What would you do if I tell you that you need to eat more to lose fat?
Doesn’t make sense, I know.
You’ve heard a hundred times that to lose weight, you need to reduce your calories (AKA a caloric deficit)…
and it’s true as that’s the only way to lose fat (regardless of what you hear out there).
So, what do I mean when I say the opposite?
I mean that sometimes, you need to first start eating more food until you get to your predicted maintenance calories.
This is known as reverse dieting.
But don’t think you should do this all the time, as there are only 3 situations where you should do reverse dieting:
- When you finished a fat loss phase and met your desired physique goals (the ideal one).
- When you finished a fat loss phase but didn’t get to your desired physique.
- When you finished a fat loss phase but your calories are so low you can’t keep with it (whether you’ve get your desired physique or not).
Then if I tell you that you only can do reverse dieting in these 3 situations, it doesn’t make sense to suggest you as an option.
Well, that’s not true.
Because in many cases, when you’ve been dieting for so long and not being able to lose more weight (for whatever reason) yet you’re on low calories already, it doesn’t help you to cut more calories or do more cardio.
That’s when doing reverse dieting can actually help you.
You’ll be eating progressively more until you reach your predicted TDEE, and even if you were to gain some weight (some people actually see to keep their weight off pretty much the same, while others even lose more weight… I’ve been part of the later group)…
you’d be setting up yourself for a better chance to lose fat without actually feeling like going through hell.
It’s a short term counterintuitive approach to make sure you not only lose that fat in a better position by not having to go so low on calories (maybe even feeling like dieting at all), but…
you’re making it more likely to be the last time you need to diet to lose those pounds.
This is one of the reasons most people cannot seem to get out of yo-yo diets and constantly be on a diet to try to lose weight.
The thing is…
if someone who’s in that position doesn’t do a reverse diet, you’re making it impossible to change that result.
That’s why when I help clients with their diets and fitness journey, in some cases I suggest them to do this before doing anything else.
They feel like they are going the opposite direction at first, but when they get to a fat loss phase once they finish a reverse diet…
they are glad they did it that way.
And if you’d want to not only see if I could help you with this, but get daily email tips that show you how to make the next diet you make the last one you’ll need, all you have to do is sign up below:
You’ll also get a Free copy of my “Fat Loss Multiplier” guide and a special Bonus as well.
Ivan @ Fitnessthetic