What is a diet break & when is it implemented?
A diet break is a strategic tool used to support long-term adherence to a fat-loss program. It is a planned two-week period where you temporarily increase your calorie intake to maintenance. It is implemented after a prolonged period of calorie restriction to give your body a break from the stress of dieting. Diet breaks typically last for two weeks before returning to the calorie deficit phase.
What is the benefit?
Diet breaks aim to mitigate the negative effects of long-term calorie restriction, such as metabolic adaptation, hormonal imbalances, and psychological fatigue. They can help improve adherence, enhance metabolic rate, restore hormone levels, and provide psychological relief.
What do I expect during a diet break?
During a diet break, you can expect a few things:
Weight fluctuations: Due to increased food intake and potentially higher carbohydrate consumption, you may experience temporary weight fluctuations. It's important to remember that this is primarily due to increased food and fluid retention, not fat gain, as long as you adhere to your prescribed calorie intake.
Improved well-being: A diet break can bring positive changes to your overall well-being. You may notice better sleep quality, improved mood, increased energy levels, improved digestion, and enhanced performance in physical activities or sports.
Mitigated metabolic adaptation: Extended periods of calorie restriction can lead to metabolic adaptation, where your body adjusts to lower calorie intake by reducing metabolic rate. Taking a diet break helps reduce this adaptation, allowing your metabolism to reset and potentially preventing further decreases in metabolic rate.
What plans include diet breaks?
Diet Breaks on our Premium Plan offers personalised guidance and support from a knowledgeable coach who assists members throughout their fat loss journey. Diet breaks require careful monitoring and adjustment of calorie intake, and having a coach involved ensures that the process is tailored to each individual's needs. The coach helps members navigate the intricacies of incorporating diet breaks effectively, providing expert guidance on managing calorie intake, addressing potential challenges, and optimising results.
If you are on the Standard Plan, you can place yourself on a diet break by moving your calories up to the maintenance goal for 2-3 weeks and then requesting to go back down to fat loss following this. This can all be done via the 'Journey' tab of the app -> scroll down to your goal and make the change.