Refeeds mess me up. How to gain control of these?

[SteelWeaver]

Ever lose control on a refeed? It's not pretty.

What to do? Plan out the numbers beforehand? Just skip them altogether?

Fat as a suckling piglet and 10 weeks out ... This is gonna be another fuckin' crash and burn.

And then I'M NOT COMPETING FOR AT LEAST a YEAR (or two or three) after this.

 

[Ceebs]

Plan them out in advance. Limit yourself to a specific timeframe - say, 6 hours, after which you are absolutely positively not going to eat. Drink enough water that overeating is uncomfortable. Or if all else fails, just have them less frequently.

 

[NorwayFitness]

I allow myself a meal on carb-up days. I eat what I feel like as long as doesn't have a big amount of fat in it...Usually homemade french fires and chicken or tuna. And I eat sooo much that I'm really stuffed. No dessert...
After that I'm back to dieting. I feel much better when I do like this and not keep on going for hours, but this may not be a good way to carb-up...But it works for me !
Good luck on your dieting ! I know I would be as "paranoid" as you are if I had a dead-line too...

NF

 

[JJFigure]

When you carb load, your meals should be really limited in fat and protein (like as nonexistent as possible). I'm on the NHE plan, and this plan has you reload only during your last meal (or last two meals if you want to spread it out), and your last meal must end at least 90 minutes before you go to bed. This keeps you from overfeeding all day long (like I would do, if I had the chance). The minute I start eating carbs, I don't want to stop. By limiting it to one meal, it's easier to stop, especially if I've set a calorie limit for the day. I hate modifying my diet log.

 

[MS]

Yeah, try what JJFigure said. One meal at the end of the day once a week. You can increase this to twice a week (2 consecutive days in a row) IF NEEDED as you get really lean. Otherwise leave it at one meal per week.

And for sure, I would not recommend anyone except a true IFBB pro to compete any more than once every 2 years, unless the comps are only a few weeks apart or you have to go to the Nationals after stunning them at a regional event!

 

[MS]

A lot of your questions may be answered in this thread:
http://groups.google.com/groups?dq=...hl=en&lr=&safe=off&group=misc.fitness.weights

But then again, the conclusion is the same. If you can't handle refeeds at all, then don't do them. Ideally you only have them when you really need them, and for just long enough to boost leptin/glycogen etc.....

Don't do them if you're not lean, and do them more frequently as you get leaner (that is IF you can control them).

Everyone is different, and being deeply in touch with your body is the best way to know when and how much to refeed.................................!

 

[valerie]

I'll make this suggestion one more time. It really does make a difference in the carbs you choose to carb up on. Regardless of what the guys can get away with we girls need to make better food choices. I have used an approach which has been very successful perhaps it would work for you. I use foods like oatmeal, cream of rice, sweet potatoes,yams,potatoes,rice (any type),and a small amount of some fruit. What I have found and you may too, is that the next morning I wake up feeling awesome and I look cut, strength is up and all systems are rocking. No bloat, no hangover no carb cravings. The amounts I use are :6 tablespoons cream of rice (pre cooked), 6 0zs sweet potatoes or yams, fruit of choice usually 4 0zs, 2 cups of veggies of choice-this is optional. I eat this as the last meal of the day and I so this twice a week. This has been extremely effective for me in getting into competition shape. The foods here are ones that work well for me. One could easily sub oatmeal or reg rice for the cream of rice. I have never had success eating sugar shit for refeeds, it absulotely throws me for a loop and I lose it totally. I schedule these carbs up to be once every 3 days and then again on the fourth day. One could do this every 3 days and leave it at that. I like to use the cream of rice as it cooks up to be quite a large amount and it fills me up. Perhaps this is something that may work for you. I am 5'6" at 136 lbs, so you could modify the amounts for your size. I lose an average of one pound per week using this method. Good Luck-Valerie

 

[SteelWeaver]

MS - I can't get that link to work - it might be this machine ...

Otherwise, thanks everyone - this helps. Today I feel less stricken - some of the bloat has gone, and I'm not looking too bad. It didn't help that I had pics done on Sunday, all bloated. I've DEFINITELY put on some nice size, legs are looking thicker, arms and shoulders round and full, but the price is fat.

Valerie, I think you have a very good point - it's the sugar that messes me up so badly, so from now on - complex carbs. I'm going the rice and sweet potato and wholewheat pasta and legume route. I was thinking about it yesterday - it totally makes sense - you get full quicker on fewer cals, and you don't shoot your blood sugar through the roof. And with a large number of carbs, the insulin response should still be enough to raise leptin. AND with lots of water and ALA for the muscles to soak everything up, all should be cool.

"Everyone is different, and being deeply in touch with your body is the best way to know when
and how much to refeed.................................!"

Yes, I know - I've got a much better feel for WHEN I need them (and right now could probably go a couple of weeks or so without), but how much is another story - it's so easy to go overboard - the irrational mind takes over, ESPECIALLY if they're not PLANNED out. So from now on - PLANNING makes perfect. BB'ing has taught me how to plan everything in detail down to the last gram, so why shouldn't I do it for this?

Oh, spatts - yup - 36g fat, more than half is flax.

 

[Sassy69]

I'd go w/ what valerie said -- I've been following the Beverly International diet -- 7 day schedule w/ 2 carb up meals at the end of day 4 and day 7. These are part of the meal plan just like any other meal. They consist of 6 oz sweet potatoe, 1 c oatmeal, 1/2 banana, 1 cup vegies & 1 tbsp butter. I've changed it a little because I blow up on oatmeal now -- replaced it w/ cream of rice and probably less than the equivalent of 1 c. oatmeal. I also skip the butter & sub in some flax on the vegies. But the point is, its the same pre-planned meal as any other, so you eat it, you're done, you continue your day. There's also a certain satisfaction you get when you know what you are "allowed" to have and you basically live for that meal. I also slap on some Splenda on the sweet potato just to get wild. And since its already planned, no room for going wild.

 

[SteelWeaver]

MS - I can't get that link to work - it might be this machine ...

Never mind - I went in the back door and searched "refeeds". I'm not exactly sure WHICH refeed thread you meant, if you wouldn't mind saying, but lots of good info there. So THAT'S where all the gurus hang out! AWESOME spot, thank you. I kind of was aware that they were out there on the misc group somewhere, but never bothered to search.

Added to sites for regular visits.

Oh, sassy - sprinkle a little cinnamon with that Splenda on your sweet potato - ta DAH! cinnamon sugar, just like kiddie days, before CALORIES