When and Where to Refeed
The purpose of structured refeeds is both mental and physical. Refeeds can vary anywhere from “carb cycling”: 2 – 3 times every 7 days, to 1 time every 10 days based on body fat percentage and fat loss trends. Their main purpose is to be anabolic and raise leptin levels in conjunction with lowering cortisol levels and aiding in digestion. The leaner you are or the more stubborn your body is, the more refeeds you will need. As calories decrease, your metabolism slows down. Since fat loss typically stalls every 2 – 4 weeks, it’s always beneficial to incorporate structured refeeds in any caloric deficit. These can be anywhere from 40% to 100+% of low day carbs.
