Re-Feed

Re-feed is a term used in the context of fitness and weight loss that describes a strategic increase in caloric intake during a period of calorie restriction. It involves temporarily increasing your daily calories, typically from carbohydrates, to help boost your metabolism and prevent your body from going into starvation mode.

How does it work?

When you restrict calories for an extended period, your body's metabolism may slow down in response to the reduced food intake. This can make it harder to lose weight or maintain weight loss progress. Re-feeding can help kickstart your metabolism and increase the number of calories your body burns on a daily basis, allowing you to continue losing weight more efficiently.

What are some examples of re-feed?

Re-feed is not the same as a cheat day, where you eat junk food and go overboard with calories. A re-feed is a planned and calculated increase in calories, typically from high-carbohydrate foods, that is timed strategically to coincide with your workouts or eat timing. For example, you might plan a re-feed on a day when you are doing a particularly intense workout, or at the end of a week-long period of calorie restriction.

What are some related terms for re-feed?

Re-feed is closely related to terms such as metabolic conditioning or metabolic reset. Both of these terms refer to the process of boosting your metabolism through strategic changes in diet and exercise routines, including re-feeding. Re-feed can also be related to the concept of carb cycling, which involves alternating between periods of high and low carbohydrate intake to help optimize weight loss.

What are some benefits of re-feed?

Re-feed can have several benefits for weight loss and overall health. It can help regulate hormones such as leptin, which control feelings of hunger and satiety. It can also help prevent muscle loss that can occur during long periods of calorie restriction, as well as improving workout performance and reducing feelings of fatigue or sluggishness.