30 Seconds SummaryDiet Breaks: How and Why to Use Them
- Contest prep diets are extending beyond the traditional 12-week period, often expanding to 16 weeks or more.
- Metabolic adaptation occurs during dieting, mainly reducing non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and resting metabolic rates, which are necessary for energy conservation.
- Individual differences in metabolic responses to dieting are significant, highlighting the need for personalized diet plans.
- The MATADOR study shows that incorporating periodic two-week diet breaks (consuming maintenance calories) can reduce the negative effects of metabolic adaptation and enhance fat loss compared to continuous dieting.
- Diet breaks must be carefully managed, maintaining caloric intake at maintenance levels, not exceeding it, to be effective.
- Introducing diet breaks every 2-4 weeks might optimize fat loss during extended contest preparations, though more research is required to confirm these findings and establish the best practices.
Biolayne
Eric Trexler
