Taking diet/exercising breaks....

[kfaircloth]

I have about 10 lbs left to drop to finally reach my "target weight". My weight decrease has stalled though and I was told by a trainer that since I have been doing "diet calories" for soooo long that I should stop for about 2-4 weeks and take a break from dieting (go up to maintence calories) and to also take a break from exercising. And then after that 2-4 week period start again and that will help break through my plateau. He also said that everyone should stop "dieting" about every 12 weeks and take "breaks". Is this something you have heard of and/or recommend ?
Thanks for the help....just dying to finally get rid of the last 10lbs and drop some fat..........
Kathleen

 

[acatalina]

I think he is saying changing things will shake it up a little.
I could not go 2-4- weeks but i do find myself taking rest days more often because i am exhausted after 10 hr days.
I have dropped a few lbs this way.I have been eating like a pig too. So, maybe you are not eating enough. I haven't really been dieting. I have been eating whatever just healthier foods .If i want something i have been eating it. I just quit when i am full.
Seems to be working for me.
I am tired of counting.
Like today I had a brown rice veggie wrap. Then a boars head chicken sand on whole wheat bun , no mayo.
I am full and fine. If i get hungry , I will have a power bar to get me through till dinner after i work out.
I am going to have spaghetti tonite. Barilla plus with lean mt. balls and marinara sauce.I just eat enough to fulfill me , not stuff.

This seems to be working better than dieting.
Good luck though.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/acatalina

 

[msox]

I'm not a dietition but I think you should take a week at your maintenance level and then try giving your metabolism a jump start by eating 5-6 x a day and eating at you mainenance level for a day and then going two days cutting calories, repeat this and you should see results. It also helps your body from going into starvation mode when you are cutting calories. Your trainer probably told you this but your body's natural instinct is to hold onto whatever fat you have if you've been starving it so long. I wouldn't do what your trainer says, you may put on weight. See what others think!
Good luck, stay strong!!

Marci

 

[kfaircloth]

Well I have been eating 6 meals a day....almost completely clean. My calories were not so bad either...kind of doing the carb cycling, so it ranged anywhere between 13something and 15something for totals calories during the day.
Well I caculated on muscletech.com that doing just light w/o's (1-3 days per week) my maintence calories are still at about 1450, and I was not going to completely stop working out since I am taking a course to become a pilates instructor so I would continue to do that about 5 days a week.....

 

[dragon_girl]

I have often heard of people taking breaks from the gym. Some will take a week off after every 4 weeks. Others will take a week off after every 2-3 months. I would say do what your body is asking you to do. If you feel tired, unmotivated, or haven't taken a break since you started, then go for it. After all, don't you deserve a little r&r? If you don't do it now you might pay for it later in the form of overtraining or injury. Take that week and do something for yourself--massage? manicure? Just don't go crazy with unhealthy foods and you'll be fine.

 

[teachreef]

I had a forced break at the end of June to mid July. I had surgery(bladder tumors removed) and any workout (even walking) left me bleeding. So finally I returned to my workout. I was shocked no little soreness after I started up again and returned to my regular routine within a couple of lighter workouts. I have lost five pounds since I started working out again as well. I am now thinking of taking more week long breaks from time to time.

Teachreef