Binge vs. Refeed

A binge is not a re-feed!!!

A re-feed is not a binge!!!

While both may involve larger than usual amounts of indulgent foods, binges and re-feeds are actually POLAR OPPOSITES.  No self control + No boundaries + No purpose = Huge food guilt!

A binge is an all out “cookie monster” raid through the pantry.  There is very little thought put into what or how much is consumed.  You may even eat foods that you don’t really enjoy very much simply because you are trying to consume as much as you can, in as little time as possible, so that you can get “back on” your diet tomorrow.

Binges happen for MANY, MANY reasons but when on very low carb or very low calorie diets, binges are often a sign that your hunger hormones have HAD ENOUGH of your deprivation.

At this point, you lose.

You can’t win against biology.

Hormones are STRONGER than your WILL POWER!!!

Binge (1)

 

 

Re-feeds on the other hand are STRATEGIC!

There is a recognition that one is trying to achieve a calorie deficit but that our bodies will only comply for a LIMITED AMOUNT of time.

Ghrelin is your “hour to hour” hunger hormone.  It’s released in the stomach.

Leptin is your “daily” hunger hormone and it directly talks to your brain about fat storage.

Deprive for too long and either or both of these hormones will RETALIATE.

These hormones were made to put us on “high alert” in times of famine or hardship therefore, REFUSING to add calories back into your diet for limited amounts of time is literally an invitation to CRAVE AND BINGE and never reach your goal.

Want to AVOID this?  

Of course, you do!!

Then stop being perfect and GET STRATEGIC!!!

  1.  Yes, calories matter to lose fat BUT don’t set them so low that you instantaneously make ghrelin your enemy and begin to experience cravings from day one.IMPATIENCE… not motivation or will power plays a huge role into why people cannot stick to losing weight.Instead of thinking 100-400 calories LESS than usual, a number that’s practically imperceivable to our bodies, people will start with huge deficits of 600-800 calories.

    This makes ghrelin very, very mad.  Your cravings will soar and it’s just a matter of time before a binge comes into action.

  2. If you have been eating about 300 calories less/day for 6 days straight you have consumed 1800 calories less than usual!  This amounts to AN ENTIRE DAY OF FASTING based on how you were living before.

    Congrats…At this point you are making your body use FAT STORAGE for fuel!!!

    However, your hormone buddy Leptin KNOWS AND CARES GREATLY about your fat storage!!!!

    It is ludicrous to think that your body will not be able to pick up on this and react.

    Re-feeds “confuse” leptin and make it think that this whole 1800 calorie deficit thing was just a silly mistake.  “No need to increase leptin and make my appetite soar like crazy because I just had this AMAZING dinner with my friends w/ some wine and appetizers and a dessert.”

    Re-feeds keep leptin low!

  3. And while the re-feed will ADD back let’s say an extra 1,000 calories to your total most people FORGET TO ADD UP the weekly calories they NEVER consumed from the epic 2,000-3,000 raid the pantry BINGE that never happened.  Your strategic re-feed that may compute to only an 800 calorie deficit on My Fitness Pal for the week is actually much bigger than that.

Overtime… not over night… these physically and mentally cathartic re-feeds add up to real weight loss.

In addition, these fun evenings come with ZERO after math GUILT because you are playing the fat loss game from a caloric and hormonal stand point.  You wake up the next morning 100% satisfied and ready to start the process over again.

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