hunger starting to get bad after 9 weeks of dieting, should I refeed to keep going?

[kosp]

Hello,

9 weeks into test+mast+var cutting cycle (dropped the var after 8 weeks), I was doing 250 test 400 mast, on week 8 I changed to 500 test 200 mast due to crashed E2 symptoms from mast, feeling better after a few days.

Progress has been good so far, waist dropped 9 cm from the start, which is pretty good. Weight about 5 kg less (the test makes it hard to truly track). People around me are noticing a lot and they tell me. The strength at the gym is superb.

Currently 2400 calories, 220 g protein, 230 g carbs, and 60 g fat. Now I am 200 lbs, 1.81m height, down to 17 - 18% BF (I started at 23 - 25 %)

I have been 3 days with a lot of hunger all day long, especially in the evenings, it´s fucking unbearable, I would eat a goddamn cow.

For people that have dieted a lot, what are your experiences with refeeds/cheat meals? I was thinking about doing today about 4.000 calories (clean, high-nutrient foods).

 

[Evom1]

I have been 3 days with a lot of hunger all day long, especially in the evenings, it´s fucking unbearable, I would eat a goddamn cow

This is normal. Endure it. You want to get lean, you're going to have to get uncomfortable.

There's no need for a refeed 17% body fat. Don't just try to justify having a cheat meal or look for someone to tell you it's OK. Accept being hungry

 

[kosp]

This is normal. Endure it. You want to get lean, you're going to have to get uncomfortable.

There's no need for a refeed 17% body fat. Don't just try to justify having a cheat meal or look for someone to tell you it's OK. Accept being hungry

You're right, I needed that. Thanks.

 

[Evom1]

Good attitude man, now go kill it today in the gym and the kitchen!!

You're right, I needed that. Thanks.

 

[Mac11wildcat]

A refeed will not solve hunger and I've more often seen it make hunger worse. Refeeds and diet breaks should be used in very specific situations when progress stalls or dieting has been a truly long process. Hunger is just part of the process and if you don't get comfortable with being uncomfortable the goal is never gonna be achieved.

 

[kosp]

A refeed will not solve hunger and I've more often seen it make hunger worse. Refeeds and diet breaks should be used in very specific situations when progress stalls or dieting has been a truly long process. Hunger is just part of the process and if you don't get comfortable with being uncomfortable the goal is never gonna be achieved.

Thanks.

One question, do you think it's neccessary to track calories from vegetables? (Broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, etc.)

Those are 200 - 300 calories a day that would make a difference if I get some extra fruits or potatoes lol.

 

[Evom1]

Thanks.

One question, do you think it's neccessary to track calories from vegetables? (Broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, etc.)

Those are 200 - 300 calories a day that would make a difference if I get some extra fruits or potatoes lol.

Stick to leaft greens, asparagus etc. Not tomatoes

Shouldn't be getting 300 calories from veggies. 100g of broccoli is like 35 calories.... Limit yourself to 100-150g per meal. Be disciplined

 

[kosp]

Stick to leaft greens, asparagus etc. Not tomatoes

Shouldn't be getting 300 calories from veggies. 100g of broccoli is like 35 calories.... Limit yourself to 100-150g per meal. Be disciplined

Geez man tomatoes are like 18 - 20 calories per 100g, it's very low in calories with big volume, high satiating index food and full of vitamins and minerals.

In terms of fruits and vegetables I do:

- 1 apple daily.

- 400 - 500 gr of Melon daily (this is so fucking good and just 36 calories / 100g).

- Big salad of 125 gr of raw spinach + 150 gr of tomatoes for lunch (Some days with 100g of cucumber).

-225 gr of broccoli in the night (it's a microware bag, 26 calories per 100g, pretty standard size).

 

[Evom1]

How are you getting 200-300 calories from veggies tho?

What you said you're taking in there is totally fine, definitely isn't 300 cal worth of veggies lol.

 

[kosp]

How are you getting 200-300 calories from veggies tho?

What you said you're taking in there is totally fine, definitely isn't 300 cal worth of veggies lol.

Yeah man I overestimated, it's roughly half of it of vegetables actually (no fruits).

Thing is, my pre-bed meal is a hot glass of milk with egg yolk mixed in it, it relieves hunger and gives me nice stomach for sleep, if I didn't count those 150 cals of veggies, I would make a bigger pre-bed glass of milk&yolks.

 

[Evom1]

Yeah man I overestimated, it's roughly half of it of vegetables actually (no fruits).

Thing is, my pre-bed meal is a hot glass of milk with egg yolk mixed in it, it relieves hunger and gives me nice stomach for sleep, if I didn't count those 150 cals of veggies, I would make a bigger pre-bed glass of milk&yolks.

Well, I've never heard of that meal before lol.

 

[kosp]

Well, I've never heard of that meal before lol.

It was used during the civil war here in my country, when food was scarce, to kill hunger.

I really hate going to bed with a rumbling stomach because of hunger, that dense glass of milk&yolks works like a champ and it´s good fats and protein.

 

[Rido]

It was used during the civil war here in my country, when food was scarce, to kill hunger.

I really hate going to bed with a rumbling stomach because of hunger, that dense glass of milk&yolks works like a champ and it´s good fats and protein.

Ever thought of casein? Cottage cheese?

 

[kosp]

Ever thought of casein? Cottage cheese?

Protein shakes don´t satiate me much.

Cottage cheese, sure, I take it in the evenings after work, I like it, with 0% sugar Jam (42 calories / 100 gr), and the cottage cheese I buy is just 52 calories per 100g (8,5g of protein per 100g), but it´s a cold food, hot liquid relieves better the hungry stomach IME.

 

[Evom1]

It was used during the civil war here in my country, when food was scarce, to kill hunger.

I really hate going to bed with a rumbling stomach because of hunger, that dense glass of milk&yolks works like a champ and it´s good fats and protein.

I hear you there. During contest prep my last meal is done about 10mins before I go to bed. Never done anything like that though. Usually steak and rice or steak and veggies depending where I am in prep.

 

[micro2000]

It was used during the civil war here in my country, when food was scarce, to kill hunger.

I really hate going to bed with a rumbling stomach because of hunger, that dense glass of milk&yolks works like a champ and it´s good fats and protein.

Is this a cooked beverage? Like eggnog?

 

[kosp]

Is this a cooked beverage? Like eggnog?

Yes like an eggnog.

I let it boil for a little bit.

 

[Union44]

I've dieted with and without cheat days. When I've done extreme diets, cheat days made it bearable and I don't think I would have been able to stick to it without cheat days. By extreme diet I mean strict keto and 1000kcals a day or eating one meal a day at night. I've done these types of diets to get cut up for summer where a normal diet would take too long. During these diets I'd lose some muscle but they worked as far as getting lean quickly. Anytime i'd do an extreme diet I'd have a cheat day once a week where I'd not count calories and just eat whatever I wanted which was probably around 5000kcals. I don't think I'd be able to stick to an extreme diet without the cheat days.

For a more sensible diet cheat days aren't as necessary. Maybe a cheat meal here or there just for sanity could be good. You'll always have a great pump and look way fuller overall the day after a cheat day just because of glycogen. Overall I don't think that it's bad as long as you can resume your typical diet without problems. If it'll send you into a binge then it's no good. For me I've needed it mentally during extreme crash diets. Right now I'm cutting and not using cheat days nor cheat meals but I'm on a regular diet, not an extreme one and it's fine. Only you can judge if you need it mentally or not and it may take some experimentation to know if it is worth it or even helpful.