SURVIVAL MODE
A
s athletes are in a depleted state
following a contest, often with
single digit body fat percentages and
low glycogen levels, their bodies are
generally in a state of shock. At its most
basic biological level, your brain interprets
this state and the severe calorie restriction as
a form of starvation. It will therefore initiate
processes that place your body in 'survival
mode', and will take steps to try and return
to a state of homeostasis – both in terms of
weight and hormone balance.
The specific physiological changes that
take place after calorie-restricted diets
include changes in appetite-regulating
hormones such as ghrelin and insulin, and
metabolism-regulating hormones such as
thyroid hormones. Your metabolism also
slows to limit additional fat and weight loss,
and the aforementioned hunger hormones
drive your desire to eat to regain all the lost
weight, and then some, as your body tries to
increase fat reserves in preparation for the
next phase of 'starvation'.
We're actually designed in such a way that
weight loss is resisted as much as possible,
while weight gain isn't easily prevented,
particularly after periods of calorie
restriction. Hall, who is also a competitive
Bikini competitor, adds: “What few athletes
realise is that being on a restricted calorie
diet brings with it a certain responsibility.
The way you eat after a period of calorie
restriction is just as important as the diet
itself, which is why you need to plan ahead
for when it's over.”
Accordingly, without a plan and the
correct approach the resultant rebound
is more often than not characterised by
excess weight gain, especially in the forms
of body fat and water retention, despite
the heightened insulin sensitivity that
normally follows a phase of carb and calorie
restriction and hard weight training.
ADJUSTING TO RESTRICTION
A
ccording to Hall, when an athlete diets down for a competition by following the
accepted healthy guidelines, his body adapts to sustaining itself on a lower calorie
intake, which is known as ‘metabolic adaptation’ or ‘adaptive thermogenesis’.
“The body initially becomes more efficient at utilising stored energy, the most
abundant source of which is body fat, in response to a reduction in energy supplied from
your diet. The downside to this, however, is that you burn fewer calories overall, which
then forces you to consume fewer and fewer calories over time to keep seeing results,
which is an approach that cannot be maintained indefinitely.”
Accordingly Hall advises that a structured programme of reverse dieting should be
implemented to prevent the negative side effects of diet-induced weight-gain, a natural
compensatory response to periods of restricted calorie intake.
DEFINING THE CONCEPT “YOU’LL ALSO BE
S
he explains that
reverse dieting is
a period during which
calories are progressively
increased to maintenance
levels, or above, after
extended periods of calorie
restriction. “This level is
predominantly determined
by an individual's total
daily energy expenditure
(TDEE). Put another
way, macronutrients are
manipulated to restore
hormone levels and increase
your basal metabolic
rate (BMR).”
Hall points out that
reverse dieting is still a
relatively new concept,
with no noticeable
studies available on the
effectiveness of this
approach. However, a great
deal of anecdotal evidence
in the field, including
her own experience with
her prep and that of
her clients, has allowed
coaches and competitive
athletes who understand
the energy balance of
food to successfully
manipulate calories and
achieve the desired result.
As far as reverse dieting is
concerned, the main aim is
the maintenance of existing
muscle tissue, the addition
of added muscle mass, and
the management of fat
accumulation to acceptable
healthy levels after a
competition.
“Reverse dieting aims
to increase calorie intake
as high as possible while
limiting weight gain,
particularly body fat
accumulation. In doing
so you maximise your
metabolic capacity (the
mitochondria's capacity
for substrate utilisation
and maximum oxygen
uptake, or the body’s
ABLE TO EAT MORE,
WITH THE
ABILITY TO STILL
LOSE WEIGHT
AS YOUR METABOLIC
CAPACITY RETURNS
TO NORMAL, OPTI-
MAL LEVELS.”
ability to meet its energy
requirements without
experiencing fatigue), and
make subsequent fat loss
efforts easier.”
To quote a specialist on
the subject, Layne Norton,
“the danger of a sustained
reduced calorie diet is
that it causes a disconnect
between the body and the
metabolic rate over time.
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