Reduction diet? What is it about?

More and more we are hearing about the reduction diet. Yes! This is a great solution for people who do not have time for long workouts or can not afford to miss their favorite treats. Such nutrition can help them to maintain their health and well-being, but to start with, remember to do a research and consult a specialist. A reduction diet without a doctor’s check or dietitian opinion can be dangerous, especially if you suffer from hormonal or maternal abnormalities such as hypothyroidism, hashimoto, or polycystic ovary syndrome. If you did the proper research and consultation and you know that a weight reduction diet is right for you, start by calculating the TMR. TMR determines the total 24 hour requirement of your body for macronutrients, on calories (unit of energy obtained from food, in kcal). It is estimated that one kilogram of fat is about 7000 kcal. If you subtract 500 calories from TMR, you lose about 0.5 kg per week. This is an optimal calorie deficit.

The Food and Nutrition Institute emphasizes that “the most enduring effect, without compromising the body, has a slow, rational weight reduction under the eye of a specialist. Weight loss should be 0.5-1kg per week, ex. 2-4kg per month. The best result is a diet called “lean energy” (rich, reduced fat and simple sugars) used for a long time. “Caloric reductions also require a special approach to physical activity. At this time it is advisable to replace cardio training with strength training to maintain muscle tone and not to lose muscle tissue. Often people who start such a diet try to accelerate the effects and take less calories than their TMR, which is more like fasting. Not the way! Are you hungry while using a reduction diet? Probably the products you are using, macronutrient distribution or weight distribution are not suitable for you!

What Total Metabolic Rate is

Total metabolic rate is the sum of the calories that we consume for the daily functioning of the body. TMR takes into account the basic caloric needs associated with metabolic processes and the caloric value associated with physical activity. To calculate the basic need – Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), use the Harris-Benedict formula. BMR is associated with the energy necessary to sustain vital functions.

Equation for BMR for men:

BMR [kcal] = 66.47 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.75 x age).

Equation for BMR for women:

BMR [kcal] = 665.09 + (9.56 x weight in kg) + (1.85 x height in cm) – (4.67 x age).

Once you have calculated your BMR, you should consider on what level of physical activity you are. Remember that analyzing and taking into account physical activity is very important

In this case, we will use the physical activity factor:

• 1.2-1.3 – for a sick person lying in bed;
• 1.4 – for low physical activity;
• 1.6 – for moderate physical activity;
• 1.75 – active lifestyle; (about 3 to 5 workouts per week)
• 2.0 – very active lifestyle (someone who works physically and daytime training)
• 2.2-2.4 – sports practice

Diet should serve you

Take care of your body and spirit at every step, because stress can destroy your fight for a healthy body by disrupting the hormonal economy. Above all, watch out for cortisol. Occasional and short release of this hormone promotes fat reduction and overproduction of cortisol disrupts this process. The body fat content will grow, and so will the appetite. Take care of your sleep and rest while using the diet.

The equations are a starting estimate, not a measurement

The Harris-Benedict formula is written to two decimal places, which makes it look like a measurement. It is not. For any individual it lands within roughly 10 to 15 per cent of the real figure, which on a 2000 kcal requirement is a margin of 200 to 300 kcal, larger than the deficit the whole plan is built on.

Treat the number it gives you as where to start, then let the scale correct it. Eat at that figure for two weeks, weighing yourself under the same conditions and comparing weekly averages rather than single days. If the weight has not moved, the estimate was high; if it fell faster than half a kilo a week, it was low. Two weeks of your own data beats any equation.

The activity factor is where the error creeps in

The second half of the calculation does more damage than the first, because the factors are chosen rather than calculated and almost everybody picks one too high. An hour of training three times a week does not make a week active if the other 160 hours are spent sitting.

A useful correction: choose the factor for the days you are not training, then treat the training itself as an extra rather than as a reason to move the whole week up a bracket. Office work with three sessions a week sits closer to 1.4 or 1.6 than to 1.75, and the difference between those two on a 1500 kcal base is about 250 kcal a day.

If you do the whole calculation and the result feels generous, it probably is. Go a bracket down and let the two weeks of data decide.

Remember about the right supply of macronutrients!

Choose carbohydrates (1 gram = 4 kcal), such as: cereal, cereal grains, fiber rich vegetables and nuts. Appropriate protein intake (1 gram = 4 kcal) and fats (1 gram = 9 kcal) will prevent the activation of hormones associated with hunger. In addition, the protein secures the body from burning muscle mass, which largely accounts for our basic metabolism. Reduced dietary intake and percentage of macronutrients are important. The most privileged macronutrients are energy, carbohydrates, and fats, so their proper supply saves protein.

What about the supply of carbohydrates?

Low carbohydrate diets are not always effective, although they can reduce fat. Our bodies are different and therefore some are more suited to a protein-fat diet, such as Carb Back Loading. This diet assumes increased protein intake, reducing the supply of carbohydrates to the post-workout period, to regenerate muscle glycogen. Others will achieve better results on the high fat diet by entering into ketosis, where the source of energy becomes fat and ketone body. Remember, however, that eliminating carbohydrates in the long run can have negative effects. According to Food and Nutrition Institute: “The uncritical use of certain diets can contribute to many serious metabolic disorders, such as ketoacidosis or cardiac arrhythmias. Particularly be aware of the meals, almost completely without carbohydrate products (potatoes, bread, cereals, rice, pasta), while rich in meat, eggs, cheese, butter and other fats. This kind of diet, even for healthy people, can lead to serious health consequences. ” You should eat low glycemic carbohydrates and completely eliminate sugars.

Supply of fats

Fats are an important part of reduction diet and I am very glad that they are no longer considered to be evil 🙂 We already know that fats do not lead to obesity and are needed for proper functioning of the hormonal economy. They are an important source of energy for tissues and organs, help to digest carbohydrates, affect proper functioning of the nervous system and cardiovascular system. Fats should be taken in the form of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6). It is also important to limit trans fat and unsaturated fats to the absolute minimum, as they are the cause of health problems.

My proposal for a reduction diet – the introduction of two periods, ex. the refeed period and fasting period. How is it working?

Eating too little calories for a long period of time is fatal … Caloric restriction (when too restricted) causes slow cortisol secretion, which can be associated with irritability, fatigue, loss of strength and energy, and eating cravings. What’s worse, when calories are lowered, leading to a sudden negative calorie balance the body is defending itself and wants to outwit you … Metabolism begins to slow down, in order to preserve its energy reserves (which is adipose tissue), which often leads to weight loss suppression, even with very low calorie meals. However, there is a way to relieve some of these unpleasant side effects of calorie reduction. I’m talking about regular ‘charging’ days, where you’ll be able to eat more calories, feel better, and even lose weight faster.

What the refeed days are?

Let’s say these days are specific, planned days, where you eat more than when cutting calories / reductions. Refeed day for the head is a fueling the metabolism, and for the hormonal economy it is information that everything in the body is OK so it does not start to conserve energy and does not slow down all processes. If you have ever had to minimize calories for a long time then you know that it is a difficult and necessary evil that you want to get rid of quickly! Refeed day also called cheat day has its rules, but unfortunately it is not the rule of “eat everything no matter what”! These days can easily get out of control and make you eat too much and you will have to reduce calories even longer to burn it. The day-to-day meal differs from the scam that every serving is calculated and there is no mention of culinary hedonism. When you’re planning your day correctly, you’ll eat at a specific (higher) level of calories. But before we go on, let’s look at some of the concrete benefits of the planned refeed days.

Why it is worth it to plan these days?

• taking a break from the diet, which can make it much easier to follow the diet
• They help to normalize the hormone level, which can improve metabolism and reduce appetite
• They complement / load muscle glycogen stores, allowing for more effective workouts

Now that you know why you should use refeed days, let’s go to the specifics of how to prepare for them. How to set days?

During the refeeding days you will eat completely differently than you would assume your typical diet plan. For most people on the diet, it is recommended to maintain a reduction of 20-25% of calories, consume a large amount of protein, a reasonable amount of carbohydrates and moderate amounts of fat. Here it all depends on the individual plan / layout of the macronutrients accordingly to reduce the diet. Remember this plan should be created by dietician, do not do anything on your own! However, when you have “refeed days”, you can change the macronutrient distribution. First of all, you need to increase your calories by 30% or provide your TMR calories. If you have scheduled a cut to 2000 calories, then you will be doing your refeed days at around 2600 calories. This will cause a small excess of calories for the day – but not so much that you risk taking on extra weight.

Now, when it comes to breaking macronutrients, what you should eat on a refeeding day (it’s only contractual):

• about 1 gram of protein per 1 kg of body weight
• fat – if possible – really try to keep it below 40-50 grams
• everything else from carbohydrates to meet the caloric goals

Example:

If your TMR is 2600 calories and you are currently reducing your supply to 2000 calories – here’s how you organize your refeed day:

• Calories: 2600 (increase of 30% to 2000)
• Protein: 200 grams
• Fat: 35 grams (assuming you keep the minimum)
• Carbohydrates: 370 grams

As you can see, you will get most calories from carbohydrates in refeed days. This will help to stabilize hormone levels and supplement the often exhausted muscular glycogen stores.

Which food is best to eat?

This part is up to you, as long as it fits your calories intake. However, if you are looking for tips, focus primarily on foods that will also contain simple carbohydrates (I’m not talking about fast food or other refined products, let’s always choose healthy products).

Here are some recommended products:

• pasta with tomato sauce
• pancakes with maple syrup
• rice
• potatoes / yams
• rye bread on rye sourdough
• fruits

How often should we do refeed days?

It really depends on the person … Observe your body. In general, the more you want to lose weight, the more often you can use such refeed days, but … with head and balance. It depends on excess body fat – 20% or higher, you should start with refeeding once every two weeks – and then transfer it once a week, depending on what is going on. If you are closer to 12-15%, you can start from the first day of the week. The choice of the day depends on you, but with personal experience and my clients opinion, I would highly recommend the weekend.

But, WARNING!

I need to mention this … Refeed day is only effective when you keep all the rules and plan for the rest of the days. Try it and see for yourself!

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. National Food and Nutrition Institute (Instytut Żywności i Żywienia), Warsaw.
2. Davoodi SH, Ajami M, Ayatollahi SA, Dowlatshahi K, Javedan G, Pazoki-Toroudi HR. Calorie shifting diet versus calorie restriction diet: a comparative clinical trial study. Int J Prev Med. 2014;5(4):447-456.
3. Dirlewanger M, di Vetta V, Guenat E, Battilana P, Seematter G, Schneiter P, Jequier E, Tappy L. Effects of short-term carbohydrate or fat overfeeding on energy expenditure and plasma leptin concentrations in healthy female subjects. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000;24:1413–1418.
4. Chin-Chance C, Polonsky KS, Schoeller DA. Twenty-four-hour leptin levels respond to cumulative short-term energy imbalance and predict subsequent intake. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;85:2685–2691.

Where the deficit tends to leak in practice, why protein carries more weight than the carbohydrate question and how to train while eating less are covered separately in the post on the weight loss diet.

If you would rather have the calculation, the menu and the training plan done together rather than assembled by hand, that is what the Diet & Training by Ann app does.