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Bodybuilding
Reverse Dieting
Reverse dieting - first of all, what is it? Reverse dieting is the process of coming out of a low calorie stint in a progressive manner. If you jump immediately from a low calorie intake point (such as at the end of a competition preparation or the end of a dieting/trimming down cycle) back to normal or full eating capacity, you will inevitably put on some unwanted fat. Why? Your body will suddenly have a much higher amount of excess calories to deal with, and that will lead it to instantly storing that excess as fat.
Coming out of a dieting phase, and particularly a tough dieting phase, is tough as you want to eat as much as possible. Indeed, one top level bodybuilder was found in his car with powdered sugar all over and an empty box of what had been doughnuts after gorging on two dozen at the end of a contest. So you are not alone in the temptation. The key is to have a plan to return to higher calorie eating levels, and that plan is the reverse diet.
Instead of just jumping back into a fuller eating schedule, a reverse diet lets you incrementally increase the caloric intake levels, acclimating your body as you go. And why do you want more calories? You can't stay forever at the low calorie range as you need more calories for all-out hard core training. Those calories fuel your workouts. And increasing the calories also boosts the thermal effect from food. The more food you are eating, the higher your metabolism gears up. That's one other reason why you don't want to stay at the low calorie range for too long.
A good rule of thumb is to use the same approach to calorie control that you used to diet down, but increase the caloric change at twice the speed. So if you were dropping 200 calories a week, then allow yourself to eat 400 calories a week as you progress back to a normal eating approach. By walking your diet back up you can retain much more of the trim lines you achieved than if you simply jump back into full calorie intake all of a sudden.
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Bodybuilding Reverse Dieting
Disclaimer: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Consult with a physician prior to use. Individual results may vary. Not for use by individuals under 21 years of age.
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