease you out of an aggressive weight cut and get you back in the game in the gym.
You Get More Food
Adding back in calories means getting to eat more food! Taking a moderate, sustainable approach to increasing your food intake should also keep fat gain to a minimum while maximizing your quality of life and general mood. More food generally means a higher maintenance calorie level, as well.
Mental Wellbeing
Suppressed caloric intake for an extended period of time can be mentally draining. It can cause you to feel sluggish, tired, and irritable at times. Reverse dieting allows you to gracefully exit your caloric deficit, which should afford some psychological relief especially if you’ve been dieting down for months.
Steady Weight Gain and Stable Weight Maintenance
A common error at the conclusion of a diet is to jump right back into your old eating habits, significantly increasing the amount of calories you’re consuming. This typically results in rapid weight gain, prompting another phase of restriction, and so on.
However, a well-thought-out reverse diet circumvents this and can help you steadily and reliably move up in weight without such heavy swings on the scale. Moreover, reverse dieting enables you to find value in moving toward, and staying at, a period of maintenance. Many people tend to think that nutritional control means constantly gaining or losing — don’t overlook the value of sticking to a sustainable weight range and reaping the health benefits that accompany it.
Who Should Do a Reverse Diet
A reverse diet isn’t right for everyone. If you simply cut your calories a little bit for a couple of weeks, you probably don’t need a reverse diet. If you stopped drinking soda or eating added sugars and this caused a caloric deficit resulting in you losing weight, you most likely don’t need a reverse diet. A reverse diet is for those who have been in a severe caloric deficit over a long stretch of time.
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The post The Complete Guide to Reverse Dieting appeared first on BarBend.
Weight loss, whether for aesthetic or performance-related reasons, is an extremely common fitness goal. While you may have run a successful diet and dropped some spare pounds, you might be left wondering what to do after.
Some literature suggests that weight loss protocols often result in subsequent major weight gain if you don’t rebound properly and that a calorie deficit, while integral, is potentially harmful if continued in perpetuity. (1) If you’ve worked hard in the kitchen and the gym for months to hit a certain weight, only to rapidly gain it back, was all the restriction really worth it?
Luckily, reverse dieting allows you to recover from a period of caloric restriction in a sustainable way, and might just be the key to running successful weight cuts long-term. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to do a reverse diet safely and effectively.
The Guide to Reverse Dieting
- What Is a Reverse Diet?
- What a Reverse Diet Isn’t
- How to Set Up a Reverse Diet
- Benefits of a Reverse Diet
- Who Should Do a Reverse Diet
- What to Do After a Reverse Diet
What Is a Reverse Diet?
A reverse diet is basically the opposite of a typical diet. Instead of slowly reducing calories over several weeks to try and lose weight, a reverse diet has you slowly and methodically adding back the calories you’ve taken away, typically from carbs and fat.
The goal of the reverse diet is to slowly get your nutritional intake back to maintenance levels or slightly above, without gaining a whole bunch of fat in the process. Adding back calories this way, in theory, should help account for some of the negative metabolic adaptations you may have experienced when dieting, such as dampened energy levels, suppressed hormones, or lethargy.
It sounds simple enough, but like all things you do in the world of nutrition, there’s a right and a wrong way to go about it, especially if you’re too conservative about bouncing back. (2)
What a Reverse Diet Isn’t
A reverse diet is not a “bulk.” The goal of a reverse diet is not to gain back a bunch of mass after dieting and it does not mean stuffing your face with any and everything that has calories. A reverse diet is more of a slow and controlled approach to get your body back to baseline efficiency over time.
A reverse diet still involves the tracking of your intake. If you’re looking for a blank check in the kitchen and a complete reprieve from nutritional tracking of any sort, it ultimately may be what’s best for you if you’re done with a weight cut and want to enjoy more calories — and thus higher performance in the gym.
How to Set Up a Reverse Diet
If you’ve got some experience with shedding fat or to make weight at a powerlifting meet, the process of a reverse diet should be quite intuitive. In essence, all you’re doing is retracing your steps. Here are those exact steps broken down for you.
Step 1 — Determine How You’ll Track
Unfortunately, relying on your memory is not going to cut it. To successfully reverse diet, you need to track your intake to properly account for what you ate on the day. Most nutritional tracking apps work just fine and can provide additional useful information, but whatever method you used to get down to your current weight will probably suffice.
Remember, though, that precision is key. To gain weight slowly and steadily without “undoing” most of your hard-earned weight change, your caloric benchmarks have to be tightly calibrated. However, before you begin in earnest, understand that a reverse diet doesn’t guarantee that you won’t regain any body fat at all following a diet.
Step 2 — Figure Out Your Calories
If you’ve been dieting, you should know roughly how many calories you have been eating, but make sure you have consistently tracked your calorie intake and averaged your body weights for a week or two to get a true picture of where you’re at with your nutrition.
Once you’ve determined that your current caloric intake is maintaining your weight, it’s time to sprinkle in some extra nutrition to kickstart the weight gain process. Aim for a very conservative increase on your current intake, at least to begin with — some sources recommend a very modest increase of one to five percent — at the onset. (3)
If you aren’t sure about where you’re at with your caloric needs, this is the time to hit up a handy calculator that does much of the work for you.
Calorie Calculator
Imperial
Metric
Age
Sex
Male
Female
Height
Feet
Meters
Weight
Pounds
Kilograms
Activity Level
Sedentary: little or no exercise
Exercise 1-3 times/week
Exercise 4-5 times/week
Daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week
Intense exercise 6-7 times/week
Very intense exercise daily, or physical job
BMR estimation formula
No
Yes
Calculate
Your daily calorie needs: Calories Per Day
Daily calorie needs based on goal
Goal
Calories Per Day
Maintenance
Fat Loss
Extreme Fat Loss
Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity.
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var bfat= $(this).find(":selected").val();
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}
#keto_cal_form, #cal_result {
margin: 0 auto;
}
.keto_cal_form_block .keto_cal_form_row, #cal_result .keto_cal_form_row {
margin-bottom: 45px;
}
#cal_result .result-body {
display: flex;
margin-right: -25px;
}
#cal_result .result-body > div {
color: #2b2b2b;
font-size: 16px;
letter-spacing: 0;
line-height: 45px;
background: #e6f3d4;
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px 0 rgb(164, 183, 136);
border-radius: 4px;
text-align: center;
padding: 37px;
flex: 1;
margin: 0 25px 0 0;
display: flex;
flex-flow: column;
align-items: stretch;
justify-content: center;
}
#cal_result .result-body .rs {
font-size: 40px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #2b2b2b;
display: block;
}
.entry-content span {
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
#cal_result .result-body .rs-unit {
white-space: nowrap;
}
.entry-content span {
font-size: 17px;
line-height: 1.5;
}
.calc-submit {
background: #2b2b2b;
border: 0;
height: 50px;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
font-size: 25px;
font-weight: 700;
color: #FFF;
transition: all 150ms ease;
text-transform: uppercase;
width: 100%;
margin: 30px 0 5px 0;
}
.calc-submit:hover {
background: #8cc53f;
}
/* Media Queries */
@media all and (max-width: 1023px) {
.three-columns {
margin-left: 0;
margin-right: 0;
}
.three-columns .article-block {
flex: 1 46%;
max-width: 46%;
margin: 20px 2%;
}
#cal_result .result-body {
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
#cal_result .result-body > div {
max-width: 45%;
flex: 1 46%;
margin-top: 28px;
}
}
@media all and (max-width: 600px) {
.navbar #main-menu > li > .nav-link {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
}
.button-box {
position: relative;
z-index: 5;
}
.hero-button-box {
text-align: left;
}
.hero-button-box .button.track.hero-button {
display: inline-block !important;
max-width: 200px;
margin-left: 15px;
}
}
@media screen and (max-width: 479px) {
.play-button-box {
left: calc(50% - 35px);
top: calc(50% - 35px);
}
}
@media all and (max-width: 767px) {
ul.list {
padding-left: 25px !important;
}
#cal_result .result-body > div {
max-width: 100%;
flex: 1;
}
}
Step 3 — Set Up Your Macros
Protein is arguably the most important macronutrient for a reverse diet due to its effects on muscle maintenance and hypertrophy. Establishing your protein intake should come first, and you should aim for anywhere between 1.8 and 2.4 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Dietary fat follows and is essential for healthy bodily function. Get your bases covered by making dietary fat 20 to 35% of your total caloric intake.
Finally, the remainder of your leftover calories should come from hearty carbohydrate sources. However, there’s some flexibility here. If you want more fat or protein and fewer carbs, you’re free to modify your macros as long as you’re hitting the minimum dosages.
Ultimately, a sample reverse diet for an 80-kilogram athlete, whose maintenance calories are 2600 per day, could look something like this:
- Total Calories — 2730 (+5%)
- Total Protein — 176 grams (2.2g/kg)
- Total Fat — 75 grams (25% total calories)
- Total Carbohydrate — 337 grams (the remainder of available calories)
The most straightforward way of keeping tabs on your reverse diet is to weigh yourself several times per week and then take a weekly average. While a noticeable bump in body weight is expected, particularly if you’re incorporating many more carbs than you’re previously used to, you can adjust your total intake on an as-needed basis.
Increases in water retention and muscle glycogen will generally result in a several-pound bump on the scale in just a week or two; remember to stay objective as much as possible and look at broader trends rather than single-instance fluctuations.
If you’re monitoring your progress with the scale, make sure you always weigh yourself under similar conditions — ideally in the morning after using the restroom and before you’ve consumed any food or water.
Beyond the scale, look to your performance in the gym to guide your progress. Any increase in caloric intake above maintenance levels should yield noticeable performance bumps in the squat rack or on the deadlift platform, and a conservative surplus should mean little fat regain along the way, despite not looking as “cut” in the mirror.
In fact, if you’re quite lean and embarking on your first reverse diet, it may be wise to avoid dwelling on what you see in the mirror. Overly concerning yourself with maintaining a certain exact physique can perpetuate body image issues in some cases. (4)
Benefits of a Reverse Diet
It’s not a magic bullet, but a well-planned reverse diet can do a lot to ease you out of an aggressive weight cut and get you back in the game in the gym.
You Get More Food
Adding back in calories means getting to eat more food! Taking a moderate, sustainable approach to increasing your food intake should also keep fat gain to a minimum while maximizing your quality of life and general mood. More food generally means a higher maintenance calorie level, as well.
Mental Wellbeing
Suppressed caloric intake for an extended period of time can be mentally draining. It can cause you to feel sluggish, tired, and irritable at times. Reverse dieting allows you to gracefully exit your caloric deficit, which should afford some psychological relief especially if you’ve been dieting down for months.
Steady Weight Gain and Stable Weight Maintenance
A common error at the conclusion of a diet is to jump right back into your old eating habits, significantly increasing the amount of calories you’re consuming. This typically results in rapid weight gain, prompting another phase of restriction, and so on.
However, a well-thought-out reverse diet circumvents this and can help you steadily and reliably move up in weight without such heavy swings on the scale. Moreover, reverse dieting enables you to find value in moving toward, and staying at, a period of maintenance. Many people tend to think that nutritional control means constantly gaining or losing — don’t overlook the value of sticking to a sustainable weight range and reaping the health benefits that accompany it.
Who Should Do a Reverse Diet
A reverse diet isn’t right for everyone. If you simply cut your calories a little bit for a couple of weeks, you probably don’t need a reverse diet. If you stopped drinking soda or eating added sugars and this caused a caloric deficit resulting in you losing weight, you most likely don’t need a reverse diet. A reverse diet is for those who have been in a severe caloric deficit over a long stretch of time.
Physique Athletes
Bodybuilders/physique...
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