Stillman's Countdown to Summer: Marvelous May Edition

[LawGirl86]

Originally Posted by akagal20

Would a refeed help me? I researched on the web
Sounds like good plan, and it helps with immunity, weight loss, energy plus I could actually have the gusto to do a serious work out again

akagal your losses are so great, I wouldn't mess with it. I've done many refeeds over the past yr (since I started losing weight) and they worked really well at the beginning, but I've either done too many, am WAY overdoing it during the refeeds, or have lost too much weight where my refeeds end up setting me back up to a week, which is so discouraging. I'd say, wait at least 7-10 days where you're at the same exact weight before doing a refeed, and then do a very calculated one, and not an all out gluttony-fest (like I've done :blush

[Stillman's_Chick]

Originally Posted by akagal20

How does this refeed situation work ?
What does it do ?

Refeeds and Leptin
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Refeeds are typically done while cutting; that is, creating a caloric deficit so your body is forced to rely on fat as an energy source. Most people on any low carb diet---i.e. less than 1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day----or implementing any extreme caloric deficit should incorporate a refeed.

Refeeds are used to raise Leptin, refill muscle and Liver glycogen, as well as providing sanity release from dieting as your body is temporarily thrown into a state of metabolic balance.

A Quick, Layman’s Explanation of Leptin:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*~*~*~
Leptin is considered an anti-starvation/metabolic balance hormone. As your Leptin levels decrease, the signal is sent to inform that your body is going into starvation mode. As your body goes into starvation mode we all know what happens---your fat loss slows down immensely or in some cases to a screeching halt. So in order to kick fat loss into gear again, you need to raise Leptin.

Common sense dictates that the body seeks balance, and if you endeavor to upset that balance---you have to outwit your body. We were built for survival, and unfortunately for the fitness/bodybuilding-oriented folk, “survival” didn’t mean 170 pounds of ripped mass at 6% bodyfat.

I can’t count how many people have asked this the question of why they lost fat after cheating. They have been so good and clean on their diets for weeks and results slowed down, they got frustrated, they cheated and 2 days later woke up lighter and leaner than before the cheat. Main reason right there, they raised Leptin. Raising Leptin levels will give your body the kick-start it needs for the next few days to keep you out of starvation mode as you diet. As long as your body is out of starvation mode, the faster the fat loss, and the less likely you are to lose LBM, while suffering on all counts in the process. Like I said above, this a brief explanation and there is so much info on Leptin so please read Par’s articles for a more detailed and scientific explanation.

Eat Your Way Out of Metabolic Hell
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~*~*
So, now you are probably thinking, "How do I increase Leptin?” Ready for this...........Eat lots of Carbs. I'm not necessarily talking slow burning carbs here either folks. I know, most of you reading this right now are thinking is she talking about? Simple explanation: The way to raise Leptin is to actually spill over into your fat cells.

Yes, I said it, SPILL OVER!! In order to fill your muscle glycogen you need carbs, once your glycogen stores are full, you are now spilling over into your fat cells. One (1) Step Backwards for 2 Steps Forward. Remember folks you can't get fat in 1 day. This is not a new method of fat loss either. Bodybuilders are doing this everywhere and with fantastic results. ** A Refeed Day is NOT and I repeat NOT a cheat day. There are rules to this that should be followed to avoid gaining fat during the refeed

Rules
~*~*~
Typically a refeed is done every 4-5 days, although the frequency of the refeeds can be adjusted to suit the person. The lower the caloric deficit you've managed to create, and the lower your BF%, the more often you should refeed. Why? Because your leptin levels plummet as your calories drop and your bodyfat decreases; remember, we want to stay out of starvation mode.

How do you know when you should refeed more often, or less often? Unfortunately, it’s a personal process of trial and error; no two people are alike, and the general refeed plan is just that---general. If you find yourself constantly obsessed with food, and if you’re losing a significant amount of muscle and strength, you may have to refeed more often (perhaps every 2 to 3 days).

A refeed may also be shorter or longer in duration. For instance, some prefer to refeed for 24 hours, in which case they may consume anywhere from 25 to 50% above their maintenance caloric intake. For shorter refeeds, such as those that last for 6 to 10 hours, people often do not count their calories; rather, they pack down as much as they can within the designated time-frame to ensure that their fat cells have a hefty bag of new fuel to stoke the metabolic furnace with.

Appropriate Foods For a Refeed
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*
During your refeed, you should aim for around 1G of Protein per Pound of body weight, keeping your sources of fat to a minimum, so you are only taking the fats that are in your proteins and carbs. Now, here is the fun part: CARBS! Yes, lots and lots and lots of carbs. Not necessarily brown rice, sweet potatoes and oats here either:

Bagels
Pasta
Rice
Bread
Cereal
FF/SF Ice Cream
Pancakes
Waffles
Crackers

Yes, all the things we crave if it's low fat or fat free, have at it! Remember, no additional fats.

You should keep fructose to a minimum though. Sticking to 50-100G [for fructose, probably lower, like 25%] for the day is plenty. Remember sucrose is 50% glucose and 50% fructose so seeing that we need to watch our fructose, staying away from sucrose (table sugar) is probably best. Yes, in order to elevate our levels of
Leptin, we want to spill over muscle, not Liver glycogen.

Wrapping It Up...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Now, don't bother stepping on the scale the next day---you will be heavier. Remember, carbs make you hold water but in a day or two it will be all gone and your body will burning fat like mad again.

Some of you being scared of other carb sources may opt to refeed with slow burning carbs and that's fine. Just keep in mind its going to take a hell of alot more oatmeal to raise Leptin than 1 bowl full, and if you’re doing a relatively short refeed, you may want to reconsider your food choices; a short refeed absolutely requires a drastic increase in your calories, as well as the consumption of refined carb sources.

The fiber in the slow burning carbs can be counter-productive when trying to raise leptin, that's why we use refined carbs. Refined carbs raise Leptin much quicker and you won't feel like a stuffed pig all day for having to eat 3C of oats to equal what 1 bagel could have done. And for those of you who are scared, it’s up to you to look at the entire picture, especially in light of how the body seeks balance. Then, if you truly understand this, you will no longer fear the calculated nature of a refeed, even if it requires you to consume those foods that are typically----at least in your mind----forbidden.

Anyone carb cycling does not need to follow this refeed. Reason being is because the carb cycling diet uses the High Carb days (every 2 days) to raise Leptin.

Source: .. Low carbing, refeeds and Leptin and what it all means?


My weight and BF% are currently high and since I'm primarily on Stillman's I'm choosing to do my reefeeds once every 2 weeks instead of every 4-5 days. I'll definitely report back on how it goes....For anyone who's thinking of trying it PLEASE keep this portion of the article in mind.

"Refeed Day is NOT and I repeat NOT a cheat day. There are rules to this that should be followed to avoid gaining fat during the refeed."

Hope this helps!

[LawGirl86]

Personally, I've always lost better after "eat whatever"/high everything refeed days, versus the high carb, low fat+low protein refeeds. And the "eat whatever" days always leave me more mentally satisfied and recommitted to getting back on the wagon.

[Stillman's_Chick]

Originally Posted by LawGirl86

Personally, I've always lost better after "eat whatever"/high everything refeed days, versus the high carb, low fat+low protein refeeds. And the "eat whatever" days always leave me more mentally satisfied and recommitted to getting back on the wagon.

That's great! It's good that you've figured out what works for your body.

This is the first time I've done a ketogenic diet (Stillman's) so this is also the first time I'm doing refeeds. I will start off doing it just as my research calls for first (above being a decent synopsis of the many articles I've read), track my results, reassess, then go from there.

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by akagal20

Hey CC

It's actually a huge trend now for brides to wear snazzy bright colored shoes when they wed!

It's kind of a big hit right now

A lot of brides choose blue because it counts as " something blue"

So having a colored shoe is a way to show some personality in an otherwise all " white" day

Blue is my favorite color and I am very excited about the shoes

Pink for me so!!!

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by akagal20

Black ? Goodness
I can do a shoe color change to be trendy but my dress is light ivory
Traditional but ive heard of other colors , I would be wary of black though

My dress will def be a very very very pale pink!! ..........we're not talking Barbie or Jordan here peeps!

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by icandoit

My posts are getting boring and repetitive. )

Just like Stills diet so!!!

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by PsychDoc3

Hey Ladies,

I am not caught up because I have been so busy, but I will say that I am doing well and have lost another lb. I think this added weight loss is because of the Easter splurge and then shock of not eating the carbs, but I am not complaining...I'm staying on plan and still not eating cheese. I cannot bring myself to add it back. As soon as I get to 135 I'm going to start to incorporate cheeses and lettuce into my diet. Just small amounts every few days or so. Nothing drastic. I do want veggies to be apart of my future, but I must experiment every few days. I think I will be eating a small amount of romaine or boston lettuce every few days. I think I might be at that point in a couple of weeks. We will see. I hope to catch up on everyone's downward trends soon. If only I had some time. It sure is busy these days on the Psych floor..The traffic here on the floor does not bode well for a quiet night..I predict some heavy traffic and some frequent fliers here any minute now...Have a good rest of the day and I'm wish everyone loser dreams...Happy Early Friday everyone

Hi Psych! Don't work too hard!!

[CCGirl]

Originally Posted by icandoit

My posts are getting boring and repetitive. I'm 203 today and did 45 minutes of expert Zumba. I'm eating chicken and tomatoes today. I like to keep it at one type of meat a day.

sounds more like 'on plan, no worries' to me...........that's a very good thing!

Originally Posted by akagal20

Ok you are getting so close to the 200
You are right there!! Yeah

I like the idea of one kind of meat per day , I may steal that

me too!

Originally Posted by PsychDoc3

Hey Ladies,

It sure is busy these days on the Psych floor..The traffic here on the floor does not bode well for a quiet night..I predict some heavy traffic and some frequent fliers here any minute now...Have a good rest of the day and I'm wish everyone loser dreams...Happy Early Friday everyone

sorry, don't mean to laugh, but.....frequent fliers..... heavy traffic......Psych, you make it sound like you're an air traffic controller

Originally Posted by Getting there!!!

My dress will def be a very very very pale pink!! ..........we're not talking Barbie or Jordan here peeps!

I could see that coming.......GT have you set a date? Pale nudes are the hot ticket this spring/realy summer, t'would be gorgeous!

[akagal20]

I did some research late last night on the internet, and there were a lot of good articles

It seemed like most of the refeed articles were in reference to bodybuilders or people who were serious athletes or endurance athletes who have to keep their weight down but need fuel every now and then.

For example, they suggest you do the refeed on a day where your exercise is going to be at the max, so you have the carbs to get through the tough workout.

I also noticed the articles suggest you do the refeeds once you've been dieting for quite a while and need the metabolic boost....

Its defiintely interesting and I will try this down the road once I am even/maintaining..

I have not heard anyone really mention the topic of refeeds on this thread before, so I was a little skeptical,I figure if it was something that really worked, everyone here would be going on and on about it... but now that I have looked into on my own time, it sounds legitimate and like it could really work, at least give you a bit of sanity and energy! lol

[Mar922]

Morning!

Ok I have a confession about my weight, on the May thread I said my weight was 148 because that what it was on Saturday so I put it up Monday morning, but Monday night I weighted myself and I was 153!!!! yes that was at night after eating etc so I was probably actually 151 in the morning judging by how my weight changes daily... anyways I weighed myself this AM and I am at 145!!! that means I lost 8 pounds since monday!!!!!

Have I mentioned I love this WOE, maybe I was off plan for a couple weeks and ate everything in sight on the weekends and I know I could have been at 135 today if it wasn't for those days but hello? it took me only 5 days to get back to pretty much the lightest weight I have been since I was an adult... weekends are always bad so me because I don't have the internet at home and can't come check in, not because I gain but I never seem to lose over the weeknds so if I maintain this weeknd I am happy and if I lose more I will be ecstatic!

[Getting there!!!]

I do think refeeds can be a good idea-but planned proper ones,not cheaty bingey choccie ones!!!!
I have def eaten more carbs when I was working out hard-I'm not sure it really counts as a refeed per se but I do think your body tolerates them better when you work out and it def gives you more energy. When I'm working out hard (HIT cardio) I would get extremely dizzy if I didn't. Upping the carbs makes the dizziness go away. (upping fat works too, but for me I do better with extra carbs instead).
I get dizzy too if I do pure protein for ages so that's why I always eat some veggies. That didn't happen at the beginning but it does now!
My extra carbs for cardio is usually a bowl of porridge-- if I eat it and don't workout I am extremely hungry so I know it spikes my insulin. But now I've found Dukan's oatbran---less carbs, more protein--and in my opinion much lower GI cos I don't get hungry after it. Mixed in with frozen blueberries when it's hot---yuuuummmm and extremely comforting!! And berries are the lowest carb count fruit too!!

[Getting there!!!]

OMG Mar!!!! That is brilliant! woohoo!!!

[Butterflymama]

Good morning ladies! I finally broke into the 170s this morning.
I was hoping to get here by this weekend and had had a couple days with the scale not moving, so I was doubtful, but I was at 179 when I stepped on the scale today. Woohoo!

I'm trying to keep myself out of the impatient mindset that has derailed me so many times before. If there are several days when the scale doesn't go down, I really start thinking that it's never going to, and I give up. NOT THIS TIME. Stillman's has really been good for me since I'm seeing a regular loss. That is all the motivation I need to keep going!

I hope everyone is having a great Friday!

[Getting there!!!]

I seriously never lose like that! If I gain due to cheats the 3 or 4 lbs stay for at least a week. And worse still the inches stay.

[Getting there!!!]

Yay Butterflymama---more good news!!

[akagal20]

I will consider this when I want to do my boot camp class , I haven't been in ages , it's my favorite class but I can never make it through these days without feeling like I'm gonna pass out

I will think about this or I can try a light increase in carbs on those days , it doesn't have to be a full on refeed

[Butterflymama]

Oh, and I can I just say what a happy thread/group this is? On the main LC Lobby, so many people are bummed about slow losses (which was me before I started Stillmans), or no losses on Atkins or whatever other plan, and we are over here just merrily cruising along! Stillman's rocks!

[Butterflymama]

Originally Posted by Getting there!!!

I seriously never lose like that! If I gain due to cheats the 3 or 4 lbs stay for at least a week. And worse still the inches stay.

Yup, same here. My ONE cheat in April derailed me for 2 weeks.

Originally Posted by akagal20

I will consider this when I want to do my boot camp class , I haven't been in ages , it's my favorite class but I can never make it through these days without feeling like I'm gonna pass out

I will think about this or I can try a light increase in carbs on those days , it doesn't have to be a full on refeed

That sounds like a good plan. I have always seen boot camp classes, but just the thought scares the heck out of me, so I stay far, far away.

Originally Posted by Mar922

Morning!

Ok I have a confession about my weight, on the May thread I said my weight was 148 because that what it was on Saturday so I put it up Monday morning, but Monday night I weighted myself and I was 153!!!! yes that was at night after eating etc so I was probably actually 151 in the morning judging by how my weight changes daily... anyways I weighed myself this AM and I am at 145!!! that means I lost 8 pounds since monday!!!!!

Yay! That is awesome!

[akagal20]

Originally Posted by Butterflymama

Oh, and I can I just say what a happy thread/group this is? On the main LC Lobby, so many people are bummed about slow losses (which was me before I started Stillmans), or no losses on Atkins or whatever other plan, and we are over here just merrily cruising along! Stillman's rocks!

Butterfly, I know you are SO right on this one

I am facing this ordeal in person, my close friends all getting revved up for swimsuit season..ALL they do is work out nonstop and then go drinking at happy hour and eating up appetizers and etc etc. I just want to shake them by the shoulders and say LISTEN TO ME!. I can help you! lol
Or they do ask me what I am doing, and I tell them and they arent interested, or they pretend. So funny.


If it werent for my dad, I would never have even heard of Stillmans
He noticed I kept making posts on facebook, saying I was scared of not fitting into my wedding dress and that I wasnt sure what to do. He sent me an email with the Stillmans information and he said he had done once in college, I think to make weight for the military? Said it worked like a charm
and boy was he right...no wedding worries for me.. just keep on trucking!

[akagal20]

I havent had a single cheat meal since I have started Stillmans and aside from the wedding, I think my motivation is that I am worried of how I will react to the cheat.. Will I eat it and then give up and just overload? Will I be able to take a few bites of something good and then keep moving?
I havent had anything other than Stillmans foods for over a month, and I am wondering what would happen if I ate a bag of skittles? or a blueberry muffin.
yum!

[Mar922]

Originally Posted by Getting there!!!

I seriously never lose like that! If I gain due to cheats the 3 or 4 lbs stay for at least a week. And worse still the inches stay.

Maybe because you are so close to goal?

[Mar922]

Originally Posted by akagal20

I havent had a single cheat meal since I have started Stillmans and aside from the wedding, I think my motivation is that I am worried of how I will react to the cheat.. Will I eat it and then give up and just overload? Will I be able to take a few bites of something good and then keep moving?
I havent had anything other than Stillmans foods for over a month, and I am wondering what would happen if I ate a bag of skittles? or a blueberry muffin.
yum!

I have been doing stills for a couple months now and I have had a couple times where I could have oner thing and then go back but for the most part one thing leads to another for me because I know I can't have it again for a while its bad I know and I should just listen to GT that the food will always be there so I can wait but it doesn't seem to sink in haha If I want a treat though and don't indulge then that line of thinking works lol

[Getting there!!!]

The skittles would definitely give you the energy for Boot Camp!!!!

[Getting there!!!]

Yeah I read a few times that QWL was used to drop weight to be able to get into the Military!

[Mar922]

Originally Posted by Getting there!!!

Yeah I read a few times that QWL was used to drop weight to be able to get into the Military!

I have read a few times too that ppl who did stills like back in the 60's and 70's managaed to keep the weight off for years, that was a big selling point for me

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by Mar922

Maybe because you are so close to goal?

Dunno! I didn't have many cheats over Easter-they were bites of stuff--and a couple of slices of bread--but my carbs were higher and my cals too. I did have some choc Easter Sunday, but that's ages ago now----and the main thing was I didn't work out. -----------but I put on an inch on my hips and an inch on my thighs-------i mean, it just sucks. I haven't weighed cos I don't want to see the damage. But I think seriously I'm gonna have to eat this little -my cals (on Stills) are never more than 450-500-and work out so much to keep my weight down
Ok rant over!! i did my Super Callanetics this morning! Exercise always makes me feel better!!!
I looooove your success stories, I do!! And I truley and utterly believe that QWL is the best and quickest diet out there---I just wish that I still had those successes......i know, i had them in the beginning......but I miss it!,

[akagal20]

Back in my calorie counting days, I would take a bag of Skittles and split it up into little ziplock bag servings
And then just have 1 ziplock bag per day of the candy
( I LOVE candy, its been so hard for me, but I chew sugar free gum every day just to get the edge off)

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by Mar922

and I should just listen to GT that the food will always be there so I can wait lol

Ha! GT should listen to herself!!!

[Getting there!!!]

Originally Posted by Mar922

I have read a few times too that ppl who did stills like back in the 60's and 70's managaed to keep the weight off for years, that was a big selling point for me

Oooooooooh!!! I've never heard that!!!!!!!! Goody!!!! Cos I've just read the 'I gained it all back' stuff-even here on LCF--makes me wanna cry every time I read it.