M.E NUTRITION
For example, the metabolic
rate decreases with dieting.”
Hall elaborates: “You
therefore need to give your
body time to restore its BMR,
while also minimising body
fat storage, without incurring
permanent damage. Reverse
dieting promotes a healthier
adaptation process by slowly
increasing overall calorie
intake, which reduces the
metabolic and psychological
stress associated with a
switch from low to high
levels of calorie consumption
because your body can
readjust its metabolic
capacity, and return body
fat and hormones to normal
levels.”
Another advantage of
reverse dieting is that this
approach will enable you
to lose body fat more easily
for the next contest once
an athlete reaches his or
her maintenance calorie
intake. “You'll also be able
to eat more, with the ability
to still lose weight as your
metabolic capacity returns
to normal, optimal levels.”
PLANNING YOUR APPROACH
H
all suggests that a reverse dieting protocol be applied for a minimum of six weeks,
with some athletes reverse dieting for up to 12 weeks. “Carbohydrates are increased
by 5-10g each week, and fat by 2-5g per week. Protein is kept the same as recommended
intakes are usually the same in and out of diet phases. Depending on the metabolic
adaptation your body experiences, you may need to taper this periodised increase in
calories if you are gaining weight too quickly.”
She points that it is also worth noting that for each gram of carbohydrate the body
stores, 3g of water weight is retained by the body. “As such, weight gain during this
period is inevitable. Body fat gain is the norm, but it can be controlled.”
MONITORING THE
PROCESS
M
uch like it is during pre-contest prep phases, it is
also imperative that athletes monitor changes in
their body composition consistently during a reverse diet,
without over-interpreting the results, explains Hall.
The most accurate way to measure body fat percentage
which holds the most validity is the bioelectrical impedance
analysis. “To only measure and analyse according to weight
and/or photos is risky due to the subjective nature of this
approach. You need to analyse what proportion of your
weight gain is healthy, in the form of some water and
muscle mass, or what proportion is due to fat accumulation.
Without these insights, which a conventional weight scale
cannot offer, you cannot adjust your macronutrient intakes
accordingly,” she continues.
“TO ONLY
MEASURE
AND ANALYSE
ACCORDING TO
WEIGHT AND/
OR PHOTOS IS
RISKY DUE TO THE
SUBJECTIVE NATURE
OF THIS APPROACH.”
APPLYING REVERSE DIETING
“A
thletes need to keep
in mind that your
body is at its most anabolic
in the week following the
event. Therefore, you cannot
dive straight into a reverse
dieting phase. After the
period of restricted calorie
intake your body needs
to rebuild damaged tissue
and replenish energy
reserves, including muscle
glycogen stores.”
Hall says that you should
theoretically be able to
engage in 1-3 weeks of
‘re-feeding’ before starting
a reverse dieting protocol.
However, this approach
is largely determined by
the individual; their BMR,
muscle mass and genetic
predisposition, as well as the
severity of their depletion,
86
Muscle Evolution
the length of time spent in
this calorie-restricted state,
and their training intensity,
which needs to remain
relatively high, within reason,
to maximise the exercise-
induced muscle adaptations
during this 'anabolic window'.
While these are the basic
guidelines, Hall is quick to
point out that there will
always be individuals who
respond differently – the
statistical outliers. “For
example, ‘hard gainers’ are
generally considered to be
metabolically inefficient
individuals as their bodies
burn excessive calories as
heat instead of fuelling
anabolic processes. The
re-feed and reverse dieting
protocols will therefore need
to be tailored accordingly
to ensure they don't lose
weight during this process.”
Having a coach who
understands this process is
therefore essential, says Hall.
“Your coach will quickly learn
how your body responds to
various macronutrient ratios,
and will also know how
to apply a reverse dieting
protocol in that all-important
post-show period. This will
ensure you restore your
BMR to its pre-diet levels,
while also mitigating the
compensatory weight gain
that accompanies periods of
calorie restriction. The most
important thing, however,
is to be patient. Understand
that this is a process, and
that reverse dieting is
about your future, not your
present,” she concludes. M.E