The main problem with diets? exit from them. People often lose weight quickly, but then gain it as well. Find out how to maintain the achieved result? Nearly ninety percent of people on a variety of dietary nutrition programs experience weight gain after quitting the diet. This applies to almost any such nutritional program, even if the diet has proven to be effective. Today we will talk about how to properly exit the diet in bodybuilding according to the recommendations of Lyle MacDonald.
Principles of a maintenance diet when leaving the diet
McDonald speaks of the need to switch to a calorie maintenance diet after leaving the main dietary program. He calls it a "diet break". We will talk about the nutrition program created by MacDonald in a separate article, but today we will focus only on a supportive diet.
This proposal looks quite justified, since it is quite difficult to restore the secretion of thyroid hormones in another way and get out of the state of ketosis.
It is important to carry out a "diet break" with a certain frequency, which depends on the categories of people, of which, according to MacDonald, there are only three. So, depending on the categories, the "diet break" should be carried out with the following cyclicity:
- Representatives of the first category - every 11 or 12 days;
- For category 2 - after 2-6 weeks;
- Representatives of the 3rd category - every 6-12 weeks.
This should be done even if you have not yet managed to lose the required amount of fat and this point is not subject to discussion. The duration of the maintenance calorie intake is unchanged for all categories and is 14 days.
Switching to maintenance calories after dieting
There are two options for the development of events. You can jump to a diet break quickly, while increasing your calories for a day or two after the refeed. You can also do this gradually, increasing the calorie content of the diet for seven days.
For example, you can start adding one whole egg to a protein omelet, then two, and so on. In addition to lean meats, you begin to add more fatty ones to the diet, instead of vegetables in one meal, add cereals, etc. As a result, you have to reach the calorie content, which MacDonald called maintenance.
How to determine the calorie maintenance diet?
On average, a person needs 25 to 36 calories for every kilogram of body weight. Since your metabolism will be slowed down by about ten percent during the diet program, you will need to consume fewer calories during the diet break than you would normally. Also, the calorie content of the maintenance diet is strongly influenced by the lifestyle:
- At zero activity, you need to consume 22 to 24 calories for each kilogram of body weight;
- With sedentary activity (there is a light aerobic load or a person walks often), you should consume from 24 to 26 calories for each kilogram of body weight;
- With an average activity (cardio load and no more than two strength exercises during the week), it is necessary to consume from 26 to 28 calories per kilo of body weight;
- With high activity (from 2 to 3 strength training sessions per week), it is necessary to consume from 29 to 33 calories for each kilo of body weight;
- With very high activity (more than 4 sessions per week), you need to consume from 34 to 43 calories for each kilogram of body weight.
Girls should stick to the minimum values in the indicated ranges, and men - the maximum. This is due to the fact that metabolic processes in the female body proceed at a slower rate.
How to determine the required amount of protein compounds?
Protein compounds must be taken in optimal amounts. It depends primarily on your sports activities. If you are not in the gym and lead a sedentary lifestyle, then consume 1.6 grams of the nutrient for every kilo of dry body weight. Those people who use only aerobic exercise need to consume 2.2 grams of protein compounds. If you actively use strength training, then you will need more protein, namely 3.3 grams.
How to determine the required amount of carbohydrates?
During the diet break, you should consume at least 100 grams of carbohydrates per day and no less. If you do not adhere to at least this minimum rate, then you will not be able to completely exit the state of ketosis, and the secretion of thyroid hormones will not be completely restored. In addition, the following amount of nutrient must be added to the minimum dose of carbohydrates:
- With low physical activity - dry weight (CM) x 0.5;
- With medium physical activity - CM x 1;
- With high physical activity - CM x 1.25;
- With very high physical activity - CM x 1.5.
How to determine the required amount of fat?
With fats, everything is much easier. After determining the calorie content of the maintenance diet you need, as well as the amount of carbohydrates and protein compounds, the number of fats is calculated using the formula: fats = (calorie intake - 4 * (calorie content of proteins + caloric content of carbohydrates)) / 9.
It must be said that after all these calculations, the results obtained are not final. You need to keep track of your body weight. With its increase, the calorie content of the maintenance diet must be reduced, with a decrease, it must be increased.
Is it possible to maintain mass when leaving the diet without calculating calories?
Everyone understands that not many people will deal with all these calculations. MacDonald is also aware of this. Based on his experience, he has formulated several principles to help you maintain weight without using a calculator:
- Eat as often as possible, at least six times a day.
- Products containing protein compounds should not be fatty;
- Healthy fats should be present in every meal. During a normal meal, their amount should be from 10 to 14 grams, and with a snack - from 5 to 7 grams.
- Eat more plant fiber.
- Eat slowly.
- Avoid high amounts of refined carbohydrates such as pasta or white rice.
- Go in for sports.
For more information on how to get out of the diet correctly, see this video:
