Reverse dieting ?

[Capthowdy]

Who's done it? Were you successful ?. I want to hear other people's experience with this . I will be doing this soon and I am in the process of coming up with my plan. Been doing research and watching videos.
Ironlifter sent me a bunch of good stuff and I came across this video that's amazing.
https://youtu.be/swrul81qco8

After my cut I don't care about getting bigger or adding muscle . I already build a decent foundation. I am trying to set up a plan that will get me to recover with minimal fat gain. Just to maintain a lean healthy physiche.

 

[beastmode45]

Following. Would love to hear what people are doing. I've been fucking with stupid Keto and some low carb shit over the last year or so, and it's f'd up my metabolism. So I need to ramp back up the carbs and calories w/o causing too much fat gain. Been reading alot about this while I'm also increasing my calorie/carb intake. Will keep you posted on my progress. Mentally I'm concerned about BF% going up...but let's see. Can't wait to see the conversation. Thanks.

 

[Wesley Sniper]

I have. Most recently, I started at 200lbs last summer and cut down to about 185lbs for a vacation. After the trip, I gradually increased my caloric intake and am currently sitting at 195lbs and still bulking and relatively lean. Hoping to reach 200lbs before I start my prep this July for an autumn physique show. I count calories and do cardio as needed; two to three times per week. For the moment, I'm at 3400 calories per week, 55% carbs, 20% protein and 25% fats, macros are 460g carbs, 195g protein and 90g of fat.

Oh, and I'm a huge supporter of flexible dieting, in the off season of course

 

[Capthowdy]

Following. Would love to hear what people are doing. I've been fucking with stupid Keto and some low carb shit over the last year or so, and it's f'd up my metabolism. So I need to ramp back up the carbs and calories w/o causing too much fat gain. Been reading alot about this while I'm also increasing my calorie/carb intake. Will keep you posted on my progress. Mentally I'm concerned about BF% going up...but let's see. Can't wait to see the conversation. Thanks.

I have tried keto before as well and the diet is fuckin horrible ... even after you finally get into ketosis your still miserable . That diet just completly made me sick and totally crashed my metabolism in the first week and even with 0 carbs I still wasn't dropping weight so screw that noise bro!

Check out that video I put in the first post it will explain it all in depth with science behind it . I am actually excited to do it to see what I can do . The whole reason I ever got into body building and gear was to see what kind stuff I can do/ change .

 

[beastmode45]

Yeah that was my experience too. I will watch the video. Thanks.

 

[RickRock]

It's my honest belief that reverse dieting is just a fancy name for exactly how everyone should be dieting to gain lean mass. Too many people eat too much too fast when trying to add size. A slow controlled increase in caloric intake overtime is what it should be. You don't need a huge surplus to build muscle. Muscle tissue is very slow to grow. Adding a quarter pound of muscle per week (a pound per month) is about as good as it gets unless you are on anabolics. Even on anabolics there is a limit to growth, and eating excess calories only gets stored as fat.

 

[beastmode45]

It's my honest belief that reverse dieting is just a fancy name for exactly how everyone should be dieting to gain lean mass. Too many people eat too ,I have too fast when trying to add size. A slow controlled increase in caloric intake overtime is what it should be. You don't need a huge surplus to build muscle. Muscle tissue is very slow to grow. Adding a quarter pound of muscle per week (a pound per month) is about as good as it gets unless you are on anabolics. Even on anabolics there is a limit to growth, and eating excess calories only gets stored as fat.

Thanks RickRock. Have you shared your nutrition plan anywhere on the forum for me to take a look at? Also, I was averaging about 2000 cal/day before starting my sarms ultra Recomp stack - and trying to work up to 2700 (doing 2250 this week, 2500 the next and then 2700). Is that too much too soon in your optionon? I have 14% BF and want to get to 10-12, while adding 10lbs of muscle over the next 12 weeks.

 

[RickRock]

Thanks RickRock. Have you shared your nutrition plan anywhere on the forum for me to take a look at? Also, I was averaging about 2000 cal/day before starting my sarms ultra Recomp stack - and trying to work up to 2700 (doing 2250 this week, 2500 the next and then 2700). Is that too much too soon in your optionon? I have 14% BF and want to get to 10-12, while adding 10lbs of muscle over the next 12 weeks.

Have you checked out my nutrition thread? I would say you don't want to go over about 500 calories over maintenance ever, and sometimes less. You have a good plan, but I don't know where your maintenance is. You might want to do those increases a little more spread out. Like every two to three weeks in my opinion.

 

[Dangans]

Reverse dieting is a marketing name so coaches can get you to keep using them after your prep. Like Rick said exactly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Capthowdy]

It may be a sales tactic , but it makes the most sense to slowly introduce your body to calories again at a slower rate . The only problem I find is when I'm looking for info I always find things for people who compete . What about Guys like me that don't give a shit about competing ?? I do this for me and no one else . I used to have vanity issues . But I don't anymore . I always was interested in defying the odds and my genetics more then anything else .
When I reverse diet I am going to 100% document every thing and I will post it here. Drugs diet ect

 

[beastmode45]

Have you checked out my nutrition thread? I would say you don't want to go over about 500 calories over maintenance ever, and sometimes less. You have a good plan, but I don't know where your maintenance is. You might want to do those increases a little more spread out. Like every two to three weeks in my opinion.

Yes I read the whole thing. My maintenance calories are 2500 (using TDEE calc). So I was going to shoot for 2750 to start. However when I tracked my actual calories a week before starting my SARMS plan, I was averaging 2000/day. So when I tried to hit 2750 it was hell. Then decided to Up them slowly at 250/week (2250 this week, 2500 next and then 2750 ongoing on workout days.

I am going to try and monitor the shit out of this to see what my real TDEE is so I don't go too far over. If my weight goes up and BF% stays fine - then I'm on the right track. If BF% rises with the weight I will bring the cals back down. At least this is my thinking. Sound about right?

 

[ironlifter36]

Well said RR. I agree 100%.

 

[ironlifter36]

It may very well be a fancy name aimed at marketing /sales or even an advanced tactic used by those in competition, however as RR pointed out, the principle is solid and holds truth. I know from my own experience. When i was first told about this it wasnt called reverse dieting. At the end of my cut, I was simply told to increase my calories 100 per week (by adding 25carbs) until i reached maintenance. I did as i was told and was very detailed and strict during the process. Low and behold, i reached maintenance at 2700-2800 6 weeks later leaner, fuller and more defined than i was at the end of my cut. Yes, i actually leaned out during the process. It wasnt until months later that i learned this process was referred to as "reverse dieting". Regardless, i repeated this process 2 more times, 8 week cut followed by a 5 to 6 week reverse diet back to maintenance. Obviously, this was a slow process, however each cut i dropped about 4-5% BF and it stayed off. The end result was i ended up leaner than i have ever been in my life. Never saw my ab's until i was 35-36yo.

 

[ironlifter36]

I would recommend smaller increases. I do 100 calories per week and have had great success.

 

[tumtum]

I would recommend smaller increases. I do 100 calories per week and have had great success.

Yep this..

250 cals a week is waaaaay too fast unless u are a lean 250lbs

And to comment on what RR said.. a pound of muscle of months is all u can hope to gain. Unless u are on AAS, and even worse if have been in the game for a decade like me it's even slower. I bust ass for 3 pounds in an entire year, and it doesn't always happen

Leto isn't going to destroy anyone's metabolism, only low calories can do that, what it can do is fuck up your insulin response if on it for too long. And therefore carbs become "a bigger deal"

 

[Capthowdy]

I was gonna do 100-150 calories a week . I figured that would be plenty slow enough .

 

[beastmode45]

I would recommend smaller increases. I do 100 calories per week and have had great success.

Awesome. Thanks for the advice ironlifter36. I may be going too fast too soon. I will work on 100-150/week and go a little slower. Definitely don't want to increase BF% as I'm currently a good 14% at 177-180lbs today.

 

[Capthowdy]

Awesome. Thanks for the advice ironlifter36. I may be going too fast too soon. I will work on 100-150/week and go a little slower. Definitely don't want to increase BF% as I'm currently a good 14% at 177-180lbs today.

Yes screw the body fat gain . The main reason I'm doing reverse dieting is to minimize fat gain. In one video I watched they were saying most people fail trying to reverse diet bc of how slow the process is. They were talking about competitors and trying to reverse diet after a contest prep. Well screw That. as long as I see a light at the end of the tunnel I can stick to the plan no problem.

 

[Swan Grey]

I did a reverse diet after my last show. I added carbs slowly back in while decreasing cardio. I adjusted my intake every two weeks or so to see how my body reacted. Currently sitting at 2400 kcal with no cardio. I was at 900-1000 kcal 3 weeks out from the competition. Well above maintenance now( eating more than I should ) was wanting to get in a good place calorically and cardio wise before I start my cut/prep May 1st. I think I put on 19 pounds in 12 month off season.

I agree with RickRock on not eating too much above maintenance, maybe 300 kcal would be a good goal.

 

[Capthowdy]

I did a reverse diet after my last show. I added carbs slowly back in while decreasing cardio. I adjusted my intake every two weeks or so to see how my body reacted. Currently sitting at 2400 kcal with no cardio. I was at 900-1000 kcal 3 weeks out from the competition. Well above maintenance now( eating more than I should ) was wanting to get in a good place calorically and cardio wise before I start my cut/prep May 1st. I think I put on 19 pounds in 12 month off season.
I agree with RickRock on not eating too much above maintenance, maybe 300 kcal would be a good goal.

If your cals were this low ???? How long did you reverse diet back up to 2400 . Also how much you weigh ?